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Which CELPIP test for PR? CELPIP-General, not LS

For permanent residence you must take CELPIP-General, the full four-skill test. CELPIP-General LS is for citizenship. The difference, and the level you need.

HelloCelpip Team
• 10 min read

For Canadian permanent residence you must take CELPIP-General, the full test covering Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. IRCC states this directly on its Express Entry language page. CELPIP-General LS is not accepted for PR. It covers Listening and Speaking only, and it exists for citizenship applications. Booking the wrong one is an expensive mistake, because the LS result cannot be used and the test has to be taken again.

Check what you booked

The two tests have almost the same name and are sold on the same site. If you are applying for permanent residence, the booking must say CELPIP-General. If it says CELPIP-General LS, it is the citizenship test and it will not be accepted.

#CELPIP-General vs CELPIP-General LS

CELPIP-General CELPIP-General LS
Skills tested Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking Listening and Speaking only
Length Under 3 hours, one sitting About 70 minutes, one sitting
Used for Permanent residence, professional designation, and study Citizenship
Accepted for PR? Yes No

Both are computer-delivered, both are done in a single sitting with no separate speaking appointment, and both use the same 0 to 12 CELPIP scale. The difference is only which skills are measured, and therefore which application each one can support.

If your goal is PR now and citizenship later, you do not need to plan around this. They are separate applications years apart, and you take the test that matches the one in front of you.

#What CELPIP level do you need for PR?

There is no pass mark. Each programme sets a minimum CLB level, and from CELPIP level 3 upward your CELPIP level is your CLB level, so a CLB 7 requirement means a CELPIP 7.

The requirement is set per skill, not on average. All four have to clear the bar, so your weakest skill decides the outcome.

Programme Minimum
Federal Skilled Worker CLB 7 in all four skills (first official language). Second official language, if claimed, CLB 5
Canadian Experience Class, NOC TEER 0 or 1 CLB 7 in all four skills
Canadian Experience Class, NOC TEER 2 or 3 CLB 5 in all four skills
Federal Skilled Trades CLB 5 in Speaking and Listening, CLB 4 in Reading and Writing

Two things in that table are worth stopping on.

Federal Skilled Trades asks for less. CLB 5 for Speaking and Listening and CLB 4 for Reading and Writing is a noticeably lower bar than the CLB 7 that gets quoted as though it applied to everyone. If you are a qualified tradesperson, do not rule yourself out on the strength of the FSW number.

Canadian Experience Class depends on your job's NOC TEER category, so two people in the same programme can face different minimums. Check your occupation's TEER before assuming which row applies to you.

Exam Tip
Meeting the minimum is not the same as being competitive
These figures are the floor for eligibility. Express Entry then ranks candidates by points, and higher language levels earn more of them, so clearing CLB 7 and scoring CLB 9 are very different positions in the pool. Treat the table as the entry requirement, not as a target.

To see how a set of four CELPIP levels lines up against a programme, use the Score to CLB calculator.

#How long do the results last?

Your test results must be less than 2 years old at two separate moments: when you complete your Express Entry profile, and when you submit your application for permanent residence. IRCC says an application submitted with expired results will be refused.

That second date is the one people miss. Sitting in the pool with results that expire in a few months is a genuine risk, and if they will lapse before you can apply the options are to retest, to apply before they expire, or to decline an invitation and go back into the pool.

More on validity and how to read your report is in the CELPIP results guide.

#Is CELPIP the right test for you at all?

IRCC accepts several English tests for Express Entry, and CELPIP is one of them. The current accepted list is CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training, and PTE Core. IRCC notes that the IELTS One Skill Retake is not accepted for Express Entry. For French there are TEF Canada and TCF Canada.

So this is a genuine choice, not a formality. The practical reasons people pick CELPIP:

What is distinctive about CELPIP
  • It is entirely computer-delivered, including Speaking, which you record into a headset. There is no face-to-face interview and no separate speaking appointment.
  • The whole test is one sitting of under three hours.
  • It uses Canadian English throughout, including the accents in the Listening section.
  • Results are reported on the 0 to 12 CELPIP scale, which matches CLB directly from level 3 up, so there is no conversion table to interpret.

None of that makes it easier than the alternatives. It makes it a different shape, and the shape suits some people better than others. If typing quickly and speaking to a microphone with nobody in the room sounds worse than talking to an examiner, that is a real reason to look at the other options.

#If you have a disability

If a disability prevents you from completing one or more sections of a language test, IRCC has a process: you use its language averaging tool to get averaged scores for the abilities you could not complete, unless the test organisation gives you averaged scores directly, and you enter those in your Express Entry profile. IRCC verifies both the averaged scores and the test results you submit. Start from the IRCC page linked below rather than from a forum, because this process has specific steps.

#What to do next

A sensible order
  1. Confirm the programme you are applying under
    Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, or Federal Skilled Trades. The minimum you need follows from this, and for CEC it also depends on your job’s NOC TEER category.
  2. Book CELPIP-General, not LS
    Check the booking says General. LS is the citizenship test and cannot be used for permanent residence.
  3. Find your weakest skill before test day
    Because every skill has to clear the bar on its own, the skill you are worst at is the one that decides whether you qualify.
  4. Plan the date around the two-year clock
    Results must still be valid when you submit your PR application, not only when you create your profile.

You can work on all four skills on HelloCelpip: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking questions in the real test format, with an estimated CELPIP level after every attempt so you can see which skill is holding you back.

#Which CELPIP for PR: FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions
Which CELPIP test do I need for permanent residence?
CELPIP-General. IRCC states on its Express Entry language page that you must take the CELPIP-General test. CELPIP-General LS covers only Listening and Speaking and is not accepted for permanent residence.
What is the difference between CELPIP-General and CELPIP-General LS?
CELPIP-General tests all four skills and takes under three hours. CELPIP-General LS tests Listening and Speaking only and takes about 70 minutes. General is for permanent residence, professional designation and study; LS is the IRCC-approved test for Canadian citizenship.
What is the passing score for CELPIP for PR?
There is no passing score. CELPIP reports a level from 0 to 12 for each skill and nothing is pass or fail. Each immigration programme sets its own minimum CLB level, and from CELPIP level 3 upward your CELPIP level equals your CLB level.
What CLB do I need for Express Entry?
It depends on the programme. Federal Skilled Worker asks for CLB 7 in all four skills. Canadian Experience Class asks for CLB 7 for NOC TEER 0 or 1 jobs and CLB 5 for TEER 2 or 3. Federal Skilled Trades asks for CLB 5 in Speaking and Listening and CLB 4 in Reading and Writing. Confirm the current figures on the IRCC language test page.
Is the requirement an average across the four skills?
No. The minimum applies to each skill separately, so all four have to reach it. Your weakest skill decides whether you are eligible, which is why it is usually the one worth the most study time.
How long are CELPIP results valid for Express Entry?
Less than two years old when you complete your Express Entry profile and again when you submit your application for permanent residence. IRCC says an application submitted with expired results will be refused.
Can I use CELPIP-General LS for Express Entry?
No. It does not test Reading or Writing, and Express Entry requires a level in all four abilities. If you have already taken LS and need permanent residence, you will need to take CELPIP-General.
Which English tests does IRCC accept for Express Entry?
For English: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training, and PTE Core. IRCC does not accept the IELTS One Skill Retake for Express Entry. For French: TEF Canada and TCF Canada.
Official sources

Immigration requirements change. Confirm which tests are accepted, the minimum CLB for each programme, and the validity rules on the official IRCC Express Entry language test results page before you book or apply, and confirm test format and CELPIP Level to CLB mapping on the CELPIP Test Format page and Score Comparison Chart. Your HelloCelpip level uses the same 0 to 12 CELPIP scale, so you can track real progress between now and test day. Your official score comes from Paragon Testing Enterprises on test day. HelloCelpip is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with CELPIP or Paragon Testing Enterprises.

Official sources:

Last updated: July 27, 2026