CELPIP Score Requirements for Canada
The level you need depends on your goal. CELPIP levels equal CLB levels, and each skill is checked on its own.
Minimum level by goal
| Goal | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Canadian citizenship (ages 18–54) | CLB 4 in Listening and Speaking IRCC |
| Express Entry: Federal Skilled Worker | CLB 7 in all four skills IRCC |
| Express Entry: Canadian Experience Class | CLB 7 for TEER 0 or 1 jobs; CLB 5 for TEER 2 or 3 IRCC |
| Express Entry: Federal Skilled Trades | CLB 5 in Speaking and Listening; CLB 4 in Reading and Writing IRCC |
| Post-graduation work permit: university programs | CLB 7 in all four skills IRCC |
| Post-graduation work permit: college and other programs | CLB 5 in all four skills IRCC |
| Provincial nominee programs | Set by each province and stream IRCC |
| Professional registration | Set by each regulator CELPIP |
Requirements change; check the official page before you apply. For CRS points at each level, use the CRS calculator.
What each level takes in correct answers
Approximate correct answers out of 38, from CELPIP's score chart. Ranges overlap because each test form is adjusted for difficulty.
| CLB | Listening | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 11–18 | 10–16 |
| 5 | 17–23 | 15–20 |
| 7 | 27–31 | 24–28 |
| 9 | 33–35 | 31–33 |
FAQ
Scores by goal, explained.
Raise your CLB in each skill
- CELPIP Listening practice tests
- CELPIP Reading practice tests
- CELPIP Writing practice tests
- CELPIP Speaking practice tests
The first test in every skill is free.
What CELPIP score do I need for Canadian citizenship?
CLB 4 or higher in Listening and Speaking, if you are 18 to 54 when you apply. Reading and Writing are not assessed for citizenship. That is about 11–18 correct out of 38 in Listening.
What CELPIP score do I need for Express Entry?
The Federal Skilled Worker Program needs CLB 7 in all four skills. The Canadian Experience Class needs CLB 7 for TEER 0 or 1 jobs and CLB 5 for TEER 2 or 3 jobs. The Federal Skilled Trades Program needs CLB 5 in Speaking and Listening and CLB 4 in Reading and Writing. Beyond the minimum, each higher CLB level from 6 to 10 adds CRS points, and CLB 9 in all four skills raises skill-transferability points.
What CELPIP score do I need for a post-graduation work permit?
If you apply on or after November 1, 2024, you need CLB 7 in all four skills after a university program, or CLB 5 in all four after a college, polytechnic or other non-university program. Results must be less than two years old when you apply.
What CELPIP score do provincial programs and regulators ask for?
Each provincial nominee stream and each professional regulator, such as a nursing college, sets its own minimum. Check the official page for your stream or profession before you book.