What Is CLB? Canadian Language Benchmarks Levels, Chart and the CELPIP, IELTS and PTE Core Scores for CLB 4 to 10

CLB stands for Canadian Language Benchmarks, the national standard Canada uses to describe the English of adult immigrants, with 12 levels given separately for listening, speaking, reading and writing. It isn't a test: you prove a CLB level with an approved test such as CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training or PTE Core. On CELPIP the level is the CLB number, so CLB 7 is CELPIP 7; on IELTS General Training, CLB 7 is 6.0 in each skill and CLB 9 is 8.0 in Listening with 7.0 in the other three. Because a CELPIP level is the CLB number, a free PrepEx CELPIP practice test is the quickest way to see roughly which CLB you're at before you book anything.

Check my CLB level free See the CLB chart for each test

We checked the CLB description, test scores, program minimums and points on this page against the Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks, IRCC's Express Entry language test and Comprehensive Ranking System pages, IRCC's citizenship language proof pages and CELPIP's results page on 12 November 2026. The equivalents are IRCC's, for Canadian immigration. Rules change, so confirm your program's requirement with IRCC before you book.

What CLB means

The Canadian Language Benchmarks describe how well an adult can use English for living and working in Canada. The Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks supports the standard and its French counterpart, the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC). IRCC states English requirements in CLB and French ones in NCLC.

There are 12 levels, grouped into three stages: basic (CLB 1–4), intermediate (CLB 5–8) and advanced (CLB 9–12). Each skill gets its own level, so a requirement such as "CLB 7 in all four abilities" means CLB 7 in listening, speaking, reading and writing, checked one by one.

So a CELPIP result of Listening 9, Reading 8, Writing 9 and Speaking 10 is CLB 8 for any CLB 9 requirement, because Reading is short. The average on the score report doesn't change that.

CLB is not a test

There's no exam called the CLB test. You take an approved language test, and IRCC converts each skill score to a CLB level. For Express Entry, the approved tests are:

• English: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core. IELTS Academic, PTE Academic and IELTS One Skill Retake aren't accepted for Express Entry.
• French: TEF Canada and TCF Canada, which IRCC reads as NCLC levels.

CELPIP-General LS, which tests only Listening and Speaking, is for citizenship. For citizenship, IRCC also accepts proof that isn't a test result, such as a program completed in English or French, or a LINC or CLIC certificate at CLB 4 or higher in speaking and listening; our CELPIP for citizenship guide lists every option. If you join government-funded English classes in Canada, you'll usually be placed with a CLB assessment first, but that placement isn't an approved test for Express Entry.

A CLB level doesn't expire, but the result that proves it can. For Express Entry, results must be less than two years old when you complete your profile and again when you submit your permanent residence application.

CLB chart: CELPIP, IELTS and PTE Core scores for each level

This is IRCC's equivalence table for the three English tests accepted for Express Entry. IELTS and PTE Core scores are per skill, in the order Listening / Reading / Writing / Speaking.

CELPIP needs no conversion: levels 3 to 12 equal CLB 3 to 12. IELTS Listening asks for a higher band than the other skills from CLB 8 up, so IELTS Listening 7.0 still counts as CLB 7. IRCC's tables stop at CLB 10, which is also where Express Entry language points stop rising.

The CELPIP score chart has the raw scores behind each level, and CELPIP to IELTS conversion covers both directions skill by skill. To turn your own results into CLB, use the CELPIP to CLB calculator or the IELTS to CLB calculator.

Find your CLB level with PrepEx

A chart tells you what each level means, not which one you're at. Booking an official test just to find out is expensive, so check with practice first. PrepEx's CELPIP practice tests are written to be as hard as the real test, and benchmarked against CELPIP's official sample tests, and because CELPIP reports levels as CLB numbers, a practice estimate reads straight across.

• Free every day: two graded practice sessions in any skill. Listening and Reading are marked with an explanation for each answer; Writing and Speaking get a level estimate on the four dimensions CELPIP raters use.
• Free once: after three graded sessions in at least two skills, a full-length CELPIP-General practice test unlocks and gives you an overall level estimate.
• With CELPIP Pro: a level estimate for each skill on every full test, so you can see which skill is below CLB 7 or CLB 9, plus unlimited graded practice and a new full-length test every week.

These are practice estimates, not official results. Use them to decide when to book and which skill needs the most work.

See which CLB your English is at now. Check my CLB level free

What CLB 4 to 10 are needed for

What each level is used for in Canada's federal programs, and the scores that prove it. CRS points are Express Entry's core first-language points per skill. Provincial nominee programs set their own requirements.

CLB 4

CELPIP describes level 4 as adequate for daily life. CLB 4 in speaking and listening is the language requirement for Canadian citizenship if you're 18 to 54, and CLB 4 in reading and writing is the Federal Skilled Trades Program minimum for those two skills.

Scores: CELPIP 4; IELTS 4.5 / 3.5 / 4.0 / 4.0; PTE Core 28–38 / 33–41 / 41–50 / 42–50. CRS: 6 points per skill.

CLB 5

Level 5 is "acquiring" in everyday settings. It's the minimum in all four skills for Canadian Experience Class applicants whose job is in TEER 2 or 3, the Federal Skilled Trades minimum for speaking and listening, and the minimum for a post-graduation work permit after a college program.

Scores: CELPIP 5 (about 17–23 correct out of 38 in Listening, 15–20 in Reading); IELTS 5.0 / 4.0 / 5.0 / 5.0; PTE Core 39–49 / 42–50 / 51–59 / 51–58. CRS: 6 points per skill, the same as CLB 4.

CLB 6

Level 6 is "developing". No federal Express Entry program uses it as a minimum, so for Express Entry it's mostly the step before 7. It still earns more than CLB 5: 9 CRS points per skill single, 8 with a spouse or partner.

Scores: CELPIP 6; IELTS 5.5 / 5.0 / 5.5 / 5.5; PTE Core 50–59 / 51–59 / 60–68 / 59–67.

CLB 7

CLB 7 in all four skills is the minimum for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, for Canadian Experience Class jobs in TEER 0 or 1, and for a post-graduation work permit after a university program. CELPIP describes level 7 as adequate in somewhat demanding settings.

Scores: CELPIP 7 (about 27–31 correct in Listening, 24–28 in Reading); IELTS 6.0 in each skill; PTE Core 60–70 / 60–68 / 69–78 / 68–75. CRS: 17 per skill single, 16 with a spouse or partner. CLB 7 earns 4 points per skill on the Federal Skilled Worker grid, and CLB 7 in all four is the lowest level that earns skill transferability points for education and foreign work experience.

CLB 8

Level 8 means good English in more demanding settings. No federal program requires it, but it earns 23 CRS points per skill single (22 with a spouse or partner) and 5 per skill on the Federal Skilled Worker grid.

Scores: CELPIP 8 (about 30–33 correct in Listening, 28–31 in Reading); IELTS 7.5 / 6.5 / 6.5 / 6.5; PTE Core 71–81 / 69–77 / 79–87 / 76–83.

CLB 9

CLB 9 moves three things at once in Express Entry. A single applicant gets 31 CRS points per skill, 8 more than at CLB 8, or 32 more across all four. CLB 9 in all four skills moves skill transferability points for education and foreign work experience to the higher tier, for example from 13 to 25. And it earns the maximum 6 points per skill on the Federal Skilled Worker grid.

Scores: CELPIP 9 (about 33–35 correct in Listening, 31–33 in Reading); IELTS 8.0 in Listening and 7.0 in Reading, Writing and Speaking; PTE Core 82–88 / 78–87 / 88–89 / 84–88. CELPIP describes level 9 as effective in some high-stakes settings.

CLB 10

CLB 10 is the top line of IRCC's tables. It earns 34 CRS points per skill for a single applicant (32 with a spouse or partner), and nothing above it earns more. On the Federal Skilled Worker grid it scores the same 6 points as CLB 9.

Scores: CELPIP 10, 11 or 12 (about 35–38 correct in Listening, 33–38 in Reading); IELTS 8.5 / 8.0 / 7.5 / 7.5; PTE Core 89 / 88 / 90 / 89 or higher.

Aiming for CLB 7 or CLB 9? Two free graded sessions a day show how each skill you practise is doing. Start free CELPIP practice

How CLB changes your Express Entry points

Every CLB step above the minimum earns more Comprehensive Ranking System points, but the steps aren't even. For a single applicant, core points per skill go 6 (CLB 4 or 5), 9 (CLB 6), 17 (CLB 7), 23 (CLB 8), 31 (CLB 9) and 34 (CLB 10 or higher). The big steps are 6 to 7 and 8 to 9, at 8 points per skill each; 9 to 10 adds 3.

The higher transferability tier only applies when all four skills reach 9, so one skill at 8 keeps you on the lower tier. Our CELPIP score for PR guide has the full CRS table, the transferability points and a worked example.

CLB and CEFR

CEFR is the European A1 to C2 framework used by many schools and employers outside Canada. CELPIP's level table lines its levels up with CEFR as below. It's a rough match; IRCC doesn't use CEFR for English requirements.

B2 covers CLB 7, 8 and 9, so "B2 English" can mean anything from the Federal Skilled Worker minimum to the higher transferability tier.

Which test is easiest for CLB 9?

No test is officially easier: IRCC gives the same points for the same CLB, whichever test it came from. What differs is the scale:

• CELPIP-General: 9 in each skill.
• IELTS General Training: 8.0 in Listening and 7.0 in Reading, Writing and Speaking. Listening needs a full band more than the rest.
• PTE Core: from 82 in Listening, 78 in Reading, 88 in Writing and 84 in Speaking.

In CELPIP's 2024 data report, the share of CELPIP-General test takers at level 9 or higher was 52.0% in Listening, 33.3% in Reading, 32.6% in Speaking and 29.8% in Writing. Those are CELPIP figures only and say nothing about how the same people would do on IELTS. Our CELPIP vs IELTS comparison covers the format differences.

The real answer comes from a timed practice test. A free PrepEx account gets two graded CELPIP practice sessions a day, and a full-length CELPIP-General practice test unlocks free after three graded sessions in at least two sections. Listening and Reading are marked against an answer key; Writing and Speaking get a level estimate on the same four dimensions CELPIP raters use. Treat any practice level as an estimate, and see how to work toward CLB 9 for a plan.

If you're choosing between CELPIP and IELTS for CLB 9, try CELPIP's format before you decide. A free PrepEx CELPIP practice test shows whether 9 looks within reach, and our CELPIP vs IELTS guide covers the rest of the choice.

Check which CLB your CELPIP practice results point to before you book. Start the free practice test

Sources we checked

• Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks — CLB and NCLC as national standards; 12 levels in three stages
• IRCC: Language test results for Express Entry — approved tests, CLB tables, program minimums, two-year validity, Federal Skilled Worker grid
• IRCC: Comprehensive Ranking System criteria — CRS points per CLB level and skill transferability tiers
• IRCC: Citizenship language proof — CLB 4 in speaking and listening for ages 18 to 54, education and LINC or CLIC proof
• IRCC: Citizenship language proof, approved tests — test scores accepted for citizenship
• IRCC: Post-graduation work permit eligibility — CLB 7 for university programs, CLB 5 for college programs
• CELPIP: Test Results — levels equal CLB, level descriptions, CEFR, raw-score chart
• CELPIP 2024 Data Report — share at level 9 or higher in each skill