2023 Language Testing—Skilled Immigrants (Express Entry)

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.
  - We don’t accept the One Skill Retake version of the IETLS General Training test
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

First official language (Maximum 24 points)
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

Second official language (4 points if you meet the minimum threshold in all four language abilities)
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

First official language (Maximum 24 points)
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

Second official language (4 points if you meet the minimum threshold in all four language abilities)
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

First official language (Maximum 24 points)
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

Second official language (4 points if you meet the minimum threshold in each of the four language abilities)
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

First official language (Maximum 24 points)
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

Second official language (4 points if you meet the minimum threshold in each of the four language abilities)
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

CELPIP-G
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

IELTS
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

TEF Canada
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

TCF Canada
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

CELPIP-G
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

IELTS
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

TEF Canada
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

TCF Canada
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.

Source: Government of Canada Website