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Citizenship Language Equivalency Checker

Does your IELTS, CELPIP, PTE, TEF, or TCF score meet the citizenship language requirement?

Canadian citizenship requires CLB 4 or higher in listening and speaking in English or French (for applicants aged 18–54). Reading and writing scores don't affect citizenship eligibility. Select your language test and enter your L and S scores to see whether you meet the IRCC minimums.

Key factsAs of
Who needs proofApplicants aged 18 to 54 on the day they sign the application
Level neededIn listening and speaking: CLB 4 on an English test, or B1 or higher on a French test
IELTS General TrainingListening 4.5, speaking 4
CELPIP General / CELPIP-G LSListening 4, speaking 4
PTE CoreListening 28, speaking 42
TEF Canada (French)B1 or higher: listening 145 or more, speaking 181 or more on the 'Équivalence ancien score' (IRCC's NCLC 4 scores, which TEF's own table places in B1)
TCF Canada (French)B1 or higher: listening 300 or more out of 699, speaking 6 or more out of 20
Reading and writingNot assessed for citizenship

Source: IRCC: Language proof, accepted tests

Next step: check the other requirements with canadatest.ca's free citizenship eligibility checker

IELTS band score (0.0–9.0)

Min 4.5 · 0.5 increments (4.5, 5.0, 5.5, …, 9.0)

Min 4 · 0.5 increments (4.0, 4.5, 5.0, …, 9.0)

For citizenship, IRCC only evaluates Listening and Speaking — Reading and Writing scores don't affect your citizenship eligibility.

This language equivalency checker is provided for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. The English cutoffs are the CLB 4 scores on IRCC's accepted-tests page, and the French cutoffs are each test's B1 floor, the level that page asks for. Test equivalency tables and citizenship language requirements can change.

Official source: IRCC: Language proof — Step 5 (accepted tests) · Last updated: 2026-10-20

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Frequently asked questions

What IELTS score do I need for Canadian citizenship?
IELTS General Training with Listening 4.5 or higher AND Speaking 4.0 or higher. That's the IRCC-published minimum. The IELTS Academic version is NOT accepted for citizenship — only General Training.
What CELPIP score do I need for citizenship?
CELPIP General or CELPIP-G LS with a level 4 or higher in listening AND speaking. CELPIP levels map 1:1 to CLB — a level 4 score equals CLB 4.
Is PTE Core accepted for Canadian citizenship?
Yes. PTE Core is accepted with a minimum listening score of 28 and a speaking score of 42. IRCC added PTE Core to the accepted citizenship language tests after initial roll-out. IELTS Academic and the original PTE Academic are NOT accepted for citizenship.
What French tests are accepted?
TEF Canada, TEFAQ, TEF IRN (formerly 'TEF pour naturalisation'), TCF Canada, and TCFQ are all accepted. You need CEFR B1 or higher in listening and speaking. DELF (at B1+) and DALF (any result) are also accepted.
Do my Reading and Writing scores matter for citizenship?
No. IRCC only evaluates Listening and Speaking for the citizenship language requirement. If you have a full test with Reading and Writing scores, they're used for other immigration programs (Express Entry, etc.) but NOT for citizenship. You can enter only your L and S scores above.
How recent does my language test need to be?
They don't need to be recent. IRCC says there is no expiration date for third-party language test results for citizenship applicants, and you can send the same results you used for your immigration application. The 2-year limit you may have seen applies to Express Entry and other economic immigration programs.
I don't have a language test yet. How do I prove I meet CLB 4?
Besides a third-party language test, IRCC also accepts: a LINC/CLIC certificate showing CLB/NCLC 4+ in listening and speaking, a completed CELPIP-General LS (listening + speaking only — shorter and cheaper than the full CELPIP), or proof of secondary or post-secondary studies completed in English or French. Check IRCC's Step 5 page for the full list.