CELPIP for Canadian citizenship: CLB 4, the CELPIP-LS test, and why an expired score still counts
Citizenship asks less of your English than permanent residence did, and asks for it differently: two skills instead of four, a lower level, a list of proofs that comes before any test, and a rule that an expired test result is still accepted. Most of that is missed by applicants who book the full CELPIP out of habit. This page sets out IRCC's requirement as IRCC writes it, then Paragon's shorter test as Paragon describes it, with the source beside each figure.
What IRCC requires
Five facts from IRCC's eligibility and proof pages. Everything else on this page is the detail behind them.
IRCC's own definition of adequate knowledge, from its eligibility page: take part in short, everyday conversations about common topics; understand simple instructions, questions and directions; use basic grammar, including simple structures and tenses; and know enough common words and phrases to answer questions and express yourself. It states that these speaking and listening skills are equivalent to level 4 of the Canadian Language Benchmarks, and that it measures them three ways: the proof you send, how well you speak to a citizenship official at any time during the process, and, if necessary, an assessment during the citizenship test.
The proofs IRCC lists before a test
IRCC's proof checker is a sequence of questions, and a language test is the last answer, not the first. In its order:
- 1. A secondary or post-secondary programme in English or French
In or outside Canada. Send the diploma, transcript or certificate; if it is in another language, a certified translation showing the language of instruction.
- 2. LINC or CLIC training
CLB 4 or higher in speaking and listening. Training on or after 1 November 2012: send the certificate. Training between January 2008 and October 2012: tick the box on the application and IRCC verifies it electronically.
- 3. A provincial programme
British Columbia's ELSA (CLB 4+), Saskatchewan's EAL statement (CFR B1+), Manitoba's CLB report or EAL progress report (CLB 4+), Nova Scotia's PENS certificate (CLB 4+), Ontario's adult non-credit ESL, FSL or CL certificate dated December 2013 or later (CLB 4+), and Quebec's MIFI bulletins at level 4 or higher.
- 4. A language test
Only if none of the above applies. IRCC's step 5 opens with “you still need to get language proof” and lists the tests it accepts, reproduced below.
IRCC adds that it will return the whole application unprocessed if the proof is missing, cannot be read, or is in a language other than English or French without a certified translation.
The tests IRCC accepts, and the scores
IRCC's table from step 5, with its date rules for older results folded in from step 2.
| Test | Result needed |
|---|---|
| CELPIP-General (CELPIP-G) or CELPIP-General Listening and Speaking (CELPIP-G LS) | 4 or higher (up to 12) in listening and speaking |
| IELTS General Training | Listening 4.5 or higher; speaking 4.0 or higher |
| IELTS Academic | Not accepted — IRCC accepts only General Training for citizenship |
| PTE Core | 28 or higher in listening; 42 or higher in speaking |
| TEF Canada, TEFAQ, TEF IRN, TCF Canada, TCFQ (French) | B1 or higher in listening and speaking |
| DELF / DALF (French) | DELF B1 or higher; all DALF results accepted |
Source: IRCC, language proof step 5, checked 6 September 2026. Step 2 adds date rules: a CELPIP-G taken on or before 31 March 2014 needs 2H or higher on the old scale; an IELTS General Training taken on or before 27 November 2008 needs 4.0 in both skills. For every test, IRCC's instruction is the same: include a copy of your test results, even if they're expired.
Two consequences follow. A candidate who took CELPIP-General or IELTS for permanent residence years ago, and scored 4 or better in listening and speaking, already holds citizenship proof and needs no new test. And a candidate who needs a test now needs only two skills assessed, which is what the CELPIP-General LS is.
The CELPIP-General LS test, as Paragon describes it
IRCC's manual lists two CELPIP tests: CELPIP-General, accepted for immigration and citizenship, and CELPIP-General Listening and Speaking, accepted for citizenship only. Paragon's page for the LS test gives a Canadian price of $195 plus taxes, against CELPIP-General at $290 plus taxes on the same page (Paragon's test-format page says $295 and its test-date finder showed Canadian sittings at $299 CAD when checked, so all three figures are quoted; the format page also lists the LS test at $199 plus taxes). The sitting is about 1 hour 10 minutes, in one session, with no separate speaking appointment.
Listening — 47 to 55 minutes, 38 questions
| Part 1: Listening to Problem Solving | 8 |
| Part 2: Listening to a Daily Life Conversation | 5 |
| Part 3: Listening for Information | 6 |
| Part 4: Listening to a News Item | 5 |
| Part 5: Listening to a Discussion | 8 |
| Part 6: Listening to Viewpoints | 6 |
Paragon: the Listening test contains unscored items used for test development, indistinguishable from scored ones and placed anywhere in the test.
Speaking — 15 minutes, 8 tasks
- Giving Advice
- Talking about a Personal Experience
- Describing a Scene
- Making Predictions
- Comparing and Persuading
- Dealing with a Difficult Situation
- Expressing Opinions
- Describing an Unusual Situation
Paragon: candidates read the answer choices in Listening and the questions in Speaking themselves, so some reading is involved even though reading is not scored.
These are the same Listening and Speaking components as CELPIP-General, in the same order and timings; the LS test simply omits Reading and Writing. Paragon's test-day FAQ lists the ID it accepts for the LS test as a passport booklet, a US passport card, a Canadian permanent resident card or a travel document, and its check-in, room and cancellation rules are the ones on the CELPIP registration page.
Which test to book, and when not to
- You already hold a result with 4 or more in listening and speaking, from CELPIP-General, CELPIP-LS, IELTS General Training or PTE Core, however old: send it. IRCC accepts expired results for citizenship.
- You studied in English or French, or completed LINC or a listed provincial programme: that proof comes before a test in IRCC's own order.
- You need a test and only citizenship: the LS test is the two-skill, shorter, cheaper option, and its result is valid only for citizenship.
- You need a test and may also need permanent residence or a work permit later: the full CELPIP-General covers both, but for those purposes IRCC applies the two-year rule and its own higher levels, set out on the Express Entry comparison.
- You are under 18 or 55 and over on the day you sign: no language proof is required at all.
CLB 4 is a low bar by the standards of the rest of this site, and a candidate who has lived and worked in Canada for the years that citizenship requires is usually well past it. The risk is not the level; it is booking the wrong thing. One Listening or Speaking section under CELPIP conditions, marked to the CELPIP level, settles whether a test is needed at all.
Questions applicants ask
What language level do I need for Canadian citizenship?
IRCC's eligibility page: if you are 18 to 54 on the day you sign the application, you must show adequate knowledge of English or French, which it defines as speaking and listening at level 4 of the Canadian Language Benchmarks. Reading and writing are not assessed. Under 18 or 55 and over, there is no language requirement.
Do I have to take a test?
Not necessarily. IRCC's proof pages list a test last, after a secondary or post-secondary programme taught in English or French, LINC or CLIC training, and six provincial language programmes. A test is for applicants with none of those. IRCC also says it measures language by how well you speak with a citizenship official at any point in the process, and by a language assessment during the citizenship test if necessary.
Can I use an expired CELPIP or IELTS result?
Yes, for citizenship. IRCC's proof page says to include a copy of your test results even if they are expired, provided the scores are high enough. That is the opposite of the Express Entry rule, where results must be under two years old at both the profile and the application.
What is the CELPIP-General LS test?
Paragon's two-component version, Listening and Speaking only, which IRCC's manual lists as accepted for citizenship purposes only. Paragon's page gives a Canadian price of $195 plus taxes and a sitting of about 1 hour 10 minutes: Listening 47 to 55 minutes in six parts, Speaking 15 minutes in eight tasks, with unscored items in Listening.
Which is cheaper, CELPIP-General or CELPIP-LS?
The LS test. Paragon's LS page lists it at $195 plus taxes against CELPIP-General at $290 plus taxes on the same page; Paragon's test-date finder showed CELPIP-General sittings in Canada at $299 CAD when checked, so the General figure is quoted both ways here. The LS result is valid only for citizenship; a CELPIP-General result covers citizenship and permanent residence both.
What score is CLB 4 on each test?
IRCC's table: CELPIP-G or CELPIP-G LS 4 or higher in listening and speaking; IELTS General Training 4.5 in listening and 4.0 in speaking; PTE Core 28 in listening and 42 in speaking. IELTS Academic is not accepted for citizenship.
Is there a waiver?
IRCC's eligibility page says an applicant whose situation prevents meeting a requirement can request a waiver, and that accommodations such as sign-language interpretation at a language hearing are available on request. The conditions are IRCC's to judge; this page does not summarise them.
Sources
- IRCC, Eligibility to become a Canadian citizen — ages, the definition of adequate knowledge, how it is measured, accommodations and waivers.
- IRCC, Find out if you have the language proof for citizenship, steps 1 to 4, and step 5 — the accepted proofs and the test table.
- IRCC, Language requirements (operational manual) — CELPIP-G LS accepted for citizenship only.
- Paragon, CELPIP-General LS — price, length and components; test-day information — ID for the LS test; test dates — the CELPIP-General fee per sitting.
Checked 6 September 2026. IRCC's and Paragon's rules are theirs and change; confirm on their pages before applying or booking. Nothing on this page is immigration or legal advice.
Related: Listening guide · Reading guide · Writing guide · Speaking guide · How CELPIP is scored · CELPIP for the PGWP · CELPIP registration, fee and test day · CELPIP vs IELTS vs PTE Core for Express Entry · CLB calculator.