IELTS to CLB Converter
Enter your test scores to see your Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level for each skill, your CRS language points, the score you need for the next level, and the immigration programs your results meet.
- Official IRCC charts · checked Sept 2026
- 5 tests · IELTS, CELPIP, PTE Core, TEF, TCF
- Free · nothing is stored or sent
Your scores
IELTS General Training band scores, 0 to 9.
Results update as you type. CRS points shown are for your first official language only.
IELTS to CLB chart (IELTS General Training)
This is the conversion IRCC uses for Express Entry, citizenship and most other immigration programs. Each skill is converted separately. The scores below are the minimum band needed for each level.
| CLB level | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|
Why the skills don’t line up: a 6.5 in Reading is CLB 8, but a 6.5 in Listening is only CLB 7. Listening needs 7.5 for CLB 8 and 8.0 for CLB 9, while Reading needs just 6.5 and 7.0. Listening and Reading are the skills where most people lose a CLB level without realizing it.
CLB to IELTS: what score do you need?
Pick a target CLB level to see the minimum score for every accepted test.
| Test | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|
CELPIP levels match CLB levels one to one. TEF and TCF convert to NCLC, the French equivalent of CLB.
Minimum CLB levels by program
These are the minimum language levels to be eligible. Meeting the minimum does not guarantee an invitation. In Express Entry, a higher CLB also means more CRS points.
Provincial programs set their own rules. For example, Alberta’s AAIP needs at least CLB 4 in every skill to submit an Expression of Interest. See our guide to the Alberta Express Entry Stream.
Proposed change: IRCC has consulted on merging the three federal Express Entry programs and setting one minimum of CLB 6 in all four skills. This is a proposal only and is not in effect. Read more in our Express Entry 2026 guide.
How CLB turns into CRS points
In Express Entry, each skill in your first official language earns points on its own. Moving one skill up a single level is worth between 3 and 8 points, depending on the level. Moving all four from CLB 8 to CLB 9 adds 32 points for a single applicant.
| CLB level (per skill) | Points, no spouse | Points, with spouse | All 4 skills, no spouse |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLB 3 or less | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CLB 4–5 | 6 | 6 | 24 |
| CLB 6 | 9 | 8 | 36 |
| CLB 7 | 17 | 16 | 68 |
| CLB 8 | 23 | 22 | 92 |
| CLB 9 | 31 | 29 | 124 |
| CLB 10+ | 34 | 32 | 136 |
CLB 9 is the level that matters most. Beyond the points above, CLB 9 in all four skills unlocks the highest “skill transferability” points when combined with a post-secondary degree or foreign work experience. With CLB 7 in all skills you get only part of those points. For a full score, use our CRS Calculator.
French speakers can also earn up to 50 additional points for NCLC 7 or higher in all four French skills, and French-language category draws have had some of the lowest cut-offs of 2026. See Express Entry category-based selection.
Rules to know before you book a test
- Only IELTS General Training counts for Express Entry and most economic programs. IELTS Academic is not accepted for Express Entry.
- IELTS One Skill Retake is not accepted for Express Entry. You need a full test result.
- Results are valid for 2 years. They must be less than two years old both when you create your profile and when you submit your application.
- Each skill is converted separately. There is no “overall” IELTS-to-CLB conversion. Programs look at the lowest skill, or at specific skills.
- Use the test date and results exactly as printed. Enter the scores from your official test report form into your IRCC profile.
Sources: IRCC language test equivalency tables (Express Entry language test results page, updated June 22, 2026; Atlantic Immigration Program language testing page, updated May 28, 2026) and IRCC Comprehensive Ranking System criteria (updated June 22, 2026). TEF Canada scores use IRCC’s chart for tests taken on or after December 10, 2023. This tool is for information only. Always confirm your level with IRCC before you apply.