IRCC accepts PTE Core, alongside CELPIP-General and IELTS General Training, as proof of English ability for Express Entry programmes. Information here is current as of 2026-09-26; IRCC's own pages, linked in our sources, are the definitive record. IRCC does not judge a PTE Core score directly; it converts each of your four skill scores into a Canadian Language Benchmark using its own published table, then checks that CLB against the programme's own minimum. The table above shows the current per-skill minimums by programme; this page explains how the benchmark system works and which programme applies to you.
Express Entry programmes
Programme
CLB required
PTE Core minimums
Federal Skilled Worker (first official language)
CLB 7 (all skills)
L 60 · R 60 · W 69 · S 68
Canadian Experience Class, TEER 0 or 1
CLB 7 (all skills)
L 60 · R 60 · W 69 · S 68
Canadian Experience Class, TEER 2 or 3
CLB 5 (all skills)
L 39 · R 42 · W 51 · S 51
Federal Skilled Trades
L 5 · R 4 · W 4 · S 5
L 39 · R 33 · W 41 · S 51
Accepted English tests for Express Entry: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training, PTE Core. pteCoreMinimums are the lower bounds of the IRCC CLB ranges.
Canadian programmes are judged in CLB, not raw PTE score
Every Express Entry programme states its language requirement as a Canadian Language Benchmark, not as a PTE score. IRCC's own conversion table turns each PTE Core skill score into a CLB level, and it is that CLB level, not the underlying PTE number, that is checked against a programme's requirement.
This is different from Australia, New Zealand and the UK's PTE Academic requirements on this hub, which are stated directly as PTE scores. Use the PTE Core to CLB calculator to convert your own scores into CLB before comparing them against the programme minimums on this page.
CLB 7 in every skill: Federal Skilled Worker and CEC (TEER 0-1)
The Federal Skilled Worker Program requires CLB 7 in each of Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking for your first official language. The Canadian Experience Class sets the same CLB 7 floor in every skill when your qualifying work experience falls under TEER 0 or TEER 1 occupations.
Because the requirement applies per skill, meeting CLB 7 on three skills and CLB 6 on the fourth does not meet the requirement; all four skills need to clear CLB 7 independently.
Lower thresholds for other Express Entry streams
The Canadian Experience Class sets a lower floor of CLB 5 in every skill when your qualifying work experience falls under TEER 2 or TEER 3 occupations, rather than the CLB 7 floor used for TEER 0 or TEER 1 experience.
The Federal Skilled Trades Program sets the lowest bar on this page: CLB 5 for Speaking and Listening, and CLB 4 for Reading and Writing. Check which programme and TEER category your intended occupation falls under before assuming the CLB 7 floor applies to you.
Minimum PTE Core scores behind each CLB floor
Because the requirement is set in CLB, the PTE Core score you need is the lowest score in IRCC's range for that CLB. For CLB 7 that means at least 60 in Listening, 60 in Reading, 68 in Speaking and 69 in Writing; for CLB 5, at least 39, 42, 51 and 51. The Federal Skilled Trades Program's CLB 4 in Reading and Writing starts at 33 and 41.
Our PTE Core to CLB calculator also checks CLB 9, which is not the minimum for any of the programmes on this page; it is shown as a higher reference point. In IRCC's table, CLB 9 starts at 82 in Listening, 78 in Reading, 84 in Speaking and 88 in Writing.
How old your PTE Core result can be
IRCC requires your PTE Core result to be less than two years old both when you complete your Express Entry profile and when you submit your permanent residence application. Both checkpoints matter, since a result that was valid when you created your profile can expire before you are invited to apply.
IRCC's Express Entry and Post-Graduation Work Permit pages both list the same CLB conversion table, and both are linked in our sources with the date we last checked them.
No. CLB 7 in every skill applies to the Federal Skilled Worker Program and to the Canadian Experience Class for TEER 0 or 1 occupations. Other streams, including CEC for TEER 2-3 occupations and the Federal Skilled Trades Program, set lower floors.
IRCC publishes a fixed conversion table mapping each PTE Core skill score to a Canadian Language Benchmark level. Our PTE Core to CLB calculator applies the same table to your four scores.
IRCC's accepted English tests for Express Entry are CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core specifically, not PTE Academic. Check the IRCC page linked in our sources for the current list of accepted tests.
In IRCC's table, CLB 7 starts at 60 in Listening, 60 in Reading, 68 in Speaking and 69 in Writing. You need to reach each of those in the matching skill to meet CLB 7 in every skill.
IRCC requires a result under two years old both when you complete your Express Entry profile and again when you submit your permanent residence application.
