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PTE Core score chart and PTE Core to CLB calculator

Got your PTE Core report? Put the four skill scores in below. Each one is out of 90. You'll see the CLB for every skill, what it's worth in CRS points, and how close you are to the next level.

Checked against canada.ca and pearsonpte.com on 24 Oct 2026

Your CLB levels and points show up here once you type a score.

PTE Core to CLB chart

IRCC doesn't use one range for all four skills. A 78 gets you CLB 9 in Reading, but the same 78 is only CLB 7 in Writing. The full chart is below, taken from IRCC's equivalency page.

CLBListeningReadingWritingSpeaking
CLB 1089-9088-909089-90
CLB 982-8878-8788-8984-88
CLB 871-8169-7779-8776-83
CLB 760-7060-6869-7868-75
CLB 650-5951-5960-6859-67
CLB 539-4942-5051-5951-58
CLB 428-3833-4141-5042-50
CLB 318-2724-3232-4034-41

Under the CLB 3 line you're below CLB 3. And anything less than CLB 4 gets zero CRS points.

Which skill is hardest to move up

Writing is the tough one. It needs 88 for CLB 9, ten marks more than Reading, and CLB 10 means a perfect 90.

SkillCLB 7 starts atCLB 9 starts atCLB 10 starts atMarks from CLB 7 to 9
Listening60828922
Reading60788818
Writing69889019
Speaking68848916

Speaking is the shortest climb from 7 to 9 (16 marks). Listening is the longest (22). Short on study time? Start where the gap is small.

CRS points for each CLB

It doesn't matter which test you took. These are the points per skill.

CLB per skillSinglePartner coming
10 or higher3432
93129
82322
71716
698
566
466
Below 400

Example: two marks, 40 more points

Say you're single, with one bachelor's degree, two years of work outside Canada and none inside it. Your report: Listening 81, Reading 78, Writing 87, Speaking 84.

  • Right now that is CLB 8, 9, 8, 9. You get 108 language points, plus 13 and 13 from the education and foreign work combos, because not every skill is CLB 9 yet. 134 in total.
  • Add one mark to Listening (82) and one to Writing (88). Now all four are CLB 9: 124 language points, and the combos jump to 25 and 25. 174 in total.

So two marks are worth 40 points here.

How PTE Core is scored

There's no examiner in the room. A computer marks everything. Your report shows one overall number plus a score for each of the four skills. All of them sit on the same 10 to 90 scale, and Pearson says results usually arrive within 48 hours.

For CRS, ignore the overall score. Only the four skill scores count.

PTE Core rules for Express Entry

  • Book PTE Core, not PTE Academic. For Express Entry, IRCC accepts the Core version only.
  • Your result has to still be under two years old when you create your profile, and again when you apply for PR.
  • Pearson says it shares your PTE Core scores with IRCC automatically.

Quick answers

What do I need on PTE Core for CLB 7?
You need 60 in Listening, the same 60 in Reading, then 69 for Writing and 68 for Speaking. Each skill has to hit its own number, there's no averaging.
Which PTE Core marks give CLB 9?
Reading starts at 78, Listening at 82, Speaking at 84 and Writing at 88. Writing asks the most.
Will PTE Academic work for Express Entry?
No. Only the Core version counts for Express Entry. Academic is a separate test.
Does my overall PTE Core score matter?
No. CRS points come from each skill on its own. The overall number isn't used.

Sources

Ready for the full picture? Use the CRS calculator. Took CELPIP instead? Try the CELPIP to CLB calculator. For IELTS, TEF or TCF, see the IELTS to CLB converter.