CLB Points Calculator

The Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) are a set of 12 standards that describe the English language proficiency of adult immigrants and prospective immigrants to Canada. The CLB provide a national standard used to measure, assess and recognize the language ability of these individuals. The CLB are used by language instructors, educational institutions, employers, and government agencies to assess the language skills of individuals for various purposes, such as for hiring, for admission to post-secondary institutions, and for language training programs. They are also used to track the progress of language learners over time.

Equivalencies between the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLBs) (for English), the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (for French), and the results of language tests from designated testing organizations have been established and are summarized in the following tables.

You can find the CLB level of your language test results for CELPIP, IELTS or TEF, with our language test equivalency charts.

You must prove your language skills by taking an approved language test. To do this:

You must:

schedule your test with an agency approved by IRCC and pay the costs
enter the test results into your Express Entry profile (and the Personal Information Number, if the system asks for it)
include the results with your application if you are invited to apply. If you don’t include it, we will not process your application.

Don’t ask for your language test results to be sent directly to us. Send us your results with your complete application. Keep your original test in a safe place as we may ask for it later.

Language tests we accept

You can take any of these approved language tests:

English
- CELPIP: Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program
  - you must take the CELPIP-General test
  - we don’t accept the General-LS test for Express Entry
- IELTS: International English Language Testing System
  - you must take the General Training option
  - we don’t accept the Academic option for Express Entry
French
- TEF Canada: Test d’évaluation de français, including:
  - compréhension de l’écrit
  - compréhension de l’oral
  - expression écrite
  - expression orale
- TCF Canada: Test de connaissance du français, including:
  - compréhension de l’écrit
  - compréhension de l’oral
  - expression écrite
  - expression orale

What happens next

See what language level you have based on your test results in:

Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB)
Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC)

We will use the test results as proof of your language skills.

Your test results must be valid (less than two years old) when you:

complete your Express Entry profile
apply for permanent residence

The Express Entry profile is valid for 12 months. Make sure that your language test results are valid for the same time period.

If your test results expire soon, you should re-take the test and update your Express Entry profile with your new test results.

Averaging your language score: for people with a physical or mental disability

If you aren’t able to complete one or more sections of your language test because of a disability, you must:

use the Comprehensive Ranking System – Language calculator tool to find out your score for the abilities you were unable to complete
input averaged scores based on those you completed

The Comprehensive Ranking System – Language calculator isn’t the same as the Comprehensive Ranking System tool.

Choose a Program:

Federal Skilled Worker Program

CELPIP-G

CLB Level	Ability: Speaking	Ability: Listening	Ability: Reading	Ability: Writing	Points per ability
7 CELPIP-G	7	7	7	7	4
8 CELPIP-G	8	8	8	8	5
9 CELPIP-G	9	9	9	9	6
10 and above CELPIP-G	10+	10+	10+	10+	6

CLB Level	Ability: Speaking	Ability: Listening	Ability: Reading	Ability: Writing	Points (total)
5 and above	5 – 12	5 – 12	5 – 12	5 – 12	4

IELTS

CLB Level	Ability: Speaking	Ability: Listening	Ability: Reading	Ability: Writing	Points per ability
7	6.0	6.0 – 7.0	6.0	6.0	4
8	6.5	7.5	6.5	6.5	5
9	7.0	8.0	7.0	7.0	6
10 and above	7.5 – 9.0	8.5 – 9.0	8.0 – 9.0	7.5 – 9.0	6

CLB Level	Ability: Speaking	Ability: Listening	Ability: Reading	Ability: Writing	Points (total)
5 and above	5.0 – 9.0	5.0 – 9.0	4.0 – 9.0	5.0 – 9.0	4

TEF Canada

NCLC Level	Ability: Speaking (expression orale)	Ability: Listening (compréhension de l’oral)	Ability: Reading (compréhension de l’écrit)	Ability: Writing (expression écrite)	Points (per ability)
7	310 – 348	249 – 279	207 – 232	310 – 348	4
8	349 – 370	280 – 297	233 – 247	349 – 370	5
9 and above	371+	298+	248+	371+	6

NCLC Level	Ability: Speaking (expression orale)	Ability: Listening (compréhension de l’oral)	Ability: Reading (compréhension de l’écrit)	Ability: Writing (expression écrite)	Points (total)
5 and above	226 – 371+	181 – 298+	151 – 248+	226 – 371+	4

TCF Canada

NCLC Level	Ability: Speaking (expression orale)	Ability: Listening (compréhension de l’oral)	Ability: Reading (compréhension de l’écrit)	Ability: Writing (expression écrite)	Points (per ability)
7	10 – 11	458 – 502	453 – 498	10 – 11	4
8	12 – 13	503 – 522	499 – 523	12 – 13	5
9 and above	14+	523+	524+	14+	6

NCLC Level	Ability: Speaking (expression orale)	Ability: Listening (compréhension de l’oral)	Ability: Reading (compréhension de l’écrit)	Ability: Writing (expression écrite)	Points (total)
5 and above	6+	369 – 397+	375 – 405+	6+	4

Add your points:

First official language:
- Speaking + Listening + Reading + Writing = your subtotal
Second official language:
- Add four points to your subtotal if you meet the minimum level in all four abilities. If you do not, you get 0 points for your second official language.
Add (1) and (2) together for your total points.

Federal Skilled Trades Program

CLB Level	Test results for each ability
CLB Level	Speaking	Listening	Reading	Writing
9 and above	9+	9+	9+	9+
8	8	8	8	8
7	7	7	7	7
6	6	6	6	6
5	5	5	5	5
4	4	4	4	4

CLB Level	Test results for each ability
CLB Level	Listening	Reading	Writing	Speaking
10 and above	8.5 – 9.0	8.0 – 9.0	7.5 – 9.0	7.5 – 9.0
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
6	5.5	5.0	5.5	5.5
5	5.0	4.0	5.0	5.0
4	4.5	3.5	4.0	4.0

NCLC Level	Test results for each ability
NCLC Level	Speaking (expression orale)	Listening (compréhension de l’oral)	Reading (compréhension de l’écrit)	Writing (expression écrite)
9 and above	371+	298+	248+	371+
8	349 – 370	280 – 297	233 – 247	349 – 370
7	310 – 348	249 – 279	207 – 232	310 – 348
6	271 – 309	217 – 248	181 – 206	271 – 309
5	226 – 270	181 – 216	151 – 180	226 – 270
4	181 – 225	145 – 180	121 – 150	181 – 225

NCLC Level	Test results for each ability
NCLC Level	Speaking (expression orale)	Listening (compréhension de l’oral)	Reading (compréhension de l’écrit)	Writing (expression écrite)
10 and above	16 – 20	549 – 699	549 – 699	16 – 20
9	14 – 15	523 – 548	524 – 548	14 – 15
8	12 – 13	503 – 522	499 – 523	12 – 13
7	10 – 11	458 – 502	453 – 498	10 – 11
6	7 – 9	398 – 457	406 – 452	7 – 9
5	6	369 – 397	375 – 405	6
4	4 – 5	331 – 368	342 – 374	4 – 5

Canadian Experience Class

NOC TEER	CLB Level	Test results for each ability
NOC TEER	CLB Level	Speaking	Listening	Reading	Writing
0 and 1	9 and above	9+	9+	9+	9+
0 and 1	8	8	8	8	8
0 and 1	7	7	7	7	7
2 and 3	6	6	6	6	6
2 and 3	5	5	5	5	5

NOC TEER	CLB Level	Test results for each ability
NOC TEER	CLB Level	Listening	Reading	Writing	Speaking
0 and 1	10 and above	8.5-9.0	8.0-9.0	7.5-9.0	7.5-9.0
0 and 1	9	8.0	7.0	7.0	7.0
0 and 1	8	7.5	6.5	6.5	6.5
0 and 1	7	6.0	6.0	6.0	6.0
2 and 3	6	5.5	5.0	5.5	5.5
2 and 3	5	5.0	4.0	5.0	5.0

NOC TEER	NCLC Level	Test results for each ability
NOC TEER	NCLC Level	Speaking (expression orale)	Listening (compréhension de l’oral)	Reading (compréhension de l’écrit)	Writing (expression écrite)
0 and 1	9 and above	371+	298+	248+	371+
0 and 1	8	349-370	280-297	233-247	349-370
0 and 1	7	310 – 348	249 – 279	207 – 232	310 – 348
2 and 3	6	271 – 309	217 – 248	181 – 206	271 – 309
2 and 3	5	226 – 270	181 – 216	151 – 180	226 – 270

NOC TEER	NCLC Level	Test results for each ability
NOC TEER	NCLC Level	Speaking (expression orale)	Listening (compréhension de l’oral)	Reading (compréhension de l’écrit)	Writing (expression écrite)
0 and 1	10 and above	16 – 20	549 – 699	549 – 699	16 – 20
0 and 1	9	14 – 15	523 – 548	524 – 548	14 – 15
0 and 1	8	12 – 13	503 – 522	499 – 523	12 – 13
0 and 1	7	10 – 11	458 – 502	453 – 498	10 – 11
2 and 3	6	7 – 9	398 – 457	406 – 452	7 – 9
2 and 3	5	6	369 – 397	375 – 405	6

Note: Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) centres are not approved testing agencies for people who apply under the Canadian Experience Class.

This is updated information on June 6, 2023. Please refer to CIC website for latest update.