PTE Core to CLB Calculator: Convert PTE Core Scores to CLB
Enter your PTE Core score for each of the four skills and get your Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level for each, using IRCC's official Express Entry chart. You also see which Express Entry programs your scores meet the language minimum for.
🇨🇦 PTE Core scores to CLB levels
⚠️ PTE Core only
IRCC accepts PTE Core for Express Entry, not PTE Academic. Enter your PTE Core skill scores here, not your overall score.
đź“ť Took IELTS instead?
IELTS General Training is also accepted. Convert your bands with the IELTS to CLB calculator.
Want this result in your inbox? We will email it to you.
PTE Core to CLB chart (IRCC, Express Entry)
CLB 7 needs PTE Core Listening 60, Reading 60, Writing 69 and Speaking 68 or higher. CLB 9 needs Listening 82, Reading 78, Writing 88 and Speaking 84. CLB 10 needs Listening 89, Reading 88, Writing 90 and Speaking 89. IRCC converts each skill on its own, so you get four CLB levels, not one. Your overall PTE Core score is not used.
| CLB level | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLB 10 and above | 89+ | 88+ | 90+ | 89+ |
| CLB 9 | 82–88 | 78–87 | 88–89 | 84–88 |
| CLB 8 | 71–81 | 69–77 | 79–87 | 76–83 |
| CLB 7 | 60–70 | 60–68 | 69–78 | 68–75 |
| CLB 6 | 50–59 | 51–59 | 60–68 | 59–67 |
| CLB 5 | 39–49 | 42–50 | 51–59 | 51–58 |
| CLB 4 | 28–38 | 33–41 | 41–50 | 42–50 |
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Express Entry: Language test results, PTE Core chart. Checked 30 October 2026.
How to read the PTE Core to CLB chart
The ranges run on from each other, so every PTE Core score from the bottom of CLB 4 up to 90 belongs to exactly one level. The thresholds are not the same for each skill. Writing needs the highest scores: 69 for CLB 7 and 88 for CLB 9, against 60 and 82 in Listening. A score below the CLB 4 range is below the lowest level in IRCC's Express Entry chart.
IRCC accepts PTE Core, not PTE Academic
For Express Entry, IRCC says you must take the PTE Core option of the Pearson Test of English. A PTE Academic result cannot be entered in your Express Entry profile, and Pearson's PTE Academic to IELTS concordance on our PTE score chart does not apply to PTE Core. The other English tests IRCC accepts are IELTS General Training (not IELTS Academic) and CELPIP-General, whose levels line up with CLB directly (CELPIP 7 is CLB 7).
CLB minimums for each Express Entry program
| Program | Language minimum (English) |
|---|---|
| Federal Skilled Worker Program | CLB 7 in all four abilities |
| Canadian Experience Class, TEER 0 or 1 job | CLB 7 in all four abilities |
| Canadian Experience Class, TEER 2 or 3 job | CLB 5 in all four abilities |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program | CLB 5 Speaking and Listening, CLB 4 Reading and Writing |
These are the minimums to be eligible. Higher levels still count: on the same IRCC page, a Federal Skilled Worker applicant gets 4 points per ability at CLB 7, 5 at CLB 8 and 6 at CLB 9 or above. Your test results must be less than 2 years old both when you complete your Express Entry profile and when you submit your application for permanent residence.
Next steps
- Read our Canada Express Entry guide for the rest of the profile.
- Took IELTS General Training? Use the IELTS to CLB calculator.
- Preparing for PTE? Start from our PTE preparation page.
- Try a free PTE mock test to see which skill is holding your CLB level down.
Frequently Asked Questions
At least Listening 60, Reading 60, Writing 69 and Speaking 68. CLB 7 in all four abilities is the language minimum for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and for the Canadian Experience Class with a TEER 0 or 1 job.
At least Listening 82, Reading 78, Writing 88 and Speaking 84. Writing has the narrowest CLB 9 range in IRCC's chart, 88 to 89, so a Writing score of 87 is still CLB 8.
Listening 89 or higher, Reading 88 or higher, Writing 90 and Speaking 89 or higher. IRCC's chart labels this level "CLB 10 and above".
No. IRCC says you must take the PTE Core option for Express Entry. The other accepted English tests are IELTS General Training and CELPIP-General.
No. IRCC converts Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking separately, and program minimums apply to every ability. A strong overall score with Writing at 65 is CLB 6 in Writing, which is below the CLB 7 the Federal Skilled Worker Program asks for.
Your results must be less than 2 years old both when you complete your Express Entry profile and when you submit your application for permanent residence. IRCC refuses an application made with expired results.