--- title: "CLB 9 scores: IELTS, CELPIP, PTE Core, TCF and TEF Canada" description: "CLB 9 on IELTS (L 8.0, R 7.0, S 7.0, W 7.0), CELPIP, PTE Core, TCF Canada and TEF Canada, and the 31 CRS points per ability it earns." canonical: https://francaisprep.com/clb/9 last-updated: 2026-10-14 --- [CLB levels](/tools/clb-calculator) # CLB 9: the score you need on every accepted test CLB 9 is level 9 of the Canadian Language Benchmarks, written NCLC 9 for French. It takes 8.0 listening, 7.0 in the other three on IELTS General Training, 9 in every ability on CELPIP-General and L 82, R 78, S 84, W 88 on PTE Core; in French, L 523, R 524, S 14/20, W 14/20 on the TCF Canada and L 298, R 248, S 371, W 371 on the TEF Canada. Updated 14 October 2026 | Test | Listening | Reading | Speaking | Writing | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | IELTS General Training | 8.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | | CELPIP-General | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | | PTE Core | 82 to 88 | 78 to 87 | 84 to 88 | 88 to 89 | | TCF Canada | 523 to 548 | 524 to 548 | 14 to 15 | 14 to 15 | | TEF Canada | 298 to 315 | 248 to 262 | 371 to 392 | 371 to 392 | | Level | Per ability, single | Per ability, with spouse | All four, single | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | CLB 8 | 23 | 22 | 92 | | 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 9 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 9 is the level English speakers write as CLB 9. IRCC reports French test results in NCLC. IRCC's equivalency charts run from CLB 4 to CLB 10, so CLB 9 is 5 levels above the bottom of the published range and 1 below the top. Each ability is converted on its own: a requirement of CLB 9 is met only when every ability it names reaches the level, however strong the others are. ## CLB 9 on each accepted test IELTS General Training: 8.0 in listening, 7.0 in reading, 7.0 in speaking and 7.0 in writing. CELPIP-General: 9 in listening, 9 in reading, 9 in speaking and 9 in writing. PTE Core: 82 to 88 in listening, 78 to 87 in reading, 84 to 88 in speaking and 88 to 89 in writing. TCF Canada: 523 to 548 in listening, 524 to 548 in reading, 14 to 15 out of 20 in speaking and 14 to 15 out of 20 in writing. TEF Canada: 298 to 315 in listening, 248 to 262 in reading, 371 to 392 in speaking and 371 to 392 in writing. ## CRS points at CLB 9 Express Entry scores each ability separately. At CLB 9 in your first official language that is 31 points per ability for a single applicant and 29 for one with a spouse or common-law partner, so 124 or 116 when all four abilities sit at CLB 9. CLB 10 is worth 3 more points per ability without a spouse and 3 with one. One level lower, CLB 8 pays 23 per ability, 8 fewer than CLB 9. ## What CLB 9 buys above the programme minimums Every programme minimum IRCC publishes is already met at CLB 7, so CLB 9 adds no new eligibility. What it buys is points: 124 first-language points across four abilities without a spouse, against 68 at CLB 7. That gap of 56 points is the whole case for aiming above CLB 7 in your first official language. ## CLB 9 in French: NCLC 9 In French, CLB 9 is NCLC 9. On the TCF Canada it takes 523 listening, 524 reading, 14/20 speaking and writing; on the TEF Canada, 298 listening, 248 reading, 371 speaking and writing in the Equivalence ancien score column. NCLC 9 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 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 9: common questions ### What is CLB 9 in IELTS? CLB 9 on IELTS General Training is 8.0 in listening, 7.0 in reading, 7.0 in speaking and 7.0 in writing. Only the General Training option counts for Express Entry. ### What CELPIP score is CLB 9? A 9 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 9? PTE Core needs 82 to 88 in listening, 78 to 87 in reading, 84 to 88 in speaking and 88 to 89 in writing, the bottom of each range being the score that reaches CLB 9. PTE Academic is not accepted for Express Entry. ### What is CLB 9 in French? NCLC 9. On the TCF Canada that is 523 to 548 in listening, 524 to 548 in reading, 14 to 15 out of 20 in speaking and 14 to 15 out of 20 in writing; on the TEF Canada, 298 to 315 in listening, 248 to 262 in reading, 371 to 392 in speaking and 371 to 392 in writing. ### How many CRS points does CLB 9 give? 31 points per ability without a spouse and 29 with one, for your first official language: 124 or 116 across four abilities. ### Is CLB 9 enough for Express Entry? Yes, for every programme minimum IRCC publishes, all of which stop at CLB 7 or below. Above that, CLB 9 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).