PTE Core Score to CLB Conversion Chart
Pearson publishes an official table that converts each PTE Core communicative skill score, on the 10 to 90 scale, into a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level from 3 to 10. If you are using PTE Core for an economic immigration application such as Express Entry, this table is the reference point to start from, though IRCC's own website remains the authority on current requirements.
The CLB alignment table
The table below is reproduced from Pearson's PTE Core Test Taker Score Guide (page 9), which aligns your Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing scores separately, not your overall score, against CLB levels 3 through 10. Each of your four communicative skills gets its own CLB level, since your Listening score, for example, can land at a different CLB than your Writing score.
| CLB | Listening | Reading | Speaking | Writing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 89 to 90 | 88 to 90 | 89 to 90 | 90 |
| 9 | 82 to 88 | 78 to 87 | 84 to 88 | 88 to 89 |
| 8 | 71 to 81 | 69 to 77 | 76 to 83 | 79 to 87 |
| 7 | 60 to 70 | 60 to 68 | 68 to 75 | 69 to 78 |
| 6 | 50 to 59 | 51 to 59 | 59 to 67 | 60 to 68 |
| 5 | 39 to 49 | 42 to 50 | 51 to 58 | 51 to 59 |
| 4 | 28 to 38 | 33 to 41 | 42 to 50 | 41 to 50 |
| 3 | 18 to 27 | 24 to 32 | 34 to 41 | 32 to 40 |
Why CLB matters for Express Entry
Programs like Express Entry ask applicants to demonstrate their English ability, and IRCC uses the CLB scale to assess that ability consistently across different tests and applicants. PTE Core is Pearson's test built for migration purposes, and the alignment table above is how a 10 to 90 PTE Core score becomes a CLB level on your application. A higher CLB level generally supports a stronger application, which is why many test takers track their practice scores against this table long before test day.
How your Speaking and Writing tasks feed these scores
Your Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing scores are not each built from a single, separate task type. Several Speaking and Writing tasks are integrated skills tasks, meaning one response is scored into two communicative skills at once. Read Aloud and Answer Short Question each feed Speaking plus a second skill, and Summarize Written Text feeds both Reading and Writing. Practicing the Speaking and Writing section well can move more than one row of the table above at the same time, not just your Speaking and Writing scores in isolation.
What this table does not tell you
Pearson's own guide repeats, in two separate places, that this table is reviewed periodically and that IRCC's website is the authority on current requirements, not the Score Guide itself. It also does not state how IRCC combines your four separate skill scores, Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing, into a single result for your application. That detail is not published on this table, so do not assume any particular rule, such as an average or your lowest score, without checking IRCC's site directly. Always confirm current thresholds and how they are combined on the official IRCC results page before you rely on any number here.
Where Write Email fits in
Writing is one of the four skills this table covers, and Write Email is one of the two tasks that shapes your Writing score directly, alongside Summarize Written Text, which counts toward both Reading and Writing. If your Writing score is the one holding back your CLB level, the method and worked example in PTE Core Write Email is a fast place to start. For the full picture of every task feeding all four scores, see the complete Speaking and Writing guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the CLB?
The Canadian Language Benchmarks are a scale IRCC uses to describe English ability. The levels 3 to 10 shown above cover the range Pearson's table maps against PTE Core scores.
Is this table official?
It is reproduced from Pearson's PTE Core Test Taker Score Guide, an official Pearson document. It is not an IRCC document, and Pearson itself says to confirm current requirements on IRCC's website.
Does IRCC average my four skill scores or use my lowest one?
Pearson's Score Guide does not state this, and this guide does not either. Check IRCC's website for how your four scores are combined for your specific program before you plan around any assumption.
Can this table change?
Yes. Pearson states its alignment tables are reviewed periodically and may be updated, so always check for the current version before relying on it for an application.
Which score should I focus on improving first?
For efficient practice, prioritize whichever of your four scores currently converts to the lowest CLB level on the table, since it likely has the most room to grow. Check IRCC's website to understand how your scores affect your specific application requirements.
Put a number behind your target CLB
Knowing the table is one thing, hitting a score on it is another. Practice a real prompt in the Write Email question bank, or work through the complete Speaking and Writing guide to raise every score that feeds this table.