IELTS to CELPIP conversion chart by band
Read this chart one skill at a time. Find your IELTS General Training band in the left column, then read across to the skill you scored it in. The answer is the CLB level IRCC assigns to that band, which is the same number as the CELPIP level for that skill. Listening is the column to watch: IELTS Listening 6.5 and 7.0 both stay at CELPIP 7, and it takes 7.5 to reach CELPIP 8 and 8.0 to reach CELPIP 9.
| IELTS band | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.0 | CELPIP 10 to 12 | CELPIP 10 to 12 | CELPIP 10 to 12 | CELPIP 10 to 12 |
| 8.5 | CELPIP 10 to 12 | CELPIP 10 to 12 | CELPIP 10 to 12 | CELPIP 10 to 12 |
| 8.0 | CELPIP 9 | CELPIP 10 to 12 | CELPIP 10 to 12 | CELPIP 10 to 12 |
| 7.5 | CELPIP 8 | CELPIP 9 | CELPIP 10 to 12 | CELPIP 10 to 12 |
| 7.0 | CELPIP 7 | CELPIP 9 | CELPIP 9 | CELPIP 9 |
| 6.5 | CELPIP 7 | CELPIP 8 | CELPIP 8 | CELPIP 8 |
| 6.0 | CELPIP 7 | CELPIP 7 | CELPIP 7 | CELPIP 7 |
| 5.5 | CELPIP 6 | CELPIP 6 | CELPIP 6 | CELPIP 6 |
| 5.0 | CELPIP 5 | CELPIP 6 | CELPIP 5 | CELPIP 5 |
| 4.5 | CELPIP 4 | CELPIP 5 | CELPIP 4 | CELPIP 4 |
| 4.0 | Below 4 | CELPIP 5 | CELPIP 4 | CELPIP 4 |
| 3.5 | Below 4 | CELPIP 4 | Below 4 | Below 4 |
CELPIP to IELTS conversion chart by level
Going the other way, a CELPIP level tells you the minimum IELTS band IRCC treats as the same CLB. Anything above the minimum, up to the next CLB boundary, counts the same. CELPIP 10, 11 and 12 share one row because IRCC's top band is "CLB 10 and above"; an IELTS 9.0 and a CELPIP 12 earn identical points.
| CELPIP level | IELTS Listening | IELTS Reading | IELTS Writing | IELTS Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10, 11 or 12 (CLB 10) | 8.5 | 8.0 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| 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 |
The CLB table IRCC actually uses
This is the source for everything on this page and in the tool above: the IRCC equivalency for CELPIP General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core, side by side, per skill. It is the table IRCC applies when it scores your Express Entry profile, your PGWP language proof or your citizenship application.
| CLB | CELPIP General | IELTS L / R / W / S | PTE Core L / R / W / S |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 and above | 10 to 12 | 8.5 to 9.0 / 8.0 to 9.0 / 7.5 to 9.0 / 7.5 to 9.0 | 89 to 90 / 88 to 90 / 90 / 89 to 90 |
| 9 | 9 | 8.0 / 7.0 to 7.5 / 7.0 / 7.0 | 82 to 88 / 78 to 87 / 88 to 89 / 84 to 88 |
| 8 | 8 | 7.5 / 6.5 / 6.5 / 6.5 | 71 to 81 / 69 to 77 / 79 to 87 / 76 to 83 |
| 7 | 7 | 6.0 to 7.0 / 6.0 / 6.0 / 6.0 | 60 to 70 / 60 to 68 / 69 to 78 / 68 to 75 |
| 6 | 6 | 5.5 / 5.0 to 5.5 / 5.5 / 5.5 | 50 to 59 / 51 to 59 / 60 to 68 / 59 to 67 |
| 5 | 5 | 5.0 / 4.0 to 4.5 / 5.0 / 5.0 | 39 to 49 / 42 to 50 / 51 to 59 / 51 to 58 |
| 4 | 4 | 4.5 / 3.5 / 4.0 to 4.5 / 4.0 to 4.5 | 28 to 38 / 33 to 41 / 41 to 50 / 42 to 50 |
Two rows deserve a second look. In Reading, an IELTS 4.0 already reaches CLB 5 while the other skills need 5.0; that is the mirror image of the Listening gap at the top. And in PTE Core, CLB 8 Reading runs from 69 to 77, not 69 to 81 as some consultant charts print; 78 is already CLB 9.
Why there is no direct IELTS to CELPIP formula
IRCC does not publish an IELTS to CELPIP chart. It publishes a chart from each test to the Canadian Language Benchmarks, per skill, and defines each CLB only by a minimum score. So "IELTS 7.0 equals CELPIP 9" is shorthand for two lookups: IELTS Reading 7.0 is CLB 9, and CELPIP Reading 9 is CLB 9. Three things follow from that.
- The mapping only exists at CLB boundaries. IELTS Reading 7.0 and 7.5 are both CLB 9, so both are "CELPIP 9". No tool can honestly turn a 7.5 into a "CELPIP 9.5".
- Every skill is separate. An IELTS profile of Listening 6.5, Reading 7.0, Writing 7.0 and Speaking 7.5 has an overall band of 7.0, but it is CLB 7, 9, 9 and 10, so CELPIP 7, 9, 9 and 10. IRCC never reads the overall band, and the CELPIP report has no overall level for immigration purposes.
- Direction matters. CELPIP 9 Reading corresponds to the IELTS minimum of 7.0, but an IELTS Reading 7.5 also maps back to CELPIP 9.
IELTS 8777 and the CLB 9 target
"8777" is Listening 8.0, Reading 7.0, Writing 7.0 and Speaking 7.0, and it is popular because it is exactly CLB 9 in all four skills. In CELPIP terms that is level 9 in each skill. CLB 9 across the board is worth 31 CRS points per skill (124 in total) for a single applicant, against 17 per skill (68) at CLB 7, and it also unlocks the top skill transferability points. Which CLB your program actually needs, and what each level is worth, is covered in CELPIP score for Canada PR: CLB 7 vs CLB 9.
Take a full CELPIP mock test
Put your preparation to the test with an exam-style CELPIP mock and get an honest baseline across all four skills.
PTE Core to CELPIP
PTE Core reports 10 to 90 per skill and IRCC maps it to CLB with the ranges in the master table above. The PTE Core mode in the converter does that lookup for you. As a quick reference, PTE Core 79 in a skill is CLB 8 (CELPIP 8) in Listening, Writing and Speaking but CLB 9 (CELPIP 9) in Reading, and CLB 9 needs Listening 82, Reading 78, Writing 88 and Speaking 84. If you carry a PTE Academic number into this, note that only PTE Core counts for immigration. The two tests are compared in CELPIP vs PTE Core.
Which version of each test counts
- CELPIP General only. CELPIP General LS is accepted for citizenship but not for Express Entry or a PGWP. See CELPIP General vs General LS.
- IELTS General Training only. IELTS Academic is not accepted, and IRCC does not accept the IELTS One Skill Retake for Express Entry.
- PTE Core only, not PTE Academic.
- Results must be under two years old when you complete your profile and when you submit your application.
- For French, IRCC accepts TEF Canada and TCF Canada on the NCLC scale; the tables live on our CELPIP vs TEF Canada page.
Should you switch from IELTS to CELPIP?
The converter answers the first question: which single skill is holding your profile back, and what CELPIP level you would need in it. It cannot tell you whether you would score higher on CELPIP; the two tests differ in format (recorded speaking, everyday Canadian content, audio played once), and the honest comparison is in CELPIP vs IELTS. If you are choosing between all three accepted tests, start with the best English test for Canada PR guide. The cheapest way to find out how CELPIP feels is a free full-length mock.
See what your IELTS score looks like on a CELPIP mock
Sit Test 1 of our CELPIP General mocks free, under the real format and timing, and compare the estimated level for each skill with the conversion above.
