CLB calculator: which skill is holding your level down?
Enter four CELPIP or IELTS scores. You get the CLB for each skill, the one that sets your level, and the Express Entry language points the four are worth together — so the next month of practice goes to the section that actually moves the number.
Estimates based on IRCC equivalency charts. Always confirm with the official IRCC requirements.
The lowest skill is your level
The Canadian Language Benchmarks run from 1 to 12, and every immigration programme states its requirement as a CLB in each skill. That phrase does the work. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada does not average your four scores; it checks that none of them falls below the line. An applicant with 9, 9, 9 and 7 is a CLB 7 applicant wherever the rule says “CLB 7 in each skill” — and, for the programmes that ask for more, a CLB 7 applicant who has already done the hard part three times.
Points work the other way round. The Comprehensive Ranking System scores each skill separately, so the same four scores earn 110 language points as a single applicant: 31 for each of the three skills at CLB 9 and 17 for the one at CLB 7. All four at CLB 9 would be 124. The gap between those two figures — 14 points — sits in one section, which is why the calculator names it rather than reporting a total.
What one more band is worth
CRS points per skill for a first official language, single applicant, from the IRCC grid. The steps are not even: the climb from CLB 8 to 9 is worth more than any other single band.
| CLB (each skill) | Points per skill | Gain from the band below |
|---|---|---|
| CLB 10 and above | 34 | +3 |
| CLB 9 | 31 | +8 |
| CLB 8 | 23 | +6 |
| CLB 7 | 17 | +8 |
| CLB 6 | 9 | +3 |
| CLB 5 | 6 | — |
Converting from IELTS: the threshold differs by skill
CELPIP-General reports directly on the CLB scale, so a CELPIP 9 is a CLB 9 and there is nothing to convert. IELTS General Training does not: the band that earns a given CLB is different for each skill, and Listening is the strict one. Minimum band for each level, from the IRCC equivalency chart:
| CLB | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLB 10 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| CLB 9 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| CLB 8 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| CLB 7 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| CLB 6 | 5.5 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| CLB 5 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
A Listening 7.5 that would be a strong result in most contexts is a CLB 8 here, while a 7.0 in Writing or Speaking already reaches CLB 9. Candidates who miss a threshold usually miss it in Listening.
Where the lines are
Minimums, lowest skill counting. Check the programme page for the stream you are actually in; several provincial streams set their own.
| Programme | Minimum | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Express Entry — Federal Skilled Worker | CLB 7+ | Minimum to be eligible; CLB 9+ maximises CRS points. |
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | CLB 7 / CLB 5 | CLB 7 for TEER 0–1 jobs, CLB 5 for TEER 2–3. |
| Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) | Set per stream | Each province publishes its own minimum per stream; IRCC sets none centrally. |
| Canadian Citizenship | CLB 4+ | Speaking & Listening only. |
Questions the calculator raises
Does IRCC use my average or my lowest skill?
For eligibility, the lowest. A programme that asks for CLB 7 means CLB 7 in Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, each — three nines and a six is a six. For Comprehensive Ranking System points each skill is scored on its own, so a weak skill costs you twice: it can block eligibility, and it drags the points down.
My CELPIP scores are 9, 9, 9 and 7. What is my CLB?
Your level for any "CLB 7 in each skill" requirement is 7, set by the Speaking score. Your CRS language points for a first official language, single applicant, come to 110: three skills at CLB 9 earn 31 each and the CLB 7 skill earns 17. Lifting that one skill to 9 would make it 124 — 14 points from one section.
Does a TOEFL score convert to CLB?
Not for Canadian immigration. IRCC accepts CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core for English; a TOEFL result cannot be used for Express Entry or a provincial nomination, however good it is. TOEFL is an academic-admission test, which is why this site runs it separately from the CELPIP material.
How long is a language result valid?
Test results must be less than two years old on the day you submit your Express Entry profile and still valid when you apply for permanent residence. A result that expires in between has to be replaced.
Is the calculator's CRS figure my full score?
No. It is the language component only — up to 136 points for a first official language, single applicant. The full CRS adds age, education, work experience, a spouse's factors and any additional points, and the grid differs slightly if you apply with a spouse or partner.
Sources, all IRCC on canada.ca: the language test equivalency charts (CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training, PTE Core); the Comprehensive Ranking System grid (first official language, without a spouse); the Express Entry language requirements (accepted tests, the two-year rule, programme minimums); and the citizenship language proof pages. Checked 6 September 2026. Grids change; confirm on canada.ca before you rely on a figure.
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