--- title: "CLB 10 scores: IELTS, CELPIP, PTE Core, TCF and TEF Canada" description: "CLB 10 on IELTS (L 8.5, R 8.0, S 7.5, W 7.5), CELPIP, PTE Core, TCF Canada and TEF Canada, and the 34 CRS points per ability it earns." canonical: https://francaisprep.com/clb/10 last-updated: 2026-10-14 --- [CLB levels](/tools/clb-calculator) # CLB 10: the score you need on every accepted test CLB 10 is level 10 of the Canadian Language Benchmarks, written NCLC 10 for French. It takes 8.5 listening, 8.0 reading, 7.5 speaking and writing on IELTS General Training, 10 or above in every ability on CELPIP-General and L 89, R 88, S 89, W 90 on PTE Core; in French, L 549, R 549, S 16/20, W 16/20 on the TCF Canada and L 316, R 263, S 393, W 393 on the TEF Canada. Updated 14 October 2026 | Test | Listening | Reading | Speaking | Writing | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | IELTS General Training | 8.5 to 9.0 | 8.0 to 9.0 | 7.5 to 9.0 | 7.5 to 9.0 | | CELPIP-General | 10 and above | 10 and above | 10 and above | 10 and above | | PTE Core | 89 to 90 | 88 to 90 | 89 to 90 | 90 | | TCF Canada | 549 to 699 | 549 to 699 | 16 to 20 | 16 to 20 | | TEF Canada | 316 to 360 | 263 to 300 | 393 to 450 | 393 to 450 | | Level | Per ability, single | Per ability, with spouse | All four, single | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | CLB 9 | 31 | 29 | 124 | | CLB 10 | 34 | 32 | 136 | Scores from IRCC's [language test equivalency charts](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/after-graduation/eligibility/language-results.html) and [French equivalency charts](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/language-test.html) and points from its [Comprehensive Ranking System criteria](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/check-score/crs-criteria.html), checked against canada.ca on 14 October 2026. IRCC revises these pages, so confirm the current values there before you plan around a number. ## What CLB 10 means NCLC and CLB are the same twelve-level framework under two names. NCLC is the French-language scale and CLB the English-language one, so a French result reported as NCLC 10 is the level English speakers write as CLB 10. IRCC reports French test results in NCLC. IRCC's equivalency charts run from CLB 4 to CLB 10, so CLB 10 is the top row, which also covers every score above it. Each ability is converted on its own: a requirement of CLB 10 is met only when every ability it names reaches the level, however strong the others are. ## CLB 10 on each accepted test IELTS General Training: 8.5 to 9.0 in listening, 8.0 to 9.0 in reading, 7.5 to 9.0 in speaking and 7.5 to 9.0 in writing. CELPIP-General: 10 and above in listening, 10 and above in reading, 10 and above in speaking and 10 and above in writing. PTE Core: 89 to 90 in listening, 88 to 90 in reading, 89 to 90 in speaking and 90 in writing. TCF Canada: 549 to 699 in listening, 549 to 699 in reading, 16 to 20 out of 20 in speaking and 16 to 20 out of 20 in writing. TEF Canada: 316 to 360 in listening, 263 to 300 in reading, 393 to 450 in speaking and 393 to 450 in writing. ## CRS points at CLB 10 Express Entry scores each ability separately. At CLB 10 in your first official language that is 34 points per ability for a single applicant and 32 for one with a spouse or common-law partner, so 136 or 128 when all four abilities sit at CLB 10. CLB 10 or more is the last row of the table, so no higher score adds first-language points. One level lower, CLB 9 pays 31 per ability, 3 fewer than CLB 10. ## What CLB 10 buys above the programme minimums Every programme minimum IRCC publishes is already met at CLB 7, so CLB 10 adds no new eligibility. What it buys is points: 136 first-language points across four abilities without a spouse, against 68 at CLB 7. That gap of 68 points is the whole case for aiming above CLB 7 in your first official language. ## CLB 10 in French: NCLC 10 In French, CLB 10 is NCLC 10. On the TCF Canada it takes 549 listening and reading, 16/20 speaking and writing; on the TEF Canada, 316 listening, 263 reading, 393 speaking and writing in the Equivalence ancien score column. NCLC 10 in all four French abilities clears the threshold for the additional French points: 25 on its own, 50 with English at CLB 5 or above. ## Every CLB level - [CLB 4](/clb/4) - [CLB 5](/clb/5) - [CLB 6](/clb/6) - [CLB 7](/clb/7) - [CLB 8](/clb/8) - [CLB 9](/clb/9) ## Check your own result - [CLB calculator for all five tests](/tools/clb-calculator) - [TCF and TEF score converter](/tools/score-converter) - [French CRS points calculator](/tools/french-crs-points) Questions ## CLB 10: common questions ### What is CLB 10 in IELTS? CLB 10 on IELTS General Training is 8.5 to 9.0 in listening, 8.0 to 9.0 in reading, 7.5 to 9.0 in speaking and 7.5 to 9.0 in writing. Only the General Training option counts for Express Entry. ### What CELPIP score is CLB 10? A 10 or above in each ability. CELPIP-General reports on the CLB scale, so anything from 10 to 12 reads as CLB 10. ### What PTE Core score is CLB 10? PTE Core needs 89 to 90 in listening, 88 to 90 in reading, 89 to 90 in speaking and 90 in writing, the bottom of each range being the score that reaches CLB 10. PTE Academic is not accepted for Express Entry. ### What is CLB 10 in French? NCLC 10. On the TCF Canada that is 549 to 699 in listening, 549 to 699 in reading, 16 to 20 out of 20 in speaking and 16 to 20 out of 20 in writing; on the TEF Canada, 316 to 360 in listening, 263 to 300 in reading, 393 to 450 in speaking and 393 to 450 in writing. ### How many CRS points does CLB 10 give? 34 points per ability without a spouse and 32 with one, for your first official language: 136 or 128 across four abilities. ### Is CLB 10 enough for Express Entry? Yes, for every programme minimum IRCC publishes, all of which stop at CLB 7 or below. Above that, CLB 10 works through CRS points rather than eligibility. NEXT STEP ## Find out where your French actually stands Book a short assessment with Adèle: one writing task, one speaking task, and an honest plan for the weeks you have left before the exam. [Book an assessment](/book)[See the course tiers](/pricing) --- For agents: site index https://francaisprep.com/llms.txt, developer access https://francaisprep.com/developers, and TCF or TEF to NCLC conversion over a plain GET at https://api.francaisprep.com/v1/score/convert?exam=tcf_canada&listening=512&reading=470&writing=12&speaking=11 (exam is tcf_canada or tef_canada).