If you are applying for Canadian permanent residence, CELPIP is one of the English tests Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) accepts. Its scoring is simpler to read than most tests, but only once you understand how its levels relate to the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB).
How CELPIP-General is scored
You receive four separate results: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Each is reported as a CELPIP level on a scale up to 12, with the lowest band shown as "M" (minimal proficiency) or below.
- Listening and Reading are scored from the number of questions you answer correctly. Each section has 38 scored questions, and your raw score is converted to a level.
- Writing and Speaking are rated by trained raters against the test's performance standards, which look at things like content and coherence, vocabulary, readability or listenability, and task fulfilment.
Your score report also gives descriptors for each level, which describe what a test taker at that level can typically do.
CELPIP levels and CLB: the one-to-one link
CELPIP-General was built on the Canadian Language Benchmarks. That is why the conversion is unusually clean:
| CELPIP level | CLB level |
|---|---|
| 10, 11, 12 | 10 |
| 9 | 9 |
| 8 | 8 |
| 7 | 7 |
| 6 | 6 |
| 5 | 5 |
| 4 | 4 |
Compare that with IELTS General Training or PTE Core, where each skill has its own conversion table and the thresholds differ between Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. With CELPIP, the number on your report is the CLB number, which makes goal-setting straightforward. You can see all three tests side by side in our score converter.
Why your weakest skill matters most
IRCC programs set minimum language requirements per ability. A requirement of "CLB 7" means CLB 7 in Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. There is no averaging.
Two examples:
| Candidate | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Meets CLB 7 in all four? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | Yes |
| B | 10 | 10 | 6 | 8 | No – Writing is below 7 |
Candidate B has the higher total, but Candidate A qualifies. This is the single most important thing to understand about CELPIP scores for immigration: prepare your weakest skill first.
Which level do you need?
This depends entirely on your program, and requirements change, so always confirm on the IRCC website. Some general points:
- The Federal Skilled Worker Program has long required at least CLB 7 in all four abilities.
- Other programs, and different occupation categories within a program, can have different minimums.
- In Express Entry, language ability also earns Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, and higher CLB levels earn more. Many candidates aim above the minimum for that reason.
Treat the minimum as a floor, not a target. If your program needs CLB 7, aim for 8 or higher in practice so that an off day does not push one skill below the line.
CELPIP-General vs CELPIP-General LS
- CELPIP-General tests all four skills in one sitting of about three hours. This is the version for permanent residence and many work-related applications.
- CELPIP-General LS tests Listening and Speaking only. It is used for Canadian citizenship applications, which assess speaking and listening.
Booking the wrong version is an avoidable and expensive mistake, so double-check before you pay.
How long results take and how long they last
CELPIP publishes its standard results timeline and any faster processing options on its official site; check there for current details, as these can change. For immigration, IRCC accepts language test results for two years from the test date, so plan your test date around your application timeline.
How to set a realistic CELPIP target
- Take one full, timed practice test. You need a baseline level for every skill, not a general sense of your English.
- Write the target next to each skill. For example: Listening 8, Reading 8, Writing 8, Speaking 8.
- Rank the gaps. The skill furthest below target gets the most study time.
- Retest every one to two weeks under timed conditions to check the gap is closing.
Where points are usually lost
- Listening: each recording plays once, and questions generally appear only after you have heard it, so you must hold details in memory. Short notes help.
- Reading: Part 2 (Reading to Apply a Diagram) and Part 4 (Reading for Viewpoints) tend to be time-consuming. Practise these with a timer.
- Writing: both tasks ask for 150–200 words. Missing one of the points in the email prompt, or not clearly choosing an option in the survey response, costs marks for task fulfilment.
- Speaking: the eight tasks have short preparation times. Running out of ideas in the 60- and 90-second responses is the most common problem. See our CELPIP Speaking guide for task-by-task structures.
What moves you up a level in each skill
Listening (38 questions, 6 parts): the parts range from problem-solving conversations to a news item, a video discussion and viewpoints. Candidates at the higher levels do not only catch facts; they follow speakers' opinions, changes of mind and implied meaning. Practise summarising each recording in one sentence after you hear it.
Reading (38 questions, 4 parts): correspondence, a diagram, information texts and viewpoints. Higher levels depend on reading efficiently: knowing where to look, and not rereading whole texts for each question.
Writing (2 tasks, 150–200 words each): the email and the survey response are rated on content and coherence, vocabulary, readability and task fulfilment. Moving up usually means:
- covering every point clearly, with a relevant detail for each
- choosing a tone that suits the reader
- using precise vocabulary instead of general words ("postpone" rather than "change the date")
- varying sentence structure without losing accuracy
Speaking (8 tasks): the same four areas, with listenability in place of readability. Developing ideas fully within 60 or 90 seconds is often the difference between levels.
Before you book: a quick checklist
- Confirm your program's minimum CLB level for each of the four skills on the IRCC website.
- Make sure you are booking CELPIP-General, not CELPIP-General LS, if you are applying for permanent residence.
- Check that your test date leaves time for results to arrive before any application deadline, and that the results will still be within the two-year validity window when IRCC assesses your application.
- Use the same name and identification details as on your passport and immigration documents.
- Take at least one full, timed practice test so the format holds no surprises.
A realistic timeline
There is no fixed number of weeks per level. How long it takes depends on where you start, how much you practise, and which skill needs work: closing a one-level gap in a single skill is a very different project from closing several levels across all four. Book your test when your practice results are consistently at or above your target, not the first time you reach it.
Practise with real CELPIP levels in mind
EnglishHub's CELPIP simulator follows the real test format, with 50 full mock tests and 200 practice sets, and gives AI feedback on your Writing and Speaking responses. Your first mock is free, so you can get a baseline for each skill before you plan your study: try a free CELPIP mock test, or visit the CELPIP practice hub.
EnglishHub is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with Paragon Testing Enterprises or IRCC. Scores on practice tests are estimates, not official CELPIP results. Always confirm language requirements on the official IRCC website.
Frequently asked questions
Is CELPIP level 7 the same as CLB 7?
Yes. From level 4 upward, a CELPIP-General level equals the same-numbered Canadian Language Benchmark level, because CELPIP is calibrated to the CLB framework. CELPIP levels 10, 11 and 12 all count as CLB 10.
Does CELPIP have an overall score?
Not for immigration purposes. You receive a separate level for Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, and IRCC programs set their requirements per skill, so each ability has to reach the required level on its own.
How long are CELPIP results valid for Canadian immigration?
IRCC accepts language test results for two years from the date of the test. Check the requirements of your specific program on the IRCC website before you book.
What is the difference between CELPIP-General and CELPIP-General LS?
CELPIP-General tests all four skills and is the version used for permanent residence programs. CELPIP-General LS tests only Listening and Speaking and is used for citizenship applications.
Can I average my CELPIP skills to reach CLB 7?
No. A strong Listening level does not compensate for a weaker Writing level. If a program requires CLB 7, you need at least CELPIP 7 in every one of the four skills.
