International Exams · Entrance Exams

CELPIP

CELPIP is the Canadian English test used for permanent residence and immigration applications to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, for Canadian citizenship, for some Australian visas, and by professional bodies. It is a general English test — everyday workplace and social situations rather than academic passages — delivered entirely on computer in a single sitting of under three hours, with no separate speaking appointment.

There are two versions. CELPIP-General tests listening, reading, writing and speaking and is the one used for permanent residence and most other purposes; CELPIP-General LS tests listening and speaking only, in about 70 minutes, and is the IRCC-approved test for citizenship. Each component receives a CELPIP level from 1 to 12 that maps directly onto the Canadian Language Benchmarks, which is why the test is the natural choice for candidates whose target is a CLB score rather than a university admission.

Take a Free CELPIP Mock CELPIP Syllabus

CELPIP · checked 19 September 2026

The dates, vacancies and rules below are read on the conducting body’s own site and rewritten as each notice appears. The guide beneath carries the full pattern, syllabus, cut-offs and free mock tests.

Free CELPIP mock test CELPIP syllabus Today’s current affairs

19September 2026

Checked 19 September 2026

CELPIP: the facts that matter now

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Paragon Testing Enterprises, at official centres in Canada and more than 40 countries including India
Administered by
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IRCC permanent residence and citizenship; Australian Department of Home Affairs visas; professional designation
Used for
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CELPIP-General: Listening 46–55 min, Reading 43–56, Writing 53, Speaking 15, in one sitting; General LS: Listening and Speaking, about 70 minutes
Format
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A CELPIP level of 1–12 per component, aligned one-to-one with CLB levels; 10–12 map to CEFR C1–C2, 7–9 to B2
Scoring

Overview

What CELPIP is, and who it suits

Listening has six parts — problem solving, a daily-life conversation, information, a news item, a discussion and viewpoints — with 38 questions across them. Reading has four — correspondence, applying a diagram, information and viewpoints — with 38 questions. Writing asks for an email and a response to survey questions in 53 minutes, with a word counter and spell-check on screen. Speaking presents eight tasks in 15 minutes: giving advice, a personal experience, describing a scene, predictions, comparing and persuading, a difficult situation, opinions and an unusual situation, each answered into a microphone after a short preparation time.

Listening and reading are computer-rated; writing and speaking are rated by trained human raters against published performance standards — content and coherence, vocabulary, listenability or readability, and task fulfilment. Each component receives a CELPIP level, and the levels are calibrated to the Canadian Language Benchmarks so that CELPIP 9 is CLB 9; IRCC programmes state their requirements in CLB, and Australia’s Department of Home Affairs publishes its own bands — Competent English needs 7 in each component, Proficient 9, 8, 10 and 8, Superior 10, 10, 12 and 10.

What makes CELPIP distinctive

Everyday Canadian English — workplace emails, community notices and newscasts rather than academic lectures; the vocabulary is familiar and the pace of speech natural.
One sitting, all on computer — speaking is recorded at the desk, which suits candidates who dislike a face-to-face interview and challenges those who rely on an examiner’s reactions.
Direct CLB alignment — no conversion tables; the level is the benchmark.
Fast results and a PDF report — two to four business days, downloaded from the account, accepted by IRCC as the official report.

Not a test for university admission

CELPIP is accepted by some Canadian colleges and vocational programmes, but universities in Canada and elsewhere overwhelmingly ask for IELTS, TOEFL, PTE Academic or the Duolingo English Test. Take CELPIP when the requirement is stated in CLB — Express Entry, provincial nomination, citizenship, a regulator — and check the institution first if the purpose is study.

Selection process

How CELPIP selection works

Each stage in order, and what it actually tests.

Stages change between cycles. Confirm the structure in the notification for the cycle you are sitting.
Stage	Format	What it involves
Register online	CELPIP account; C$299 plus taxes for General in Canada, priced per country elsewhere	Registration is online only; test centres do not take bookings. A valid passport or other accepted ID is required, and the same document is presented on the day. In India the test is offered at centres in more than thirty cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Chandigarh, Jalandhar and Kochi, with dates on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Listening and Reading	46–55 and 43–56 minutes; 38 questions each; computer-rated	Recordings play once and the answer choices must be read on screen. Both components may contain unscored trial items that look like the rest, so every question is attempted.
Writing and Speaking	53 and 15 minutes; human-rated	Writing: an email of 150 to 200 words and a survey response of the same length, with a word counter and spell-check. Speaking: eight tasks with 30 to 60 seconds of preparation and 60 to 90 seconds to answer, recorded into a headset at the same desk. Raters score content, vocabulary, listenability or readability and task fulfilment.
Results	2–4 business days; online; valid two years	An email announces the result; the Official Score Report is downloaded as a PDF and submitted to IRCC or another organisation by the candidate. Scores stay visible in the account for two years. A re-evaluation of writing or speaking can be requested within six months for a fee refunded if the level changes; listening and reading, being computer-rated, rarely change.

Exam resources

Everything for CELPIP

Six resource pages, each kept in step with the latest official notification.

CELPIP SyllabusCELPIP syllabus — the six listening parts, four reading parts, two writing tasks and eight speaking tasks, with question counts and timings.CELPIP Exam PatternCELPIP exam pattern — General versus General LS, the single computer sitting, CELPIP levels against CLB, CEFR and Australia’s bands, results and re-evaluation.CELPIP Previous PapersCELPIP practice material — the free official sample test, Paragon’s paid practice tests and study packages, and why third-party material is a poor mirror.CELPIP Mock TestsCELPIP mock tests — full single sittings with a headset, timed component by component, and scored against the level you need.CELPIP PreparationCELPIP preparation — choosing it over IELTS General Training, the everyday-English register, speaking to a microphone, and the timeline to a result.CELPIP Study MaterialCELPIP study material — Paragon’s free and paid resources, and everyday English sources for the registers the test uses.

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Questions

CELPIP — FAQs

What is the difference between CELPIP-General and CELPIP-General LS?

CELPIP-General tests listening, reading, writing and speaking in a single sitting of under three hours and is used for permanent residence, Australian visas, professional designation and some colleges. CELPIP-General LS tests listening and speaking only in about 70 minutes and is the IRCC-approved test for Canadian citizenship.

How is CELPIP scored?

Each component receives a CELPIP level from 1 to 12, with 10 and above mapping to CEFR C1 and C2 and 7 to 9 to B2. The levels are calibrated one-to-one with the Canadian Language Benchmarks, so a CELPIP 9 is a CLB 9. Listening and reading are computer-rated; writing and speaking are scored by trained raters against published performance standards.

How soon do CELPIP results come and how long are they valid?

Scores are posted to the CELPIP account in two to four business days — three to four for tests taken in India — with an email alert, and the Official Score Report is downloaded as a PDF. Results can be viewed for two years from the test date, which is also the validity IRCC applies.

Where is CELPIP held in India and what does it cost?

At official centres in more than thirty Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Kochi and Ahmedabad, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The fee is set per country and shown at registration; in Canada it is C$299 plus taxes for General and C$199 for LS.

Is CELPIP accepted for Australian visas and for study?

The Department of Home Affairs accepts CELPIP-General for visas, with bands from Vocational at 5 in each component to Superior at 10, 10, 12 and 10, and lists CELPIP 7 as the standard Student visa minimum; the at-home version is not accepted. For university admission most institutions ask for IELTS, TOEFL, PTE Academic or the Duolingo English Test instead.

Can I get a CELPIP score re-evaluated?

Yes, within six months of the test date, once per component, for a fee that is refunded if the level changes; the outcome takes one to two weeks. Paragon notes that re-evaluating listening or reading is unlikely to change anything because those components are computer-rated.

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