IELTS to CLB Calculator: Convert IELTS General Training Bands to CLB
Enter your IELTS General Training band 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.
🇨🇦 IELTS bands to CLB levels
⚠️ General Training only
IRCC accepts IELTS General Training for Express Entry, not IELTS Academic, and does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake. Enter General Training bands here.
🗣️ Took PTE Core instead?
PTE Core is also accepted. Convert your scores with the PTE Core to CLB calculator.
Want this result in your inbox? We will email it to you.
IELTS to CLB chart (IRCC, Express Entry)
CLB 7 needs IELTS General Training 6.0 in each of Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. CLB 9 needs Listening 8.0 and 7.0 in Reading, Writing and Speaking. CLB 10 needs Listening 8.5, Reading 8.0, and 7.5 in Writing and Speaking. IRCC converts each skill on its own, so you get four CLB levels, not one. Your overall IELTS band is not used.
| CLB level | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLB 10 and above | 8.5–9.0 | 8.0–9.0 | 7.5–9.0 | 7.5–9.0 |
| 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 |
| CLB 4 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Express Entry: Language test results, IELTS General Training chart. Checked 30 October 2026.
How to read the IELTS to CLB chart
Each band in the chart is where that CLB level starts. A band that falls between two rows counts at the lower level. For example, Listening 6.5 or 7.0 is CLB 7, because CLB 8 in Listening starts at 7.5. Reading is the easiest skill to convert upward: Reading 7.0 already reaches CLB 9, while Listening needs 8.0 for the same level.
IRCC accepts IELTS General Training, not IELTS Academic
For Express Entry, IRCC says you must take the IELTS General Training option, and it does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake. An IELTS Academic result cannot be entered in your Express Entry profile. The other English tests IRCC accepts are PTE Core (not PTE 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 PTE Core? Use the PTE Core to CLB calculator.
- Want your overall band as well? The IELTS Band Calculator averages your four skills.
- Take the free IELTS Diagnostic to see which skill is holding your CLB level down.
Frequently Asked Questions
IELTS General Training 6.0 in each of Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. 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.
Listening 8.0, and 7.0 in Reading, Writing and Speaking. Listening needs the highest band for the same level, so it is often the skill that keeps a test taker at CLB 8.
Listening 8.5 or higher, Reading 8.0 or higher, and 7.5 or higher in Writing and Speaking. IRCC's chart labels this level "CLB 10 and above".
No. IRCC says you must take the IELTS General Training option for Express Entry. It also does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake. The other accepted English tests are PTE Core and CELPIP-General.
No. IRCC converts Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking separately, and program minimums apply to every ability. An overall 7.0 with Writing at 5.5 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.