CELPIP Listening Score Chart Correct answers → level → CLB
Enter how many of the 38 scored Listening questions you got right (in the official sample test, a practice test or your own estimate) and see the approximate CELPIP level, the CLB it equals, and how many more correct answers your target level needs.
30 of 38 correct in Listening ≈
level 8 or level 7
CLB 8 or CLB 7 · Adequate proficiency in somewhat demanding social, educational, or workplace contexts
The two official ranges overlap at 30: which level you receive depends on the difficulty of your test form (score equating). Count on the lower one when you plan.
- CRS first-language points for this ability17 without a spouse · 16 with
- IELTS General Training equivalent (IRCC table)6.0
- Express Entry minimum metCLB 7: Federal Skilled Worker and CEC TEER 0–1
For level 9 the official range starts at 33 correct (33–35): about 3 more correct answers than your 30.
Levels are approximate (official chart). The ability you can raise fastest is usually Writing: score a practice email or survey response free.
Official ranges only · No account · Free writing scorer on the same site
The official CELPIP Listening score chart
The test maker publishes one approximate chart for Listening. It is copied here exactly, lowest level first, with the CLB level each CELPIP level equals.
| Correct answers (of 38) | CELPIP Listening level | CLB | CEFR | Official descriptor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–7 | M | — | — | Minimal proficiency |
| 7–12 | 3 | CLB 3 | A2 | Some proficiency in limited contexts |
| 11–18 | 4 | CLB 4 | A2 | Adequate proficiency for daily life activities |
| 17–23 | 5 | CLB 5 | B1 | Acquiring proficiency in everyday social, educational, or workplace contexts |
| 22–28 | 6 | CLB 6 | B1 | Developing proficiency in everyday social, educational, or workplace contexts |
| 27–31 | 7 | CLB 7 | B2 | Adequate proficiency in somewhat demanding social, educational, or workplace contexts |
| 30–33 | 8 | CLB 8 | B2 | Good proficiency in more demanding social, educational, or workplace contexts |
| 33–35 | 9 | CLB 9 | B2 | Effective proficiency in some high-stakes social, educational, or workplace contexts |
| 35–38 | 10–12 | CLB 10–12 | C1–C2 | Highly effective to expert proficiency |
Official disclaimer: "This example chart shows how scores in the Listening Test approximately correspond to CELPIP Levels. Since questions may have different levels of difficulty and may therefore be equated differently, the raw score required for a certain level may vary slightly from one test to another." Source: CELPIP: Test Results, "Approximate Scores and CELPIP Levels" (celpip.ca), read 28 October 2026. CLB and CEFR columns: CELPIP: Test Format & Scoring (celpip.ca).
How the Listening test is built and scored
The Listening component takes 46–55 minutes and has six parts with 38 scored questions in total, as listed in the official guidebook. Each recording plays once; the questions follow it.
| Part | Scored questions | What you hear |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1: Listening to Problem Solving | 8 | A conversation in which someone has a problem and others suggest solutions, in three short sections. |
| Part 2: Listening to a Daily Life Conversation | 5 | A longer everyday conversation between two people. |
| Part 3: Listening for Information | 6 | One speaker giving information, for example an announcement or a description. |
| Part 4: Listening to a News Item | 5 | A short news report. |
| Part 5: Listening to a Discussion | 8 | A discussion among several people, shown as a video. |
| Part 6: Listening to Viewpoints | 6 | A longer piece presenting opinions on an issue. |
The scoring rules are the same as for Reading. The test may contain unscored questions used for test development, in the same format and anywhere in the test. Every item is multiple-choice or similar and scored by computer; a blank counts as incorrect, not as an extra penalty. The report shows a level, not a raw score, because scores are equated across test forms of slightly different difficulty, which is also why the official ranges overlap.
How many correct answers for each level
- Level 10 to 12 (CLB 10–12): 35–38 correct. Three misses at most for the top band.
- Level 9 (CLB 9): 33–35 correct. Needed, with the other three abilities, for the higher skill-transferability points in Express Entry.
- Level 8 (CLB 8): 30–33 correct.
- Level 7 (CLB 7): 27–31 correct. The usual Express Entry minimum (Federal Skilled Worker, CEC for TEER 0 and 1 jobs).
- Level 6 (CLB 6): 22–28 correct. Level 5 (CLB 5): 17–23 correct, the CEC minimum for TEER 2 and 3 jobs and the Federal Skilled Trades minimum for listening. Level 4 (CLB 4): 11–18 correct, the citizenship minimum for listening.
- Level 3: 7–12 correct. M: 0–7 correct.
Plan on the lower level where ranges overlap: aim for 36 correct in practice if you need a 9, and for 32 if you need a 7.
What your Listening level is worth for immigration
Listening is the ability with the widest range of official uses. Express Entry applies the same minimum as to the other abilities (CLB 7 for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the CEC with a TEER 0 or 1 job; CLB 5 for the CEC with a TEER 2 or 3 job), the Federal Skilled Trades Program asks for CLB 5 in listening and speaking specifically, and citizenship applicants aged 18 to 54 must show CLB 4 in listening and speaking. In the Comprehensive Ranking System, Listening earns its own first-official-language points:
| Listening CLB | CRS points without a spouse | With a spouse |
|---|---|---|
| CLB 10 or more | 34 | 32 |
| CLB 9 | 31 | 29 |
| CLB 8 | 23 | 22 |
| CLB 7 | 17 | 16 |
| CLB 6 | 9 | 8 |
| CLB 4 or 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Less than CLB 4 | 0 | 0 |
The CELPIP to CLB calculator combines the four abilities and checks each program's minimum at once.
How to move up a level in Listening
- Write while you listen. Questions appear only after the recording, so the names, numbers, places and the order of events must be on your notepad before they are needed.
- Part 1 comes in sections. The problem-solving conversation pauses for questions three times; answer each block from the section you just heard, not from memory of the whole.
- Parts 5 and 6 test positions, not facts. Note who says what and whether they agree; questions ask which speaker holds an opinion and why.
- Canadian everyday English. The recordings use the pace, accents and vocabulary of workplaces, shops and community life in Canada; podcasts and radio from CBC are the closest free practice.
- Never leave a blank. Guessing has no penalty; a blank is simply wrong.
If your Listening is already where it needs to be, the ability that usually responds fastest to practice is Writing: the free writing scorer rates the four official categories and explains every error, and the writing mock test runs Task 1 and Task 2 under the official clock.
Listening and the other three abilities
Program minimums apply to each ability separately. The Reading score chart covers the other computer-scored component (also 38 questions, with slightly different ranges), the CELPIP to CLB calculator puts all four together, and the writing scoring guide explains the rater-scored components.
Frequently asked questions
How many correct answers do I need for CELPIP Listening level 9?
About 33 to 35 correct out of 38 on the official approximate chart. The level-8 range runs to 33 and the level 10–12 range starts at 35, so 34 is the safest target for a 9 on any test form.
Why is the Listening chart stricter than the Reading chart?
Level 9 starts at 33 correct in Listening but 31 in Reading, and the top band starts at 35 against 33. The official ranges simply reflect how the two tests were calibrated; the same CLB rules apply to both.
Can I hear a recording twice?
No. Each recording in the Listening test plays once, and the questions appear after it, so note-taking during the recording is part of the skill being tested.
Does the Listening test have unscored questions?
Yes. The official guidebook says the Listening and Reading tests may contain unscored content used for test development, anywhere in the test and in the same format as scored items, so every part deserves full effort.
What Listening level do I need for citizenship?
CLB 4 in listening and speaking for applicants aged 18 to 54, which is CELPIP level 4 (about 11–18 correct). CELPIP-General and CELPIP-General LS results both serve.
Is a Listening re-evaluation worth it?
Rarely. The test maker says re-evaluating Listening or Reading is unlikely to change the score because those components are computer-rated; re-evaluation is more relevant for Writing and Speaking.