What IELTS score do you need for Canadian citizenship?

You can skip the test if you completed or are attending a secondary or post-secondary program in English or French, in or outside Canada. Send a diploma, transcript or certificate; if it is not in English or French, add a certified translation that shows the language of instruction (IRCC).

LINC or CLIC training at CLB 4 or higher in speaking and listening also counts: send the certificate for training on or after 1 November 2012, or tick the box for training between January 2008 and October 2012 (IRCC). Some provincial language programs in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec can also be used (IRCC). IRCC also accepts the CELPIP-General LS (listening and speaking) test for citizenship only (IRCC).

IRCC returns the whole application if your language proof cannot be read, is missing, or is not in English or French without a certified translation.

Immigration rules change, sometimes at short notice. Confirm the current requirement on the IRCC citizenship language proof page before you book a test or apply. This guide is general information, not legal or immigration advice.

For Express Entry, IRCC tests all four abilities (CLB 7 for the Federal Skilled Worker Program), and the result must be less than two years old (IRCC). For citizenship, only speaking and listening are assessed, the level is CLB 4, and an expired result is accepted. If your old permanent-residence test meets the listening and speaking scores above, you can send a copy of it. See our Express Entry guide for the immigration tables.