Language test equivalency charts
This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada staff. It is posted on the Department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.
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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.
| Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) General 2014 Test score equivalency chart for reports issued on or after April 1, 2014 | ||||
| CLB Level | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking |
| 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 9 | 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 |
| Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) General — Test score equivalency chart | ||||
| CLB Level | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking |
| 10 and above | 5H | 5H | 5H | 5H |
| 9 | 5L | 5L | 5L | 5L |
| 8 | 4H | 4H | 4H | 4H |
| 7 | 4L | 4L | 4L | 4L |
| 6 | 3H | 3H | 3H | 3H |
| 5 | 3L | 3L | 3L | 3L |
| 4 | 2H | 2H | 2H | 2H |
Note: CELPIP test results for tests written before May 3, 2013, will have a score of 5 for each ability for CLB levels 9 and 10.
| International English Language Testing System (IELTS) General Training – Test score equivalency chart | ||||
| CLB Level | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking |
| 10 | 8.0 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| 9 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 |
| 8 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 6.5 |
| 7 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| 6 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| 5 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| 4 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 |
| Test d’évaluation de français (TEF) – Test score equivalency chart for reports issued on or after April 1, 2014 | ||||
| CLB Level | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking |
| 10 | 263-277 | 393-415 | 316-333 | 393-415 |
| 9 | 248-262 | 371-392 | 298-315 | 371-392 |
| 8 | 233-247 | 349-370 | 280-297 | 349-370 |
| 7 | 207-232 | 310-348 | 249-279 | 310-348 |
| 6 | 181-206 | 271-309 | 217-248 | 271-309 |
| 5 | 151-180 | 226-270 | 181-216 | 226-270 |
| 4 | 121-150 | 181-225 | 145-180 | 181-225 |
| Test d’évaluation de français (TEF) – Test score equivalency chart for reports issued before April 1, 2014 | ||||
| CLB Level | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking |
| 10 | 263-277 | 393-415 | 316-333 | 393-415 |
| 9 | 248-262 | 372-392 | 298-315 | 372-392 |
| 8 | 233-247 | 349-371 | 280-297 | 349-371 |
| 7 | 206-232 | 309-348 | 248-279 | 309-348 |
| 6 | 181-205 | 271-308 | 217-247 | 271-308 |
| 5 | 150-180 | 225-270 | 180-216 | 225-270 |
| 4 | 121-149 | 181-224 | 145-179 | 181-224 |