Citizenship Language Requirement: CLB 4 and Accepted Proof

If you are 18 to 54 years old on the day you sign your citizenship application, you must prove that you can speak and listen in English or French at level 4 of the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB), or level 4 of the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) for French. This guide explains what that level means, which documents IRCC accepts as proof, the minimum test scores, and what to do if you have no proof yet.

Who needs language proof and who does not

The requirement applies if you sign your application between the ages of 18 and 54. IRCC lists two automatic exemptions: adults aged 55 and above, and all minors under 18, neither of whom need to prove their language skills. If you cannot meet the requirement, for example for accessibility reasons, you can ask for an accommodation or a waiver. See our requirements overview for the other conditions.

What CLB 4 means in practice

IRCC says adequate knowledge means you can:

take part in short, everyday conversations about common topics
understand simple instructions, questions and directions
use basic grammar, including simple structures and tenses
know enough common words and phrases to answer questions and express yourself

These are speaking and listening skills. IRCC measures them by reviewing the proof you send, by noting how well you speak when you talk to a citizenship official at any time during the process, and by assessing your level during a citizenship test with an official if necessary. The knowledge test itself has no questions that assess your English or French.

What you can use as proof

Choose only one of these documents:

proof of studies: a diploma, official transcript, certificate or report card from a secondary or post-secondary program taught in English or French, in Canada or abroad
a third-party English or French language test result at or above the minimum score in the table below
a certificate from a LINC or CLIC course at CLB level 4 or higher in speaking and listening
a certificate from a provincial language program in British Columbia (English, ELSA), Manitoba, Nova Scotia (English, PENS), Ontario, Quebec (French) or Saskatchewan (English)

If your document is not in English or French, IRCC asks for a certified translation. For studies, add a letter from the school showing that the language of instruction was English or French, plus the school's address and phone number. IRCC returns the whole application if the proof cannot be read, is missing, or is in another language without a certified translation.

Minimum scores for accepted tests

IRCC accepts expired results for CELPIP-G, CELPIP-General LS, IELTS General Training and TEF. IELTS Academic is not accepted. If you lost a result, contact the test provider.

Minimum results IRCC accepts as language proof (speaking and listening)
Test	Minimum result
CELPIP-G or CELPIP-General LS (tested on or after April 1, 2014)	4 or higher in listening and speaking
IELTS General Training (tested on or after November 28, 2008)	4.5 or higher in listening and 4.0 or higher in speaking
PTE Core	28 or higher in listening and 42 or higher in speaking
TEF or TEFAQ (tested on or after July 1, 2012)	B1 or higher in listening and speaking
TEF Intégration, Résidence et Nationalité (formerly TEF pour naturalisation)	B1 or higher
TCF or TCFQ	B1 or higher
DELF	B1 or higher
DALF	All results accepted

If you have no proof yet

If you can speak and understand English or French well enough, you can sit one of the accepted tests above. If you cannot get the result you need, you can take language training: government-funded classes exist across the country, and some provinces offer their own programs. If you cannot prove your language skills, you may be able to request a waiver and include the request with your application. If IRCC does not approve it, you must provide proof from the list, and IRCC may assess your language skills at a hearing with an official.

Where this fits in your application

Language proof is one of the documents in your application package, next to your passport copies and your physical presence calculation. It is not the same as the citizenship test: practise for that one with sample questions and read about the citizenship interview and hearing, where an officer may also notice how well you communicate. Check the fees before you submit.