Canadian Language Benchmarks
CLB
The Canadian standard for measuring English language proficiency for immigration and settlement purposes.
What is CLB?
Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) is Canada's national standard for describing, measuring, and recognizing English language proficiency for adults. It uses a scale from 1 to 12 across four skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. For French, the equivalent standard is called NCLC (Niveaux de competence linguistique canadiens).
Why It Matters for Newcomers
Most immigration programs set minimum CLB requirements. Express Entry programs require different CLB levels depending on the stream: FSW requires CLB 7, CEC requires CLB 5 or 7 depending on TEER level, and FST requires CLB 4-5. Higher CLB scores also earn more CRS points.
How CLB Relates to Language Tests
CLB is not a test itself but a benchmark scale. Approved language tests like IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General, and PTE Core map their scores to CLB levels. For example, an IELTS band score of 6.0 in each ability corresponds to CLB 7.
Quick Tip
Improving your CLB from 7 to 9 in all four abilities can add a significant number of CRS points. If your score is close to the next CLB level, consider additional language preparation and retaking the test. Even one point improvement in one skill can matter.