CLB calculator: convert your test score
Enter your IELTS, CELPIP, PTE Core, TEF or TCF result and this free CLB calculator converts it to a Canadian Language Benchmark, or an NCLC level for French, using IRCC's official equivalency tables. It is the number every Express Entry and provincial calculator asks you for.
General Training only. IELTS Academic is not accepted for Express Entry.
Your CLB level
Enter all four scores
Programs use your lowest ability, so all four are needed.
Conversions follow IRCC's published equivalency tables (canada.ca, checked August 2026). This is a guide, not an official result: IRCC reads the scores on your test report, and the tables can change. Confirm your own levels on canada.ca before relying on them.
Key takeaways
A CLB calculator converts IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General, PTE Core, TEF Canada or TCF Canada results into Canadian Language Benchmark levels, or NCLC for French. CELPIP maps one to one with CLB. Program minimums use your lowest of the four abilities, so an uneven profile is limited by its weakest skill, though the CRS scores each ability separately. CLB 7 is the Federal Skilled Worker floor and CLB 9 is where CRS points rise sharply, with IELTS listening at 8.0 being the usual obstacle. Results are valid for two years and must still be valid when you apply after an invitation. IELTS Academic is not accepted.
- CELPIP maps 1:1 to CLB; IELTS, PTE, TEF and TCF need conversion tables.
- Program minimums use your lowest ability, not your average.
- CLB 7 is the FSW floor; CLB 9 is where CRS points jump.
- Results are valid two years, and must still be valid after an invitation.
- IELTS Academic is not accepted; it must be General Training.
What CLB level do you actually need?
| Program | Minimum language level |
|---|---|
| Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) | CLB 7 in all four abilities |
| Canadian Experience Class, TEER 0 or 1 jobs | CLB 7 in all four abilities |
| Canadian Experience Class, TEER 2 or 3 jobs | CLB 5 in all four abilities |
| Federal Skilled Trades (FST) | CLB 5 speaking and listening, CLB 4 reading and writing |
| Alberta Opportunity Stream | Varies by occupation; commonly CLB 5, higher for some regulated roles |
| Post-graduation work permit | CLB 7 for university graduates, CLB 5 for college, since November 2024 |
Why CLB 9 is the number worth chasing
The Comprehensive Ranking System does not reward language evenly. Points climb gently to CLB 8 and then jump at CLB 9, so the gap between a CLB 8 profile and a CLB 9 profile is worth far more than the gap between CLB 6 and CLB 7. For a candidate sitting just below a recent cut-off, retaking a test is often cheaper and faster than any other way of adding points.
On IELTS the obstacle is almost always listening, which needs 8.0 for CLB 9 while reading, writing and speaking need 7.0. Candidates regularly reach CLB 9 in three abilities and sit at CLB 8 overall because listening came in at 7.5. If that is you, the calculator above will show it immediately, and half a band of targeted practice is a very good return.
French is the most underrated lever
Getting the test right the first time
Three mistakes are common enough to be worth naming. Booking IELTS Academic instead of General Training, which cannot be used for Express Entry at any score. Letting results expire: they are valid two years, and must still be valid when you submit the permanent residence application after an invitation, not merely when you create the profile. And reading the wrong TEF table, since the scale changed on 10 December 2023 and IRCC publishes separate conversions either side of that date, which is why this tool asks which applies.
The full picture of accepted tests, minimums and the French bonus is on our Express Entry language requirements page. Once you have your CLB, put it into the CRS calculator or, for Alberta, the Alberta PNP points calculator, both of which ask for the level rather than the raw score.
Frequently asked questions
What CLB is IELTS 6.0?
An IELTS General Training score of 6.0 is CLB 7 in reading, writing and speaking, and CLB 7 in listening as well, since listening runs from 6.0 to 7.0 at that level. CLB 7 across all four abilities is the minimum for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and for the Canadian Experience Class in TEER 0 and TEER 1 occupations, which is why 6.0 is the number most Express Entry applicants are aiming at.
What IELTS score do I need for CLB 9?
CLB 9 needs IELTS General Training scores of 7.0 in reading, 7.0 in writing, 8.0 in listening and 7.0 in speaking. Listening is the outlier and the one that catches people out. CLB 9 matters because the Comprehensive Ranking System pays significantly more for it than for CLB 8, so for many candidates lifting listening by half a band is the single cheapest way to add CRS points.
Is CELPIP the same as CLB?
Effectively yes. CELPIP-General is reported on a scale designed to line up with the Canadian Language Benchmarks, so a CELPIP 7 is CLB 7, a CELPIP 9 is CLB 9 and so on. That one-to-one mapping is why some applicants find CELPIP easier to plan around than IELTS. CELPIP is only available for English, and you must take CELPIP-General rather than CELPIP-General LS.
Which ability counts if my scores are uneven?
Your lowest one. Program minimums are expressed as a level in all four abilities, so a candidate with CLB 9 reading, 9 writing, 9 speaking and 6 listening meets CLB 6, not CLB 9. This calculator shows each ability separately and then reports the lowest, because that is the number that decides eligibility. The CRS scores each ability individually, so an uneven profile still earns points for the strong abilities.
How long are language test results valid?
Two years from the date of the test for Express Entry purposes. The results must be valid when you submit your Express Entry profile and still valid when you apply for permanent residence after an invitation, which is the part people miss. If your test is approaching two years old and you are close to an invitation, retaking it early is usually cheaper than losing the profile. Confirm the current rule on canada.ca.
Does IELTS Academic count for Express Entry?
No. Express Entry accepts IELTS General Training only, and an Academic result cannot be used no matter how strong it is. IRCC also does not accept the IELTS One Skill Retake for Express Entry, so if you retake a single component you generally need to sit the full test again. Check the current list of accepted tests on canada.ca before booking, because the list changes.
Which French test should I take, TEF or TCF?
Both are accepted and both convert to NCLC, the French equivalent of CLB. The practical differences are availability and format rather than difficulty, so the usual deciding factor is which one you can sit sooner near you. Note that TEF Canada changed its scale on 10 December 2023 and IRCC publishes two separate conversion tables, so make sure you are reading the one that matches your test date. This calculator asks which applies.
Is French worth taking as a second language?
For many candidates, yes, and it is often underrated. Strong French adds bonus CRS points, and IRCC has run large French-language category draws with cut-offs far below the Canadian Experience Class rounds: in 2026 French rounds have ranged from 391 to 420 while CEC rounds sat between 507 and 518. If you already have some French, testing it can change which draws you are competitive in entirely.
Know your CLB. Now find out what it is worth.
Language is the one CRS factor most people can still change. Talk to a licensed RCIC about whether a retake, or a French test, would move you past a recent cut-off.