- IELTS
- Canada
IELTS to CLB Conversion for Canada: The Full Score Table
Canada scores your English in CLB levels, not IELTS bands. Understanding the conversion — and the rule that your weakest section decides everything — is what turns preparation into points.
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Written and reviewed by Mourade Boulanouar — Founder & Head of Teaching, EnglifyLast reviewed
In short
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada converts each IELTS General Training section score into a Canadian Language Benchmark level. CLB 7 requires 6.0 in all four sections; CLB 8 requires Listening 7.5, Reading 6.5, Writing 6.5 and Speaking 6.5; CLB 9 requires Listening 8.0, Reading 7.0, Writing 7.0 and Speaking 7.0; CLB 10 requires Listening 8.5, Reading 8.0, Writing 7.5 and Speaking 7.5. Your CLB level is set by your lowest section, so points come from lifting your weakest skill, not your strongest. Always confirm current requirements on the official IRCC website.
Key facts
- CLB 7 — Listening 6.0, Reading 6.0, Writing 6.0, Speaking 6.0
- CLB 8 — Listening 7.5, Reading 6.5, Writing 6.5, Speaking 6.5
- CLB 9 — Listening 8.0, Reading 7.0, Writing 7.0, Speaking 7.0
- CLB 10 — Listening 8.5, Reading 8.0, Writing 7.5, Speaking 7.5
- Your CLB level equals your lowest section, never your average
- The conversion applies to IELTS General Training for economic immigration
Related questions
The conversion table
Read the table by section, not by total. If your Listening is 8.0 but your Writing is 6.5, you are at CLB 8 overall, because the Writing row for CLB 9 asks for 7.0.
This table is published by IRCC and can be updated. Before you rely on it for an application, open the official language-requirements page on canada.ca and check the current version.
- CLB 10 — Listening 8.5, Reading 8.0, Writing 7.5, Speaking 7.5
- CLB 9 — Listening 8.0, Reading 7.0, Writing 7.0, Speaking 7.0
- CLB 8 — Listening 7.5, Reading 6.5, Writing 6.5, Speaking 6.5
- CLB 7 — Listening 6.0, Reading 6.0, Writing 6.0, Speaking 6.0
- CLB 6 — Listening 5.5, Reading 5.0, Writing 5.5, Speaking 5.5
- CLB 5 — Listening 5.0, Reading 4.0, Writing 5.0, Speaking 5.0
- CLB 4 — Listening 4.5, Reading 3.5, Writing 4.0, Speaking 4.0
Why the lowest section decides your points
Express Entry awards language points per skill and uses your CLB level per skill, so a single weak section drags your profile down twice: it caps the level you can claim in that skill, and it can pull you below a programme's minimum entirely.
The practical consequence for Moroccan candidates is uncomfortable but useful. Reading and Listening are usually the strong sections, thanks to years of series, films and study in English. Writing and Speaking are usually the weak ones, because they are the two skills nobody practises alone. Extra Reading practice feels productive and earns nothing; corrected writing and live speaking practice is where the points are.
Planning your preparation around the weakest section
- Take a full timed General Training mock first, so you have four real numbers instead of an impression.
- Identify the gap per section against your target CLB row, in half-bands.
- Spend most of your hours on the one or two sections below the row, not on the ones already above it.
- For Writing, count corrected papers, not hours read: a Task 1 letter and a Task 2 essay marked against the band descriptors each week.
- For Speaking, book real conversation time with correction — Part 3 abstract questions are where band 6.5 stalls.
- Retake a full mock every three or four weeks to see whether the weak section is actually moving.
Getting the weak section marked properly
Writing and Speaking cannot be self-assessed reliably, which is exactly why they are the sections that stall. Somebody has to mark your letter against the criteria and tell you which sentence cost you the band.
At Englify that happens in live one-to-one classes on Google Meet with Moroccan teachers based in Morocco: marked General Training papers, speaking mocks across Parts 1 to 3, and a written report after each session. Private classes cost 100 MAD per hour, and the first trial class with a level assessment is free. Englify prepares candidates for IELTS and is not affiliated with the exam boards or with IRCC.
Frequently asked questions
- What IELTS score gives CLB 9?
- Listening 8.0, Reading 7.0, Writing 7.0 and Speaking 7.0 in IELTS General Training. All four are required — the level is set by your lowest section.
- Does my average band matter?
- Not for CLB. The overall band appears on your test report, but the conversion into CLB levels is done section by section, and Express Entry language points follow the per-skill levels.
- Is the conversion the same for IELTS Academic?
- The published conversion used for economic immigration applies to IELTS General Training, which is the version those programmes accept. If a specific programme accepts a different test or version, its own page states the requirement.
- Where can I check the official table?
- On canada.ca, in the language-requirements section for Express Entry. Requirements and cut-offs change, so treat any table on a school website, including this one, as a summary to verify against the official source.
- How much do English lessons cost in Morocco?
- At Englify, small-group online English classes are the most affordable option and private one-to-one classes cost more per hour, because a private teacher works with one student only. Current group and private prices are confirmed on WhatsApp (+212 724 744 137) and on our prices page, since they depend on the format, the number of hours per week and the length of the plan. The trial class is free and no card is required.
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Book a free trial class with a level assessment, tell us the score your Canadian application needs, and get a realistic plan. Private one-to-one classes cost 100 MAD per hour.