CELPIP for Canadian Citizenship: CLB 4 and the LS Test

If you are 18 to 54, you need CLB 4 in Speaking and Listening to become a Canadian citizen, which on CELPIP is a 4 in each. Reading and Writing do not count. Take CELPIP-General LS or the full CELPIP-General. Already sent CELPIP results with your PR application? IRCC accepts them, even if they have expired.

Practise the only two sections citizenship checks. CELPIP Listening practice and CELPIP Speaking practice run on the real timers. Sign up free and you can take the first practice set in every part, with AI feedback on your first Speaking answers.

What CELPIP Score Do You Need for Citizenship?

A 4 in Speaking and a 4 in Listening. IRCC's citizenship language page asks applicants aged 18 to 54 for proof that they can speak and listen at Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) level 4 or higher, in English or French. From level 3 up, your CELPIP level is your CLB level, so a CELPIP 4 is a CLB 4.

You need both. A 9 in Listening does not make up for a 3 in Speaking. And a higher score earns you nothing extra: citizenship is a pass or fail on this point, so a 4 does exactly the same job as a 12. If you want to know what each level means, our guide to what each CELPIP level means walks through levels 0 to 12.

Do You Need a New English Test for Citizenship?

Maybe not. Before you book anything, check whether you already hold proof IRCC accepts. The government's own checker asks these questions in this order:

1. Did you study in English or French? A diploma, transcript or certificate from a secondary or post-secondary program taught in English or French counts, whether you studied in Canada or abroad.
2. Did you send language test results with your PR application? If they show a 4 or higher in Speaking and Listening, include a copy with your citizenship application, even if they have expired.
3. Did you finish LINC (or CLIC) training at CLB 4 or higher in speaking and listening? That counts too.
4. Did you finish certain provincial language programs in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario or Quebec? Some of them count.

Only if the answer to all four is no do you need to take a test now. You can run the same checks yourself in IRCC's language proof tool.

Which English Tests Does IRCC Accept for Citizenship?

Four English tests, each with its own minimum, from IRCC's list of accepted tests:

IELTS Academic is not accepted. IRCC says it only accepts IELTS General Training for citizenship. If you prefer French, IRCC accepts TEF, TCF, DELF and DALF results instead.

CELPIP is the one built in Canada, with Canadian accents and everyday Canadian situations, and it is the only English test on the list with a two-skill version made for this exact purpose.

Which CELPIP Test Should You Take for Citizenship?

Both are accepted. The difference is cost, time and what else the result can do for you.

Sources: celpip.ca test overview for skills and timing; the CELPIP booking list for fees.

If citizenship is the only reason you are testing, take LS. It is $100 cheaper and almost two hours shorter, and it tests the only two skills IRCC will look at. Take the full General test only if you will also need a result for something else soon, such as a work permit or a PR application, because an LS result cannot be used for those. Our page on CELPIP General vs LS covers the choice in full.

To book, use the CELPIP test date finder on celpip.ca and choose CELPIP-General LS as the test type to see sessions near you.

Who Is Exempt from the Language Requirement?

Anyone under 18 or aged 55 and over on the day they sign their application. IRCC's application guide CIT 0002 says applicants younger than 18 or 55 and older are not required to provide language evidence. The same age range applies to the citizenship knowledge test about Canada, which is a separate requirement from the language test.

If you are 18 to 54, you need proof unless IRCC approves a waiver request, which is for people whose situation prevents them from proving their language skills. For almost everyone, that means planning your proof before you apply.

CELPIP for Citizenship vs Express Entry: Key Differences

People mix these up because both use CELPIP. The bar is very different.

Federal Skilled Worker minimums are on IRCC's Express Entry language test page. For every immigration program's minimum and how CELPIP converts to CRS points, see our guide to CELPIP scores for Canadian immigration.

Thinking past citizenship to permanent residence? The CLB calculator shows whether your scores clear the Express Entry minimums, and the CRS calculator adds up your full score.

Can You Reuse Your Immigration CELPIP Score for Citizenship?

Yes, and expiry does not matter. Guide CIT 0002 says that if you completed the test in the past for immigration or citizenship purposes, IRCC will accept the previous results even if they have expired. So if you sent CELPIP-General results with your PR application and they show at least 4 in Speaking and Listening, you already have your proof.

To check, log in to your CELPIP account on celpip.ca, open your old score report, and look at the Speaking and Listening levels. If you got PR through Express Entry, they are almost certainly 4 or higher already.

If your old scores are below 4 in either skill, or you never sent test results to IRCC, you need new proof. CELPIP-General LS is the cheaper way to get it.

How to Submit CELPIP Scores for Citizenship

Include a clear copy of your CELPIP score report with your citizenship application. Guide CIT 0002 asks for a clear and legible copy, in English or French. Your CELPIP score report is issued in English, so it needs no translation.

Before you send it, check three things on the report: your name matches your application, the test is CELPIP-General or CELPIP-General LS, and both Speaking and Listening show 4 or higher. IRCC returns applications when the language proof is missing or cannot be read, so check that your copy is sharp before you upload it.

How to Prepare for CELPIP LS

Most people who use English at work or in daily life can reach a 4. The usual way to miss it is not weak English. It is being surprised by the format: freezing on a timed Speaking task, or losing the thread of a long Listening passage because you were not ready for it.

So practise the format, not just the language:

• Listening: work through the six Listening parts until you know what each one asks, then do timed sets on CELPIP Listening practice. Our CELPIP Listening tips cover each part.
• Speaking: record answers to all eight Speaking tasks on CELPIP Speaking practice and read the AI feedback. Aim to keep talking for the whole response time. Our CELPIP Speaking tips show how.
• Official practice: Paragon, the maker of CELPIP, publishes free CELPIP-General LS practice tests. Search for it on celpip.ca.

Give yourself two or three weeks of short, regular practice rather than one long night before the test.

The Citizenship Application Checklist (Language Part)

• You are 18 to 54 on the day you sign your application (if not, you do not need language proof)
• You have one accepted proof: education in English or French, your old PR test results, LINC or CLIC at CLB 4, a provincial program, or a new test result
• If it is a CELPIP result: CELPIP-General or CELPIP-General LS, with 4 or higher in both Speaking and Listening
• You have a clear, readable copy of it to include with your application