PTE Core for Canadian Immigration

At a glance

PTE Core is Pearson's four-skill English test purpose-built for Canadian economic immigration. IRCC added it to the approved-tests list in December 2023, making it the fifth accepted language test for Express Entry alongside IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General, TEF Canada, and TCF Canada. The test covers Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking, is fully computer-delivered, and uses AI-assisted scoring to return results typically within 48 hours. IRCC only accepts PTE Core — the separate PTE Academic test (used for university admissions) is not valid for permanent residence.

Result turnaround

Results are typically available within 48 hours, often the same day. This is the fastest turnaround of any IRCC-approved language test.

Cost

Approximately CAD 340 in Canada. Fees vary by country; check pearsonpte.com for the local rate.

Validity

2 years from the test date.

Test centres

Available at Pearson test centres in 100+ countries, including locations across Canada (Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, and more). Sittings are offered multiple times per week at most centres.

Convert my PTE Core scores

How it is scored

Each ability (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) is reported on a 10–90 scale. IRCC uses only the per-ability scores — there is no single 'overall' score that feeds into CRS.

Conversion table

Listening

Reading

Writing

Speaking