--- title: "CLB 8 scores: IELTS, CELPIP, PTE Core, TCF and TEF Canada" description: "CLB 8 on IELTS (L 7.5, R 6.5, S 6.5, W 6.5), CELPIP, PTE Core, TCF Canada and TEF Canada, and the 23 CRS points per ability it earns." canonical: https://francaisprep.com/clb/8 last-updated: 2026-10-14 --- [CLB levels](/tools/clb-calculator) # CLB 8: the score you need on every accepted test CLB 8 is level 8 of the Canadian Language Benchmarks, written NCLC 8 for French. It takes 7.5 listening, 6.5 in the other three on IELTS General Training, 8 in every ability on CELPIP-General and L 71, R 69, S 76, W 79 on PTE Core; in French, L 503, R 499, S 12/20, W 12/20 on the TCF Canada and L 280, R 233, S 349, W 349 on the TEF Canada. Updated 14 October 2026 | Test | Listening | Reading | Speaking | Writing | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | IELTS General Training | 7.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | | CELPIP-General | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | | PTE Core | 71 to 81 | 69 to 77 | 76 to 83 | 79 to 87 | | TCF Canada | 503 to 522 | 499 to 523 | 12 to 13 | 12 to 13 | | TEF Canada | 280 to 297 | 233 to 247 | 349 to 370 | 349 to 370 | | Level | Per ability, single | Per ability, with spouse | All four, single | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | CLB 7 | 17 | 16 | 68 | | CLB 8 | 23 | 22 | 92 | | CLB 9 | 31 | 29 | 124 | 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 8 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 8 is the level English speakers write as CLB 8. IRCC reports French test results in NCLC. IRCC's equivalency charts run from CLB 4 to CLB 10, so CLB 8 is 4 levels above the bottom of the published range and 2 below the top. Each ability is converted on its own: a requirement of CLB 8 is met only when every ability it names reaches the level, however strong the others are. ## CLB 8 on each accepted test IELTS General Training: 7.5 in listening, 6.5 in reading, 6.5 in speaking and 6.5 in writing. CELPIP-General: 8 in listening, 8 in reading, 8 in speaking and 8 in writing. PTE Core: 71 to 81 in listening, 69 to 77 in reading, 76 to 83 in speaking and 79 to 87 in writing. TCF Canada: 503 to 522 in listening, 499 to 523 in reading, 12 to 13 out of 20 in speaking and 12 to 13 out of 20 in writing. TEF Canada: 280 to 297 in listening, 233 to 247 in reading, 349 to 370 in speaking and 349 to 370 in writing. ## CRS points at CLB 8 Express Entry scores each ability separately. At CLB 8 in your first official language that is 23 points per ability for a single applicant and 22 for one with a spouse or common-law partner, so 92 or 88 when all four abilities sit at CLB 8. CLB 9 is worth 8 more points per ability without a spouse and 7 with one. One level lower, CLB 7 pays 17 per ability, 6 fewer than CLB 8. ## What CLB 8 buys above the programme minimums Every programme minimum IRCC publishes is already met at CLB 7, so CLB 8 adds no new eligibility. What it buys is points: 92 first-language points across four abilities without a spouse, against 68 at CLB 7. That gap of 24 points is the whole case for aiming above CLB 7 in your first official language. ## CLB 8 in French: NCLC 8 In French, CLB 8 is NCLC 8. On the TCF Canada it takes 503 listening, 499 reading, 12/20 speaking and writing; on the TEF Canada, 280 listening, 233 reading, 349 speaking and writing in the Equivalence ancien score column. NCLC 8 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 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 8: common questions ### What is CLB 8 in IELTS? CLB 8 on IELTS General Training is 7.5 in listening, 6.5 in reading, 6.5 in speaking and 6.5 in writing. Only the General Training option counts for Express Entry. ### What CELPIP score is CLB 8? A 8 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 8? PTE Core needs 71 to 81 in listening, 69 to 77 in reading, 76 to 83 in speaking and 79 to 87 in writing, the bottom of each range being the score that reaches CLB 8. PTE Academic is not accepted for Express Entry. ### What is CLB 8 in French? NCLC 8. On the TCF Canada that is 503 to 522 in listening, 499 to 523 in reading, 12 to 13 out of 20 in speaking and 12 to 13 out of 20 in writing; on the TEF Canada, 280 to 297 in listening, 233 to 247 in reading, 349 to 370 in speaking and 349 to 370 in writing. ### How many CRS points does CLB 8 give? 23 points per ability without a spouse and 22 with one, for your first official language: 92 or 88 across four abilities. ### Is CLB 8 enough for Express Entry? Yes, for every programme minimum IRCC publishes, all of which stop at CLB 7 or below. Above that, CLB 8 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).