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PTE Core, our brand new general English test, is approved by the Canadian Government (IRCC) for all economic visa categories, including citizenship and permanent residency.
Choosing the right English test for you is important. A core factor in your decision will be how the test meets the score requirements set by the IRCC.
We have carried out comprehensive research to ensure that PTE Core correlates to the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB). You can take a closer look in our alignment report (PDF, 833KB).
However, there are many other things to consider when finding the best test for you. For example, how quickly you need to receive your results? Are you in a rush to take your test? Do you want your speaking skills to be assessed by a human examiner or not?
So, to make it easier for you to decide which test is right for you, we have put together a handy summary of how PTE Core compares to IELTS General and CELPIP.
PTE Core is the fastest way to prove your English language skills. Book quickly, up to 24 hours in advance. There are frequent test dates and 475+ test centers around the world.
| PTE Core | IELTS General | CELPIP General Test | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration and booking | Online or by phone up to 24 hours in advance | Online or in person, up to 3 days in advance | Online or by mail, up to 24 hours in advance |
| Appointment availability | Appointments are available up to 365 days (about 12 months) a year | Paper-based test available 48 fixed dates throughout year Computer-based test available up to 7 days a week | Appointments are available 5 days a week (Wednesday to Sunday) |
| Locations | Multiple locations worldwide in over 100 countries | Multiple locations worldwide in over 100 countries | Test currently available in 25 countries |
PTE Core is the faster, fairer, simpler way to assess your General English skills. It assesses all 4 skills in just 2 hours and you will typically receive your results within 48 hours. There is no separate speaking test with a human examiner, so you are judged on your English skills and nothing else.
| PTE Core | IELTS General | CELPIP General Test | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | 2 hours | 2 hours and 45 minutes | 3 hours |
| Number of test sittings | One test sitting | Two test sittings | One test sitting |
| Skills assessed |
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| Content | Content based on everyday life situations and sources | Speaking and Listening sections use Academic content from IELTS Academic test Reading and Writing sections use content from everyday life situations and sources |
Content based on everyday life situations and sources |
| Accents | PTE scoring engines are trained to recognize 126 accents with accuracy | Speaking test assessed by human examiner so range of accents recognized varies | Speaking test assessed by human examiner so range of accents recognized varies |
With PTE Core you will typically* receive your results within 48 hours of sitting the test and you can share your scores with an unlimited number of organizations for free.
| PTE Core | IELTS General | CELPIP General Test | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical score turnaround | Results typically* within 2 business days | Paper-based test results within 13 business days Computer-based test results within 3-5 business days |
Results within 3-4 business days |
| Sharing results | Share directly from secure portal Unlimited number of shares for free |
Paper-based test: share via post with up to 5 organizations for free Paper-based test: additional shares incur processing fees Computer-based test: unlimited shares included |
Shared directly from portal up to 5 organizations included Additional shares incur processing fees |
| Scoring scale | Scores from 10-90 Correlation to CLB available |
Scores from 1-9 Correlation to CLB available |
Scores from 0-12 Correlation to CLB available |
| Scores valid for | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years |
*Typical means in over 95% of instances. Some results may take longer due to security checks or other score validation processes.
"As a new test, PTE Core has made a very good impression. It's fast and efficient, but you need to prepare for it, same as you would for any other test." Oleh, Canada
"I was happy with my score. It was a very positive experience. Results are quick which helps us to think about our future plans." Deepshikha, Canada
"Taking PTE Core was a positive experience because it allowed me to demonstrate my English proficiency accurately and efficiently." Gunjan, Canada
A great English test should do more than produce a score. It should measure how people use English in the real world and provide a result that helps them move forward with confidence.
Your PTE overall score is important, but it is sometimes misunderstood. If you have ever calculated the average of your Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing scores, and wondered why the number does not match your overall score, we are here to help. This guide explains why the overall score is not a simple average, what it is based on, and how to read it confidently.
If your PTE skill scores look very different from each other, that does not automatically mean something has gone wrong. Your Score Report includes individual scores for Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing, and most test takers do not perform in exactly the same way across every skill. Here we explain what your PTE results can show you, why different skill scores can be completely normal and how to use that information calmly and practically.
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