Express Entry programs set language minimums from Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 4 to 7, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) gives CELPIP 4 to 10 the same CLB number. For Express Entry, IRCC accepts CELPIP-General, the English test that Paragon Testing Enterprises organizes (IRCC pages read on November 4, 2026). IRCC’s language test page lists CLB 7 in all four abilities for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, CLB 7 or CLB 5 for the Canadian Experience Class depending on the occupation, and CLB 5 in Speaking and Listening with CLB 4 in Reading and Writing for the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
Why does the CELPIP score matter for Express Entry?
A CELPIP result does two jobs in Express Entry. First, each program sets a language minimum that applies ability by ability: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Second, the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), the points-based system that IRCC uses to assess a profile and rank it in the Express Entry pool, awards points for each ability (IRCC’s CRS criteria page).
IRCC lists three English tests as approved for Express Entry: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core (IRCC’s language test page). CELPIP vs IELTS vs PTE Core compares the three tests. Both the minimums and the points are written in CLB levels, so the first step is to turn a CELPIP result into a CLB level.
How do CELPIP levels convert to CLB levels and CRS points?
IRCC’s language test page shows the same number for CELPIP-General and CLB at each level from 4 to 10, and the celpip.ca scoring page shows CELPIP 10, 11 and 12 as CLB 10, 11 and 12. CELPIP scores and CLB levels covers what CLB measures and how a four-skill result converts.
The CRS then awards points for each ability at its CLB level, and IRCC’s CRS criteria page lists these points for the first official language:
| CELPIP level (each ability) | CLB level | CRS points per ability, with a spouse or common-law partner | CRS points per ability, without a spouse or common-law partner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10, 11 or 12 | CLB 10 or more | 32 | 34 |
| 9 | CLB 9 | 29 | 31 |
| 8 | CLB 8 | 22 | 23 |
| 7 | CLB 7 | 16 | 17 |
| 6 | CLB 6 | 8 | 9 |
| 4 or 5 | CLB 4 or 5 | 6 | 6 |
Source: IRCC, CRS criteria, read November 4, 2026.
Below CLB 4, the CRS awards 0 points for that ability. A result of CELPIP 9 in Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking is CLB 9 in all four abilities, which the table values at 4 × 31 = 124 points without a spouse or common-law partner and 4 × 29 = 116 with one (IRCC).
The step from CLB 9 to CLB 10 has its own page: see CLB 9 vs CLB 10 language points.
Which CLB level does each Express Entry program ask for?
IRCC’s language test page lists these English language minimums, and CELPIP-General levels carry the same numbers. For the Canadian Experience Class, the minimum depends on the TEER category (training, education, experience and responsibilities) of the occupation:
| Program | Minimum CLB level | Same level on CELPIP-General |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Skilled Worker Program | CLB 7 in all four abilities | CELPIP 7 in all four |
| Canadian Experience Class, TEER 0 or 1 | CLB 7 in all four abilities | CELPIP 7 in all four |
| Canadian Experience Class, TEER 2 or 3 | CLB 5 in all four abilities | CELPIP 5 in all four |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program | CLB 5 in Speaking and Listening; CLB 4 in Reading and Writing | CELPIP 5 in Speaking and Listening; CELPIP 4 in Reading and Writing |
Source: IRCC, language test results, read November 4, 2026; the CELPIP-General column carries the same numbers on that page.
IRCC’s Canadian Experience Class page lists TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 as the National Occupational Classification (NOC) categories that Canadian work experience must fall into. Each program also has requirements besides language, and IRCC lists them on its own pages.
How can you practise for the level a program asks for?
As of November 4, 2026, celpip.ca says every CELPIP account includes one set of 2 free practice tests. Express Prep (expressprep.ca), which offers preparation for the CELPIP test, lists video lessons, practice exercises and mock tests among the course materials in its terms. Practice results are not CELPIP results: the CELPIP levels in the tables above are the ones reported for a test sitting.
How do language points work in the CRS?
Language counts twice in the CRS: up to 136 core points (128 with a spouse) for your first official language, and again in skill transferability combinations with education or foreign work experience (100 max for all combinations). Unlike age, you can retake the test. Values as of November 4, 2026 (IRCC’s CRS criteria page).
In the skill transferability factor, IRCC lists up to 25 points for CLB 7 or more on all first official language abilities, with one or more under CLB 9, and up to 50 points for CLB 9 or more on all four abilities. Both amounts appear in the combination with education and in the combination with foreign work experience. The CRS also scores age, level of education and other factors, which these tables do not cover.
Where do these numbers come from, and how do they change?
These numbers come from the IRCC and celpip.ca pages linked above, read on November 4, 2026. IRCC updates its pages: the CRS criteria page says that as of November 3, 2026 IRCC changed how points are awarded for Canadian work experience and valid job offers. The language rows above are the ones printed on that page at the time of reading, so the IRCC page, not a table here, is the source to check before relying on a number.
What can a retake change?
A result can change with a new attempt. The CELPIP Office recommends additional studying before retaking the test (CELPIP policies page, as of November 4, 2026).
IRCC also limits how old a result can be: it must be less than 2 years old when the Express Entry profile is completed and when the application for permanent residence is submitted (IRCC’s language test page). IRCC’s rule is explained further in how long a CELPIP score is valid.
FAQ
What is the minimum CELPIP score for Express Entry?
Express Entry has no single minimum, because each program sets its own. IRCC’s language test page lists minimums from CLB 4 in Reading and Writing (Federal Skilled Trades Program) to CLB 7 in all four abilities (Federal Skilled Worker Program, and Canadian Experience Class for TEER 0 or 1). On CELPIP-General the numbers are the same, ability by ability (IRCC).
Does every ability have to reach the minimum?
Yes, each program’s minimum applies ability by ability. IRCC’s Federal Skilled Worker Program page lists a result below CLB 7 in any of the four abilities as not eligible to apply, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program names CLB 5 for Speaking and Listening and CLB 4 for Reading and Writing, two different minimums inside one program (IRCC).
Does the CELPIP-General LS count for Express Entry?
IRCC’s language test page says applicants must take the CELPIP-General test for Express Entry. CELPIP-General covers Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, while celpip.ca describes the CELPIP-General LS as a Listening and Speaking test used for citizenship applications (IRCC and celpip.ca).
Does the IELTS One Skill Retake count for Express Entry?
No. IRCC’s language test page asks for the IELTS General Training option and says it does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake for Express Entry. For the other two approved tests, it asks for the CELPIP-General test and the PTE Core option (IRCC).
How do the four abilities add up in the CRS?
The CRS awards points ability by ability and adds them up, to a maximum of 136 points for the first official language without a spouse or common-law partner and 128 with one (IRCC). For example, CELPIP 9 in Listening and CELPIP 8 in Writing are worth 31 and 23 points in those two abilities without a spouse or common-law partner.
The bottom line
- IRCC lists CLB 7 in all four abilities as the language minimum for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, which is CELPIP 7 in each ability (IRCC).
- The Canadian Experience Class lists CLB 7 for TEER 0 or 1 and CLB 5 for TEER 2 or 3, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program lists CLB 5 in Speaking and Listening and CLB 4 in Reading and Writing (IRCC).
- IRCC gives CELPIP levels 4 to 10 the same CLB number, and the CRS awards points for each ability at its CLB level, up to 34 per ability without a spouse or common-law partner and 32 with one (IRCC).
- The numbers come from IRCC and celpip.ca pages read on November 4, 2026, and those pages are the source to check before relying on any of them.
- A result can change with a retake, and the CELPIP Office recommends additional studying before retaking the test.
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.