For immigrants to be able to come to Canada, you will need to show proof of English language proficiency. Only two proficiency tests are accepted by Canada Immigration and Citizenship – CELPIP and IELTS.
CELPIP Exam
CELPIP, Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program, is a newer test accepted by the provincial governments, universities, colleges, and employers in Canada. There are two versions – General Test, required for permanent residence and has four sections: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. The General LS Test only covers listening and speaking, and is acceptable for citizenship. It can be taken in around 3 hours and is completely computerized.
IELTS Exam
IELTS, International English Language Testing System, is similar to CELPIP. There are two versions – General Training, which is required for immigration to Canada, and also has four sections: reading, listening, writing, and speaking. IELTS Academics is not accepted for immigration and is more suitable for students from non-English speaking countries and plan to apply for universities in Canada. The exam is paper-based and conducted over two sittings.
CELPIP vs. IELTS
Despite their similarities, both exams have many differences. The main one is that they use different score rubrics, according to the Canadian Language Benchmarks. This equivalency chart is used by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to determine an immigrant’s CLB level in relation to CELPIP and IELTS’ scores. If you need more clarification about CLBs in Chinese, visit our Chinese CELPIP Test Prep page to learn more.
CELPIP to CLB Chart
To learn the differences between CELPIP and IELTS’ scores, we need to learn how to understand them. CELPIP scores are available online 4 – 5 days after the test date. The maximum score for each section is 12, which is aligned to the CLB. This means that each CELPIP level is equal to the CLB level, so you won’t have to convert any numbers. Each level has its own grading criteria, which you can learn more about, as well as the CELPIP test format.
IELTS’ scores are reported on a 9-band scale, where 1 is the lowest and 9 is the highest. Results are available 13 days after the test, if written on paper, or 3 – 5 days, if completed online. Bands are determined by the total mark of each section and can be reported in whole or half bands. For example, if you score 35/40 for the listening section, your band score will be 8. If you score 16/40 for the listening section, your band score will be 5. IRCC will only process immigration applications based on CLB, so you must convert them, or refer to the following chart for reference.
IELTS to CLB Chart
Additionally, both exams are marked differently. CELPIP is primarily computerized, so the multiple-choice sections are automatically marked. The writing and speaking components are assessed by two examiners. Particularly for speaking, factors like listenability, task fulfillment, appropriate use of vocabulary, and coherence will affect your score. For the writing portion, criteria like formatting, grammar, spelling, and punctuation will be assessed.
IELTS has a few variations. Similar to CELPIP, the listening and reading sections are multiple-choice and the total mark adds up to a band score. For speaking, it is administered physically with an examiner, who awards band scores for the following criteria: fluency, lexical resource, grammatical range, and pronunciation. For writing, it will be marked between 2 and 4 examiners for accuracy and fairness, and both tasks are marked by similar criteria: task fulfillment, coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range, and accuracy. Your response will be given a band score.
Is CELPIP Easier Than IELTS?
With similar formats for both exams, immigrants might wonder – which exam should they take? The bottom line is that CELPIP is easier. CELPIP was developed in Canada specifically for immigrants to be exposed to Canadian traditions and values, accents, news items, and everyday situations that the average citizen will encounter. IELTS uses a larger range of subjects and specialized vocabulary, as well as international accents for the listening section, rather than a standard North American accent. CELPIP scores are also calibrated to match CLBs, which saves you the hassle of converting IELTS’ scores for your immigration.
CELPIP Exam Preparation
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