Canada is Now Accepting the PTE Core Test for Immigration

According to the recent update from IRCC (Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada), the Pearson Test of English (PTE Core) language test by Pearson Canada Inc. is now considered valid for Canadian immigration starting January 30, 2024.

In addition to this, IRCC will now also accept digital copies of the language test results.

Understanding PTE Core for Canadian Immigration & Study Permits

Note: The Pearson Test of English is not accepted for the Canadian Study Visa or Permit through the Student Direct Stream (SDS). Some people may confuse this with the PTE Academic test, which is indeed valid for SDS study permits or visas. However, it’s important to understand that PTE Core is specifically designed for permanent residency and economic immigration programs.

As of August 10, 2023, PTE Academic continues to be a valid option for SDS study visas and permits, along with three other newly introduced English proficiency examinations.

Economic immigration programs cover various categories such as Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), Caregivers, Agri-Food Pilots, Rural and Northern Immigration Pilots (RNIP), Economic Mobility Pathways Project (EMPP), Atlantic Immigration Program, Quebec Skilled Workers, and Business Class.

PTE Core Language Test Levels for Canadian Immigration

To determine English proficiency for immigration to Canada, the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) levels are employed. Here are the official CLB levels for the PTE Core Language Test, as provided by IRCC:

CLB Level	Reading	Writing	Listening	Speaking
10	88-90	90	89-90	89-90
9	78-87	88-89	82-88	84-88
8	69-77	79-87	71-81	76-83
7	60-68	69-78	60-70	68-75
6	51-59	60-68	50-59	59-67
5	42-50	51-59	39-49	51-58
4	33-41	41-50	28-38	42-50
3	24-32	32-40	18-27	34-41

These PTE Core CLB levels are used to assess language proficiency for Canadian immigration purposes.

The authenticity of test results will be confirmed through Pearson’s online Score Report Website (SRW).

Express Entry Language Requirements for PTE Core

To qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) in Express Entry, you need a CLB 7 proficiency level in all abilities. To be eligible for FSWP, each module of the IELTS exam should achieve a score of six bands.

Express Entry FSWP PTE Core Requirements:

• Reading: 60–68
• Writing: 69–78
• Listening: 60–70
• Speaking: 68–75

Equivalent PTE Core Scores for IELTS “8 triple 7” Benchmark:

• Listening: 82–88
• Writing: 88–89
• Reading: 78–87
• Speaking: 84–88

Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) Language Requirement:

CLB 5 proficiency level is necessary within Express Entry.

Hence, the anticipated PTE equivalent score for CLB level 5 is 42–50 in reading, 51–59 in writing, 39–49 in listening, and 51–58 in speaking.

CLB Level	PTE Scores (Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking)	IELTS Scores (Each Module)
7 (TEER 0 or TEER 1 jobs)	60–68, 69–78, 60–70, 68–75	6 in each module
5 (TEER 2 or TEER 3 jobs)	42–50, 51–59, 39–49, 51–58	4 in reading, 5 each in other modules

This table provides a comparison of PTE Core and IELTS scores for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) eligibility based on CLB levels.

Approved English Language Tests for Canadian Immigration

For Canadian immigration, the approved English language competency tests are:

1. IELTS (International English Language Testing System) General Training
2. CELPIP (Canadian English Language Competency Index Program) General Test
3. Pearson Test of English (PTE Core) language test from Pearson Canada Inc.