As of November 4, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) lists three English tests for Express Entry: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core (IRCC’s language test page). The tests differ in who runs them, how Speaking is delivered and the scale each one reports, yet IRCC converts each result to the same Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) scale, so the choice rests on format, availability and the CLB level a program asks for. TOEFL is not named on that page, which is the place to confirm before booking any test.
We offer preparation for the CELPIP test; this comparison is ours.
Why does the choice of test matter?
Each Express Entry program sets its language minimum as a CLB level. As of November 4, 2026, IRCC’s language test page lists CLB 7 in all four abilities (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking) for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, and it reads a result from any of the three tests as a CLB level for each ability. The minimum for each program is listed in Express Entry language minimums by program.
Whichever test is taken, IRCC states that results must be less than 2 years old when the Express Entry profile is completed and when the application for permanent residence is submitted.
What is each test, and who runs it?
CELPIP-General is organized by Paragon Testing Enterprises, which describes CELPIP as a fully computer-delivered English proficiency exam with a single North American accent, approved for immigration to Canada and Australia (Paragon, read November 4, 2026). The test has four components: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. celpip.ca’s CELPIP-General page says it is done in one sitting with no separate Speaking session.
IELTS is jointly owned by the British Council, IDP IELTS and Cambridge University Press & Assessment (ielts.org’s General Training page). IRCC asks for the General Training option and does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake for Express Entry. In IELTS on computer at a test centre, the Listening, Reading and Writing questions appear on screen and the Speaking section is a face-to-face session with a trained examiner (ielts.org’s ways to take IELTS). The Listening recordings play once, in different accents that include British, Australian, New Zealand and North American, according to ielts.org’s Listening format page.
PTE Core is run by Pearson. Pearson describes it as a 2-hour, computer-based test of general English, taken in a test centre in three parts: Speaking & Writing, Reading and Listening (Pearson’s PTE Core page). Pearson says all PTE tests are scored by computer, with no human examiner during the test. It separates PTE Core, which it describes as the test for permanent residency and citizenship applications in Canada, from PTE Academic, a different Pearson test.
How do you prepare for each test?
Paragon says every CELPIP account includes one set of 2 free practice tests. For IELTS and PTE Core, start from the organizers’ own sites, ielts.org and pearsonpte.com. For CELPIP only, Express Prep (expressprep.ca), which offers preparation for the CELPIP test, has a 7-day trial of a test simulator that it created for its students, and the trial becomes a paid monthly subscription unless you cancel before day 7 (read November 4, 2026).
How do the three tests compare, criterion by criterion?
The three tests differ most in how Speaking is delivered and in how results are scored and reported, according to each organizer’s own pages read on November 4, 2026:
| Criterion | CELPIP-General | IELTS General Training | PTE Core |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organizer | Paragon Testing Enterprises | British Council, IDP IELTS and Cambridge University Press & Assessment (joint owners) | Pearson |
| How it is taken | On a computer, in one sitting with no separate Speaking session | At a test centre; on computer, Listening, Reading and Writing are on screen | On a computer, in a test centre, in about 2 hours |
| Sections and time | Listening 46–55 minutes, Reading 43–56 minutes, Writing 53 minutes, Speaking 15 minutes | Listening about 30 minutes (plus 10 to transfer answers to an answer sheet), Reading 60 minutes, Writing 60 minutes, Speaking 11–14 minutes | Speaking & Writing 50–65 minutes, Reading 27–37 minutes, Listening 22–37 minutes |
| How Speaking works | Replies to on-screen prompts in 8 tasks | Face-to-face interview with an examiner, recorded, in 3 parts | Done in Part 1 together with Writing, scored by computer with no human examiner |
| Who scores | Computer for Listening and Reading; trained raters for Writing and Speaking | Certificated examiners assess Speaking; each correct Listening or Reading answer earns 1 mark | Scored by computer |
| How results are reported | A level for each component, no overall score | A band score for each section plus an overall band, in whole or half bands | Skill scores and an overall score on a 10–90 scale |
| Results timing | Posted in your CELPIP account; celpip.ca pages give different timings, so check your booking | IELTS on computer: 1–5 days, and another ielts.org page says most are issued within 2 days | Typically within 48 hours, up to five business days in some cases |
Source: Paragon, celpip.ca, ielts.org, ielts.org’s ways to take IELTS and Pearson, read November 4, 2026. The CELPIP result row also draws on celpip.ca’s Official CELPIP Podcast, episode 25 (April 6, 2022). The CELPIP section timings are those of celpip.ca’s CELPIP-General page; other celpip.ca documents give different timings, so confirm yours when you book.
How does IRCC convert each test to a CLB level?
IRCC converts each result to a CLB level ability by ability, and CLB 7 is the minimum that IRCC’s language test page lists for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. These are the rows of IRCC’s tables for that program, as of November 4, 2026:
| CLB level | CELPIP-General | IELTS General Training | PTE Core |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLB 7 | 7 in each ability | 6.0 in each ability | Speaking 68–75, Listening 60–70, Reading 60–68, Writing 69–78 |
| CLB 9 | 9 in each ability | Speaking 7.0, Listening 8.0, Reading 7.0, Writing 7.0 | Speaking 84–88, Listening 82–88, Reading 78–87, Writing 88–89 |
The conversion works ability by ability, so one CLB level can need different numbers in different abilities: CLB 9 needs IELTS 8.0 in Listening and 7.0 in the other three abilities (IRCC). CELPIP scores and CLB levels covers what CLB measures and how a four-skill result converts.
What should you check if you are short on time?
Four checks matter most when a deadline is close:
- IRCC asks for results less than 2 years old, whichever test is taken (as of November 4, 2026), and the rule is explained further in how long a result stays valid.
- Each organizer publishes its own results timing, those pages change, and celpip.ca’s pages give different timings from one another, so confirm the timing on the booking page.
- Pearson says PTE Core fees vary by country and celpip.ca says international CELPIP pricing varies, so each booking page shows the current fee and the dates on offer.
- For a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), IRCC lists the same three tests and says language tests should be taken in person; the PGWP language requirement has its own page.
FAQ
Is CELPIP easier than IELTS for Express Entry?
The IRCC and organizer pages cited here do not rank the tests by difficulty. IRCC reads each result as a CLB level per ability, so what matters is the CLB a program asks for and how a test taker performs in each format: Speaking on a screen at CELPIP, face to face with an examiner at IELTS, and scored by computer at PTE Core.
Is CELPIP Speaking harder than IELTS Speaking?
The two are built differently. According to celpip.ca, CELPIP Speaking is 8 tasks, each a reply to an on-screen prompt, in 15 minutes. According to ielts.org, IELTS Speaking is a recorded face-to-face interview with an examiner, in 3 parts, lasting 11–14 minutes. The pages cited do not compare how hard either one is.
Is PTE Core accepted by IRCC, and is it easier than CELPIP?
Yes, IRCC’s language test page lists the PTE Core option for Express Entry (as of November 4, 2026). Pearson describes PTE Core as a 2-hour, computer-based test scored by computer. The pages cited do not rank PTE Core against CELPIP, so they give no answer on which is easier.
Do CELPIP and IELTS convert to the same CLB for Express Entry?
Yes, both convert to CLB, but with different numbers and ability by ability. In IRCC’s Federal Skilled Worker Program table, CLB 8 is CELPIP 8 in each ability and IELTS 6.5 in Speaking, 7.5 in Listening, 6.5 in Reading and 6.5 in Writing (IRCC).
Is TOEFL on IRCC’s list for Express Entry?
IRCC’s language test page names CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core as the English tests, and it does not name TOEFL. The page, not a comparison like this one, is the place to confirm before booking any test, because IRCC can change it.
The bottom line
- As of November 4, 2026, IRCC lists CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core as the English tests for Express Entry.
- The tests differ in delivery and scoring: CELPIP Speaking is answered on screen, IELTS Speaking is a face-to-face interview, and PTE Core is scored by computer.
- IRCC converts each test to a CLB level for each ability, so the number to compare is the CLB level a program asks for (IRCC).
- IRCC asks for results less than 2 years old, whichever test is taken.
- Fees, test dates and results timing vary by organizer and by country, so each booking page is the source to check.
Express Prep offers preparation for the CELPIP test, including a 7-day trial of its simulator. The trial becomes a paid monthly subscription unless you cancel before day 7; current price and terms: Express Prep trial page.
General information, not immigration advice. For your case, talk to a licensed consultant (RCIC) on the CICC public register, or a lawyer, Quebec notary or licensed paralegal in your province.
Published by Express Prep, which offers preparation for the CELPIP test. Last updated November 4, 2026.