CELPIP

The CELPIP (Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program) is an English language test used for immigration and professional certification in Canada. It assesses a test taker’s ability to function in English in real-life situations.

CELPIP Exam Pattern

There are two types of CELPIP tests:

• CELPIP-General – Required for permanent residency (PR) and work permits in Canada.
• CELPIP-General LS (Listening & Speaking) – Required for Canadian citizenship applications.

1. CELPIP-General Exam Pattern

Total Duration: 3 hours (computer-based)

Section	Number of Questions	Time Duration
Listening	6 parts	47-55 minutes
Reading	4 parts	55-60 minutes
Writing	2 tasks	53-60 minutes
Speaking	8 tasks	15-20 minutes
Total Time	-	Approx. 3 hours

Listening Section (47-55 minutes)

• Practice Task
• Part 1: Listening to Problem Solving
• Part 2: Listening to a Daily Life Conversation
• Part 3: Listening for Information
• Part 4: Listening to a News Item
• Part 5: Listening to a Discussion
• Part 6: Listening to Viewpoints

Reading Section (55-60 minutes)

• Practice Task
• Part 1: Reading Correspondence
• Part 2: Reading to Apply a Diagram
• Part 3: Reading for Information
• Part 4: Reading for Viewpoints

Writing Section (53-60 minutes)

• Task 1: Writing an Email
• Task 2: Responding to Survey Questions

Speaking Section (15-20 minutes)

• Task 1: Giving Advice
• Task 2: Talking about a Personal Experience
• Task 3: Describing a Scene
• Task 4: Making Predictions
• Task 5: Comparing and Persuading
• Task 6: Dealing with a Difficult Situation
• Task 7: Expressing Opinions
• Task 8: Describing an Unusual Situation

2. CELPIP-General LS (Listening & Speaking) Exam Pattern

Total Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes

Sections: Only Listening and Speaking

Section	Number of Questions	Time Duration
Listening	6 parts	47-55 minutes
Speaking	8 tasks	15-20 minutes
Total Time	-	Approx. 1 hour 10 minutes

Marking System & Score Conversion

CELPIP scores range from 1 to 12, based on the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB).

CELPIP Score	CLB Level	Proficiency
12	CLB 12	Advanced
11	CLB 11	Advanced
10	CLB 10	Highly Effective
9	CLB 9	Effective
8	CLB 8	Good
7	CLB 7	Satisfactory
6	CLB 6	Developing
5	CLB 5	Basic
4	CLB 4	Limited
3	CLB 3	Minimal
M	Below CLB 3	Not Meeting Requirements

Validity of CELPIP Score

CELPIP results are valid for 2 years from the test date.

The results are available online within 4-5 calendar days after the test.

Important Information

CELPIP is a computer-based test only. There is no paper-based version of the exam.