CELPIP Reading Score Chart Correct answers → level → CLB
Enter how many of the 38 scored Reading 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.
28 of 38 correct in Reading ≈
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 28: 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 31 correct (31–33): about 3 more correct answers than your 28.
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 Reading score chart
The test maker publishes one approximate chart that turns correct answers into levels. It is copied here exactly, lowest level first, with the CLB level each CELPIP level equals.
| Correct answers (of 38) | CELPIP Reading level | CLB | CEFR | Official descriptor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–7 | M | — | — | Minimal proficiency |
| 8–11 | 3 | CLB 3 | A2 | Some proficiency in limited contexts |
| 10–16 | 4 | CLB 4 | A2 | Adequate proficiency for daily life activities |
| 15–20 | 5 | CLB 5 | B1 | Acquiring proficiency in everyday social, educational, or workplace contexts |
| 19–25 | 6 | CLB 6 | B1 | Developing proficiency in everyday social, educational, or workplace contexts |
| 24–28 | 7 | CLB 7 | B2 | Adequate proficiency in somewhat demanding social, educational, or workplace contexts |
| 28–31 | 8 | CLB 8 | B2 | Good proficiency in more demanding social, educational, or workplace contexts |
| 31–33 | 9 | CLB 9 | B2 | Effective proficiency in some high-stakes social, educational, or workplace contexts |
| 33–38 | 10–12 | CLB 10–12 | C1–C2 | Highly effective to expert proficiency |
Official disclaimer: "This example chart shows how scores in the Reading 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 Reading test is built and scored
The Reading component takes 43–56 minutes and has four parts with 38 scored questions in total, as listed in the official guidebook:
| Part | Scored questions | What it asks |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1: Reading Correspondence | 11 | An everyday email or letter, then questions on its details and a short reply with gaps to complete. |
| Part 2: Reading to Apply a Diagram | 8 | A diagram, schedule or plan with a message about it; you match the information to the picture. |
| Part 3: Reading for Information | 9 | An informational text in several paragraphs; you decide which paragraph contains each statement. |
| Part 4: Reading for Viewpoints | 10 | A text with two or more opinions on an issue, then a reader's comment to complete. |
Three official rules matter for your score. First, the test may also contain unscored questions used for test development; they look exactly like scored ones and can appear anywhere, so there is no way to skip them safely. Second, every question is multiple-choice or similar and scored by computer; a blank counts as incorrect, never as a penalty. Third, your report shows a level, not a raw score: because different test forms vary slightly in difficulty, the raw score is equated before a level is assigned. That is why the chart above is approximate and why its ranges overlap by one or two questions.
How many correct answers for each level
- Level 10 to 12 (CLB 10–12): 33–38 correct. You can miss up to five questions and still reach the top band on most forms.
- Level 9 (CLB 9): 31–33 correct. The threshold for the higher Express Entry skill-transferability points when the other three abilities are also at 9.
- Level 8 (CLB 8): 28–31 correct.
- Level 7 (CLB 7): 24–28 correct. The usual Express Entry minimum (Federal Skilled Worker, CEC for TEER 0 and 1 jobs).
- Level 6 (CLB 6): 19–25 correct. Level 5 (CLB 5): 15–20 correct, the CEC minimum for TEER 2 and 3 jobs. Level 4 (CLB 4): 10–16 correct, the Federal Skilled Trades minimum for reading.
- Level 3: 8–11 correct. M: 0–7 correct.
Where two ranges overlap, plan on the lower level. If you need level 9, aim for 34 correct in practice; if you need level 7, aim for 29.
What your Reading level is worth for immigration
CELPIP levels equal CLB levels, and IRCC's Express Entry rules apply the same minimum to Reading as to the other abilities: CLB 7 for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and for the Canadian Experience Class with a TEER 0 or 1 job, CLB 5 for the CEC with a TEER 2 or 3 job, and CLB 4 for Reading in the Federal Skilled Trades Program. In the Comprehensive Ranking System, Reading earns first-official-language points on its own:
| Reading 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 adds the four abilities together and checks each program's minimum. Citizenship applications do not test reading at all: only speaking and listening at CLB 4.
How to move up a level in Reading
One level is two to four questions. The parts where test takers lose them are predictable:
- Part 1, correspondence: the questions test what the writer implies, not only what is written. Read the whole message once before answering, and treat the reply-with-gaps as a second text that must stay consistent with the first.
- Part 2, diagram: most errors come from matching a detail to the wrong place in the picture. Locate the row, column or label first, then check the message.
- Part 3, information: each statement belongs to exactly one paragraph, or to none ("not given"). Statements are paraphrased, so look for the idea, not the words.
- Part 4, viewpoints: keep track of who holds which opinion; the final comment usually has to agree with one side and refer to a specific argument.
- Time: 43–56 minutes for 38 questions plus any unscored items leaves roughly a minute per question. Answer every question; return to doubtful ones only if time remains.
Reading levels rise with reading volume more than with tricks: Canadian news sites, workplace emails and community notices are the register the test uses. If your Reading is already at your target, the ability that usually moves fastest with practice is Writing: the free writing scorer rates the four official categories and explains every error, and the writing mock test runs both tasks under the official clock.
Reading and the other three abilities
Program minimums apply to each ability, so a strong Reading level cannot compensate for a weak one elsewhere. Use the Listening score chart for the other computer-scored component (also 38 questions, with its own official ranges), the CELPIP to CLB calculator for all four abilities together, and the writing scoring guide for how the rater-scored components work.
Frequently asked questions
How many correct answers do I need for CELPIP Reading level 9?
About 31 to 33 correct out of 38, according to the official approximate chart. Because the ranges overlap, 31 to 33 can also fall into level 8 on a harder test form; 34 or more is level 10 or above on every form.
What is a good CELPIP Reading score?
For Express Entry, level 7 (CLB 7, about 24–28 correct) is the usual minimum and level 9 (CLB 9, about 31–33 correct) is where the higher CRS and skill-transferability points start. Level 10 or above (33–38 correct) gives the maximum language points.
Why does the chart show overlapping ranges?
Because the test maker equates scores across test forms: the same number of correct answers can be a different level on an easier or harder form. The official chart is labelled approximate for that reason, and this page copies it as published.
Does the Reading test have unscored questions?
Yes. The official guidebook says the Listening and Reading tests may contain unscored content used for test development, placed anywhere in the test and indistinguishable from scored items, so you should answer everything with full effort.
Is a blank answer penalised?
A blank is scored as incorrect, not as a penalty beyond that. All Reading questions are multiple-choice or similar and scored by computer, so always choose an answer before time runs out.
Can I get my Reading score re-evaluated?
You can request a re-evaluation within six months, but the test maker says it is unlikely to change a Reading or Listening score because those components are computer-rated.