CLB to IELTS converter
Canada describes English ability in Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) levels. For IELTS General Training, the Government of Canada publishes the band each skill needs for each CLB level. This converter uses that table. It applies to IELTS General Training only, not Academic.
| CLB | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10+ | 8.5-9.0 | 8.0-9.0 | 7.5-9.0 | 7.5-9.0 |
| 9 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| 8 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| 7 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| 6 | 5.5 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| 5 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| 4 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
How the conversion works
Each skill is converted on its own. Your CLB level for a skill is the highest level whose minimum band you reach in that skill. Listening and Reading need different bands from Speaking and Writing for the same level.
Different programmes can ask for different CLB levels, so check the requirements for your programme on the official Government of Canada pages.
Frequently asked questions
What IELTS band is CLB 7?
In the IRCC table, CLB 7 is band 6.0 in each of Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking (IELTS General Training).
What IELTS band is CLB 9?
In the IRCC table, CLB 9 is Listening 8.0, Reading 7.0, Writing 7.0 and Speaking 7.0.
Can I use IELTS Academic scores for this table?
No. The table is for IELTS General Training. Check the official IRCC page for which tests your programme accepts.
Is the CLB level based on my overall band?
No. Each skill is converted separately, so you can have a different CLB level in each skill.
How do I find my General Training Reading band?
Use our General Training Reading table to convert your correct answers out of 40 into a band, then use this converter.
Where does this table come from?
From the Express Entry language test results page of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). We show the date we checked it.
Related pages
Sources
- Express Entry: Language test results (Government of Canada, IRCC) — checked 2026-10-11
English Test Practice is an independent practice site and is not affiliated with IELTS, the British Council, IDP or Cambridge. Results from our tools are estimates, not official scores.