CELPIP Retakes vs IELTS One Skill Retake: What Canada and Australia Accept
By Natania · Booking and test day · Published · 3 min read
Missing your target by one skill is the most frustrating result in any English test. IELTS now offers One Skill Retake, which lets you resit only the skill you missed. CELPIP has no equivalent: a retake means the whole test. Whether that matters depends on where you are applying, because Canada and Australia treat One Skill Retake differently. Rules are changing, so check the current position on the IRCC or Home Affairs website before you rely on it.
What is IELTS One Skill Retake?
It lets you resit one of the four IELTS skills, Listening, Reading, Writing or Speaking, without retaking the others. It must be booked within a limited window after the original test, and is offered once per test.
You receive a new result showing the retaken skill alongside your original scores in the other three. Check the IELTS website for the current window, fee and availability at your centre.
Does CELPIP have a one-skill retake?
No. If one CELPIP skill is below your target, you book and sit the whole test again, all four skills in one sitting of about three hours.
The upside is that nothing is lost from your earlier attempt: you can keep using whichever valid result serves you best, and the extra practice of a full sitting often lifts more than one skill.
Does Canada accept IELTS One Skill Retake?
Not for the main programs. IRCC has said it does not accept One Skill Retake results for programs such as Express Entry, so for Canadian PR IELTS and CELPIP are in the same position: you retake the whole test.
IRCC's position may change, and some smaller programs may differ. Check the language test page on the IRCC website for your program before you book a retake.
Does Australia accept IELTS One Skill Retake?
For most visas, yes, for tests taken from 7 August 2025. That gives IELTS a real advantage in Australia when you are close in all but one skill, because you resit only that skill.
Some visas have had different retake rules, including the 482 Skills in Demand visa, so check your visa's English page before relying on a retake result.
| Canada (Express Entry) | Australia (most visas) | |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS One Skill Retake | Not accepted (check IRCC) | Accepted for tests from 7 August 2025 (check your visa) |
| CELPIP retake | Whole test | Whole test |
| PTE retake | Whole test (PTE Core) | Whole test (PTE Academic) |
Should One Skill Retake decide which test I take?
Only if you are applying to Australia and you expect to be borderline in one skill. In Canada it makes no difference for Express Entry, and in either country the bigger question is which test lets you reach every line on the first attempt.
- If you are comfortably above the line in three skills and borderline in one, IELTS with One Skill Retake can be the cheaper path in Australia.
- If your weakest skill is one that CELPIP sets lower than IELTS does, such as Speaking for Australian Proficient English, CELPIP may get you there in one sitting.
- If you are below the line in two or more skills, a single-skill retake will not help you, whichever test you choose.
How do I avoid needing a CELPIP retake?
Book only when every skill is at or above your target in timed practice, with a little margin in your weakest skill. Because CELPIP has no one-skill retake, the skill you are least sure of decides when you are ready.
- Find your level in each skill with a diagnostic or an official practice test.
- Put most of your time into the weakest skill until it is at least at your target.
- Take a full timed mock test, all four skills in one sitting, to check your stamina and timing.
- Book when the mock result meets every line, not when the average does.
Frequently asked questions
Will CELPIP introduce a one-skill retake?
Paragon has not announced one at the time of writing. Check the official CELPIP website for any change.
Can I combine my best CELPIP skills from two tests?
No. Canada uses the four scores from one result, and in Australia you should plan to meet every line on the same test unless Home Affairs says otherwise for your visa.
Keep reading
CELPass is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with Paragon Testing Enterprises. CELPIP is a trademark of Paragon Testing Enterprises. Check the official CELPIP website and IRCC for current test rules and requirements.