International Exams · Entrance Exams

CELPIP Exam Pattern

Under three hours on one computer, and a level per component that is the Canadian benchmark itself.

Take a Free CELPIP MockCELPIP Syllabus

CELPIP · checked 19 September 2026

CELPIP at a glance, from the official notices

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 testCELPIP syllabusToday’s current affairs
19September 2026

Checked 19 September 2026

CELPIP: the facts that matter now

  1. 01

    Paragon Testing Enterprises, at official centres in Canada and more than 40 countries including India

    Administered by

  2. 02

    IRCC permanent residence and citizenship; Australian Department of Home Affairs visas; professional designation

    Used for

  3. 03

    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

  4. 04

    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

Pattern

CELPIP — How the paper is structured

The two tests.
TestComponentsTimeUsed forFee in Canada
CELPIP-GeneralListening, Reading, Writing, SpeakingUnder 2 hours 50 minutesIRCC permanent residence; Australian visas; professional bodies; some collegesC$299 plus taxes
CELPIP-General LSListening, SpeakingAbout 70 minutesIRCC citizenshipC$199 plus taxes
CELPIP levels and their equivalents, as Paragon publishes them.
CELPIP levelCLBCEFRDescriptor
1212C2Expert proficiency in high-stakes contexts
1111C1Advanced proficiency
1010C1Highly effective proficiency
99B2Effective proficiency
88B2Good proficiency in more demanding contexts
77B2Adequate proficiency in somewhat demanding contexts
66B1Developing proficiency
55B1Acquiring proficiency in everyday contexts
44A2Adequate for daily life
33A2Some proficiency in limited contexts
Australia’s bands
The Department of Home Affairs recognises CELPIP-General: Vocational English is 5 in each component; Competent 7 in each; Proficient 9 listening, 8 reading, 10 writing, 8 speaking; Superior 10, 10, 12 and 10. For a Student visa the department’s table lists CELPIP 7 as the standard minimum, 6 with ten weeks of ELICOS and 5 with twenty; the at-home CELPIP Online is not accepted for Australian visas.
Results
Available in the account in two to four business days, three to four for tests in India, with an email alert. The PDF report is the official document; hard copies were discontinued. Scores are viewable for two years and IRCC treats them as valid for two years from the report date.
Retakes and re-evaluation
There is no waiting period between attempts beyond centre availability. A re-evaluation of any component may be requested within six months, once per component, with the fee refunded if the level changes; results come in one to two weeks.

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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