CELPIP score chart and CLB levels

CLB 7. IRCC uses the same number: a CELPIP level is the CLB, so CELPIP 7 is CLB 7, which is the level the Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class (TEER 0 or 1) programs ask for in all four skills.

IRCC publishes tables for CELPIP (General), IELTS (General Training) and PTE Core, as well as French tests.

Paragon lists 38 in each: Listening: 38 questions · 46–55 minutes; Reading: 38 questions · 43–56 minutes.

No. DISCLAIMER: This example chart shows how scores in the Listening Test approximately correspond to CELPIP Levels. Since questions may have different levels of difficulty and may therefore be equated differently, the raw score required for a certain level may vary slightly from one test to another.

The ‘Average Score’ on your CELPIP score report does not equate to a CLB level, and is simply an average of the four CELPIP components. Average scores are not used by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for immigration and citizenship purposes.

CELPIP-General, the IELTS General Training option and the PTE Core option. IELTS One Skill Retake is not accepted for Express Entry.

IRCC: your test results must be less than 2 years old when you complete your Express Entry profile and submit your application for permanent residence.

IRCC: if you apply on or after November 1, 2024, you must provide proof of English or French language skills. The only exception is if you graduate from a PGWP-eligible flight school.

The top level in the levels table is 12, described as: “Expert proficiency in high-stakes social, educational, or workplace contexts” CELPIP-General reports a level for each skill: “The CELPIP Test measures your English language proficiency in Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. The CELPIP Test assesses all four skills, while the CELPIP LS Test only assesses Listening and Speaking.” Listening and Reading: “All CELPIP Reading and Listening questions are in the multiple choice or similar format. All the answers to CELPIP Reading and Listening questions are scored dichotomously: a response is either correct or incorrect. Questions that are left blank are scored as incorrect. All the scoring is done by computer.” Raw scores become scaled scores: “In order to account for differences between test forms, Paragon transforms test takers’ raw scores into a scaled score. Scaled scores adjust raw scores in a consistent way so that test takers’ scores on different test forms can be compared.” Speaking and Writing: “Each CELPIP speaking performance is rated by three to five speaking raters, and each CELPIP writing performance is rated by four to six writing raters.” Writing also uses AI: “The CELPIP Writing Test is scored by an AI-human hybrid system that combines artificial intelligence with our human rating panel. All CELPIP writing scores are reviewed and verified by our rating team, ensuring that your CELPIP scores are certified against our rating criteria.”

The official bridge between the two tests is the CLB level, because both are mapped to it. At CLB 7, CELPIP is 7 in every skill and IELTS General Training is 6.0 listening, 6.0 reading, 6.0 writing and 6.0 speaking. At CLB 8, CELPIP is 8 and IELTS is 7.5, 6.5, 6.5 and 6.5. At CLB 9, CELPIP is 9 and IELTS is 8.0, 7.0, 7.0 and 7.0. See IELTS to CLB for every level.

CELPIP-General reports a level for each skill: “The CELPIP Test measures your English language proficiency in Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. The CELPIP Test assesses all four skills, while the CELPIP LS Test only assesses Listening and Speaking.” The level you need comes from whoever asks for the score: Express Entry, the PGWP or citizenship.

Listening and reading are marked by computer: “All CELPIP Reading and Listening questions are in the multiple choice or similar format. All the answers to CELPIP Reading and Listening questions are scored dichotomously: a response is either correct or incorrect. Questions that are left blank are scored as incorrect. All the scoring is done by computer.” Speaking and writing are rated against set criteria. Paragon lists them: “Speaking: Content/Coherence, Vocabulary, Listenability, and Task Fulfillment” and “Writing: Content/Coherence, Vocabulary, Readability, and Task Fulfillment” “Each dimension is divided into five performance levels.” Paragon also says: “Each CELPIP speaking performance is rated by three to five speaking raters, and each CELPIP writing performance is rated by four to six writing raters.” “Raters work independently of one another, and have no knowledge of the ratings assigned by other raters.” “When the ratings of a test taker’s performance are complete, they are inspected for agreement. If the ratings are in disagreement, a benchmark rater is automatically assigned to assess the performance.” On writing, it says: “The CELPIP Writing Test is scored by an AI-human hybrid system that combines artificial intelligence with our human rating panel. All CELPIP writing scores are reviewed and verified by our rating team, ensuring that your CELPIP scores are certified against our rating criteria.”