CELPIP General levels map directly to Canadian Language Benchmarks. A CELPIP level from 4 to 12 is the same CLB level. IRCC uses the CLB level of each skill for Express Entry and other programs.
1.CELPIP level and CLB
| CELPIP level | CLB level |
|---|---|
| 12 | 12 |
| 11 | 11 |
| 10 | 10 |
| 9 | 9 |
| 8 | 8 |
| 7 | 7 |
| 6 | 6 |
| 5 | 5 |
| 4 | 4 |
CELPIP also reports levels 1 to 3 and M (minimal), which are below the levels most programs ask for.
2.How Listening and Reading become a level
Listening and Reading each have 38 scored questions. There is no penalty for a wrong answer. Your number of correct answers is turned into a level, and the cut points change a little from one test form to another. As a rough guide from published study material, CLB 9 in Listening needs about 33 to 35 correct answers out of 38, and CLB 9 in Reading about 31 to 33.
3.How Writing and Speaking become a level
Raters score each answer on four criteria. Writing: Content and Coherence, Vocabulary, Readability, Task Fulfillment. Speaking: Content and Coherence, Vocabulary, Listenability, Task Fulfillment. CELPIP does not score your accent.
4.The same levels on IELTS General Training
IRCC publishes these equivalents (canada.ca, Express Entry language tests):
| CLB | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| 9 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| 8 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| 7 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
5.What a level is worth in points
Language is one of the biggest parts of the Comprehensive Ranking System. Moving one skill from CLB 8 to CLB 9 can change your score, and the CRS calculator shows by how much for your own profile.
Find your starting point with the free level check. Scores on PR Language Test are estimates, not official results.