--- title: "CLB 4 scores: IELTS, CELPIP, PTE Core, TCF and TEF Canada" description: "CLB 4 on IELTS (L 4.5, R 3.5, S 4.0, W 4.0), CELPIP, PTE Core, TCF Canada and TEF Canada, and the 6 CRS points per ability it earns." canonical: https://francaisprep.com/clb/4 last-updated: 2026-10-14 --- [CLB levels](/tools/clb-calculator) # CLB 4: the score you need on every accepted test CLB 4 is level 4 of the Canadian Language Benchmarks, written NCLC 4 for French. It takes 4.5 listening, 3.5 reading, 4.0 speaking and writing on IELTS General Training, 4 in every ability on CELPIP-General and L 28, R 33, S 42, W 41 on PTE Core; in French, L 331, R 342, S 4/20, W 4/20 on the TCF Canada and L 145, R 121, S 181, W 181 on the TEF Canada. Updated 14 October 2026 | Test | Listening | Reading | Speaking | Writing | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | IELTS General Training | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | | CELPIP-General | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | | PTE Core | 28 to 38 | 33 to 41 | 42 to 50 | 41 to 50 | | TCF Canada | 331 to 368 | 342 to 374 | 4 to 5 | 4 to 5 | | TEF Canada | 145 to 180 | 121 to 150 | 181 to 225 | 181 to 225 | | Level | Per ability, single | Per ability, with spouse | All four, single | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | CLB 4 | 6 | 6 | 24 | | CLB 5 | 6 | 6 | 24 | 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 4 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 4 is the level English speakers write as CLB 4. IRCC reports French test results in NCLC. IRCC's equivalency charts run from CLB 4 to CLB 10, so CLB 4 is the lowest level they publish. Each ability is converted on its own: a requirement of CLB 4 is met only when every ability it names reaches the level, however strong the others are. ## CLB 4 on each accepted test IELTS General Training: 4.5 in listening, 3.5 in reading, 4.0 in speaking and 4.0 in writing. CELPIP-General: 4 in listening, 4 in reading, 4 in speaking and 4 in writing. PTE Core: 28 to 38 in listening, 33 to 41 in reading, 42 to 50 in speaking and 41 to 50 in writing. TCF Canada: 331 to 368 in listening, 342 to 374 in reading, 4 to 5 out of 20 in speaking and 4 to 5 out of 20 in writing. TEF Canada: 145 to 180 in listening, 121 to 150 in reading, 181 to 225 in speaking and 181 to 225 in writing. ## CRS points at CLB 4 Express Entry scores each ability separately. At CLB 4 in your first official language that is 6 points per ability for a single applicant and 6 for one with a spouse or common-law partner, so 24 or 24 when all four abilities sit at CLB 4. CLB 5 adds nothing to this block, because the table puts CLB 4 and CLB 5 in one row. The reason to reach it is eligibility, not points. Below CLB 4 the table pays nothing for an ability, so CLB 4 is the first level that earns first-language points. ## Which programmes ask for CLB 4 IRCC's published minimums name CLB 4 for these programmes. A minimum is met only when every ability it names reaches the level. Federal Skilled Trades Program: CLB 5 speaking and listening, CLB 4 reading and writing in English, or NCLC 5 speaking and listening, NCLC 4 reading and writing in French. ## CLB 4 in French: NCLC 4 In French, CLB 4 is NCLC 4. On the TCF Canada it takes 331 listening, 342 reading, 4/20 speaking and writing; on the TEF Canada, 145 listening, 121 reading, 181 speaking and writing in the Equivalence ancien score column. NCLC 4 sits 3 levels below NCLC 7, where the additional French CRS points begin, so at this level French counts through the per-ability table only. ## Every CLB level - [CLB 5](/clb/5) - [CLB 6](/clb/6) - [CLB 7](/clb/7) - [CLB 8](/clb/8) - [CLB 9](/clb/9) - [CLB 10](/clb/10) ## 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 4: common questions ### What is CLB 4 in IELTS? CLB 4 on IELTS General Training is 4.5 in listening, 3.5 in reading, 4.0 in speaking and 4.0 in writing. Only the General Training option counts for Express Entry. ### What CELPIP score is CLB 4? A 4 in each ability. CELPIP-General reports on the CLB scale itself, so the number on the score report is the level. ### What PTE Core score is CLB 4? PTE Core needs 28 to 38 in listening, 33 to 41 in reading, 42 to 50 in speaking and 41 to 50 in writing, the bottom of each range being the score that reaches CLB 4. PTE Academic is not accepted for Express Entry. ### What is CLB 4 in French? NCLC 4. On the TCF Canada that is 331 to 368 in listening, 342 to 374 in reading, 4 to 5 out of 20 in speaking and 4 to 5 out of 20 in writing; on the TEF Canada, 145 to 180 in listening, 121 to 150 in reading, 181 to 225 in speaking and 181 to 225 in writing. ### How many CRS points does CLB 4 give? 6 points per ability without a spouse and 6 with one, for your first official language: 24 or 24 across four abilities. ### Is CLB 4 enough for Express Entry? It meets the minimum for the Federal Skilled Trades Program, as long as every ability named reaches CLB 4. Whether you are invited depends on your full CRS score, not on the language minimum alone. 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).