Both CELPIP-General and IELTS-General Training are accepted by IRCC for Canadian PR, Express Entry and most provincial nominee programs. The right choice depends on your profile and where you're taking the test.
Format comparison
| Feature | CELPIP-General | IELTS-General |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | ~3 hours | ~2h 45m |
| Delivery | Fully computer-based | Paper or computer |
| Speaking | Recorded (no examiner) | Live with examiner |
| Accent | Canadian English only | UK, US, AU, NZ, CA mix |
| Essay | None — typed only | Handwritten if paper |
| Result timeline | 4–8 calendar days | 3–13 days |
Scoring
Both tests map to the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) scale used by IRCC. CELPIP uses a 1–12 scale that maps 1:1 to CLB. IELTS uses a 1.0–9.0 band that converts: e.g., IELTS 7.0 Listening ≈ CLB 8, IELTS 7.5 ≈ CLB 9.
Cost (Canada, 2026)
- CELPIP-General: ~CAD $280
- IELTS-General: ~CAD $319
- Retake fees are full price in both cases.
Pick CELPIP if…
- You live in Canada and are used to Canadian speech
- You type faster than you handwrite
- You get nervous with face-to-face examiners
- You want results in under a week
Pick IELTS if…
- You're applying to multiple countries, not just Canada
- You prefer a human examiner who can clarify questions
- You've already studied IELTS materials
- You're not yet in Canada and exposure to Canadian accent is limited