CELPIP, IELTS & PTE Core Scores
to CLB & CRS Points
Free CLB calculator. Convert CELPIP, IELTS or PTE Core scores to your CLB level and the CRS points each level earns on Express Entry. No sign-up, no paywall.
Convert your scores
Plug in your CELPIP, IELTS or PTE Core numbers. Get your CLB level per skill plus your overall.
The Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) is Canada's national scale for English proficiency, running from 1 to 12 across Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. CELPIP scores convert directly to CLB — a CELPIP 7 in any skill is CLB 7. IELTS and PTE Core use different scales per skill. IRCC uses your CLB level (not your raw test score) for Express Entry, Provincial Nominee, Canadian Experience Class, and citizenship eligibility. Your overall CLB is your lowest skill score.
CLB levels are determined by your lowest score across all four language abilities. For immigration purposes, you must meet the minimum CLB requirement in each ability.
Your overall CLB is whichever of your four skill scores is lowest.
CELPIP & IELTS → CLB → CRS
The full conversion at a glance. CRS points are for a single applicant (no spouse), summed across all four skills.
| CELPIP | IELTS L | IELTS R | IELTS W | IELTS S | CLB | CRS Pointsall 4 skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10+ | 8.5+ | 8.0+ | 7.5+ | 7.5+ | 10–12 | 136 |
| 9 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 9 | 124 |
| 8 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 8 | 92 |
| 7 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 7 | 68 |
| 6 | 5.5 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 6 | 36 |
| 5 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5 | 24 |
| 4 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4 | 24 |
PTE Core → CLB
PTE Core scores run from 10 to 90, and each skill has its own range for each CLB level.
| CLB | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10+ | 89-90 | 88-90 | 90 | 89-90 |
| 9 | 82-88 | 78-87 | 88-89 | 84-88 |
| 8 | 71-81 | 69-77 | 79-87 | 76-83 |
| 7 | 60-70 | 60-68 | 69-78 | 68-75 |
| 6 | 50-59 | 51-59 | 60-68 | 59-67 |
| 5 | 39-49 | 42-50 | 51-59 | 51-58 |
| 4 | 28-38 | 33-41 | 41-50 | 42-50 |
Why CLB matters for your application
One number, one rule: your overall CLB is your lowest skill score.
What CLB is
The Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) is Canada's national scale for English proficiency, running from 1 to 12 across Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. IRCC uses your CLB (not your raw test score) to decide eligibility for Express Entry, CEC, FST, PNP streams, and citizenship.
Neither CELPIP nor IELTS reports CLB directly. The calculator above does the conversion. Your overall CLB is your lowest skill score, so one weak skill drags the whole application down even when the other three are strong.
Every level above CLB 7 translates into real CRS points. Moving from CLB 8 to CLB 9 in all four skills adds 32 core CRS points for a single applicant, and CLB 9 can unlock more through skill transferability. That is often the gap between an invitation and another round of waiting.
Conversion catch
CELPIP is 1:1.
IELTS is not.
CELPIP score 7 = CLB 7 in every skill. With IELTS, each skill converts to CLB on a different scale — and listening needs more than the others.
CLB 7 minimum
CELPIP 7 / IELTS L 6.0, R 6.0, W 6.0, S 6.0
CLB 9 sweet spot
CELPIP 9 / IELTS L 8.0, R 7.0, W 7.0, S 7.0
Example: 6 points short
Say Maria in Vancouver scores IELTS 6.5 across the board and assumes that means CLB 8 overall. The conversion says otherwise.
- Reading 6.5 = CLB 8 ✓
- Writing 6.5 = CLB 8 ✓
- Speaking 6.5 = CLB 8 ✓
- Listening 6.5 = CLB 7 ✗
One skill at CLB 7 drops her overall to CLB 7. Her listening earns 17 CRS points instead of 23, so as a single applicant she loses 6 points. Say the draw cutoff is 488 and she has 482: those 6 points are the gap.
CLB by immigration program
The CLB each pathway expects — and where the points pay off.
Featured
Express Entry: Federal Skilled Worker
The main pathway to Canadian PR. Each CLB level from 7 to 9 adds CRS points. Moving from CLB 7 to CLB 9 in all four skills adds 56 core CRS points for a single applicant.
Minimum
CLB 7
in all four skills
Competitive
CLB 9+
for the CRS points
Federal Skilled Trades
Provincial Nominee
Canadian Experience
Have a practice score out of 38? The CELPIP score calculator turns a Listening or Reading count into the official approximate level range.
Applying through Ontario? The OWPS language points calculator scores the new Workforce Priority stream's 15-point language factor from your CELPIP results.
Next step
Know your CLB. Now close the gap.
You have seen your level. The fastest way to lift it is full-length practice with instant feedback on writing and speaking, based on the official CELPIP criteria. Free to start.
Lift your CLB by one level
Spend most of your time on the weakest skill — that's the one setting your ceiling.
Listening
Lift listening
- Daily CBC or Canadian podcasts — especially clips with multiple speakers
- Note-taking drills: dates, numbers, names, sequence markers
Reading
Lift reading
- Time yourself. Skim first, then read for detail
- Work the paraphrasing between the question and the passage
Writing
Lift writing
- Build two templates cold: formal email, informal email
- Typing speed above 40 WPM so the keyboard is not the bottleneck
Speaking
Lift speaking
- Record yourself on every task type, then compare to band-9 samples
- Fluency beats grammar. Do not restart sentences mid-thought
CELPIP or IELTS — which fits you?
Four questions. One recommendation.
Which English test is right for you?
Answer the four questions and get a recommendation.
Where do you currently live?
Pick this if
Choose CELPIP
- You want Canadian English and accents
- Computer-based testing suits you
- You want direct CLB conversion (7 = CLB 7)
- You are already in Canada or moving soon
Pick this if
Choose IELTS
- You are used to British or Australian accents
- You prefer paper, or want the option
- You might use the scores in other countries too
- Test centres are closer outside Canada
Frequently asked questions
About CLB conversion, the calculator, and what IRCC actually looks at.