PTE Core vs CELPIP: Format, Fees, Results and CLB
PTE Core and CELPIP-General both test four English skills and are accepted by IRCC for Express Entry; PTE Core takes up to 2 hours.
PTE Core vs CELPIP-General: purpose and format
| Question | PTE Core | CELPIP-General |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose for this comparison | IRCC-approved Express Entry language evidence | IRCC-approved Express Entry language evidence; General LS is a different test |
| Delivery | Computer-based, at a test centre | Computer-delivered in one sitting |
| Length | Up to 2 hours | Under 2 hours 50 minutes on the current overview |
| Canada fee | CA$360 CAD; snapshot 2026-10-19 | CA$299 + taxes where applicable; Canadian price, international pricing varies |
| Results | Most within 2 business days; up to 5 | 2–4 business days in the June guide; the overview says 3–4 |
| Writing | Summarize Written Text and Write Email | Writing an Email and Responding to Survey Questions |
| Speaking examples | Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image and Respond to a Situation | Giving Advice and Describing a Scene |
Official CELPIP pages differ: its June guide describes about three hours and an older price. The comparison uses the current overview’s duration and Canadian price; confirm the final fee when booking. The results range above preserves both published wordings.
Compare the CLB requirement, not raw scores
IRCC publishes a separate table for each test. The following rows align the same CLB target; they do not predict what a person will score when switching tests.
| CLB target | Core Listening | Core Reading | Core Speaking | Core Writing | CELPIP-General each skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 60 | 60 | 68 | 69 | 7 |
| 8 | 71 | 69 | 76 | 79 | 8 |
| 9 | 82 | 78 | 84 | 88 | 9 |
| 10 | 89 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 10+ |
What to compare before booking
Read the accepted-test requirement for your application, compare the task formats, then check local dates and final costs. This page makes no claim that either test is easier. Try a sample in each format and compare your own experience.
Sources and dates
Source: Pearson Core FAQ. Checked 2026-10-23.
Source: Pearson Core Score Guide: format and length. Checked 2026-10-23.
Source: Pearson Core results FAQ. Checked 2026-10-23.
Source: CELPIP current overview and Canadian price. Checked 2026-10-23.
Source: CELPIP June 2026 guide: results. Checked 2026-10-23.
Source: CELPIP test format and tasks. Checked 2026-10-23.
Source: CELPIP General and General LS purposes. Checked 2026-10-23.
Source: IRCC CELPIP-General CLB table. Checked 2026-10-23.
Source: IRCC accepted tests and per-skill tables. Checked 2026-10-23.
Source: Pearson Core CLB chart. Checked 2026-10-23.
Source: Pearson fee finder: Canada. Checked 2026-10-19.
Questions students ask
Is PTE Core or CELPIP accepted for Express Entry?
IRCC accepts PTE Core and CELPIP-General. It specifically requires the Core option and the General version respectively.
Is PTE Core easier than CELPIP?
There is no universal answer on this page. Compare the task format and your own experience with samples; this comparison does not rank difficulty.
Is CELPIP 9 the same as PTE Core 9?
No. CELPIP-General level 9 maps to CLB 9. PTE Core CLB 9 requires Listening 82, Reading 78, Speaking 84, Writing 88.
Does the fee include my RealPTE membership?
No. The test providers charge their exam fees separately from RealPTE practice membership.
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