Level C1 corresponds to proficient users of the language, i.e. those able to perform complex tasks related to work and study.
Language proficiency levels A1-C2 refer to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). They indicate Beginner (A1-A2), Intermediate (B1-B2), and Advanced (C1-C2) levels of foreign language competence.
Other level names in this convention are: A1- Breakthrough, A2- Waystage, B1- Threshold, B2- Vantage, C1- Advanced, C2- Mastery. Which CEFR level is the highest? C2 (Proficiency) is the top level you can achieve on the CEFR scale.
At C1 level you could work in an office managing people and departments; many universities will demand this level if you want to study alongside native speakers. C2 level demonstrates a level of proficiency that might be considered superior in some aspects to many native users.
C1 at CEFR level is between 180 and 199, while C2 is between 200 and 230. You'll usually need to have achieved at least 176 in the Cambridge English Scale to meet the entry requirements for a postgraduate programme. This is roughly equivalent to 6.5 in IELTS or 90 in the TOEFL.
SKILLS AT LEVEL C1
He/she can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for the right expression.
In summary, C2 level is considered the highest level of proficiency in the CEFR framework, and it's considered as a near-native speaker level of proficiency, but not equivalent to the proficiency of a native speaker.
The highest level on the CEFR scale is C1, which is close to the level of English proficiency of native speakers. We are reaching the highest level of CEFR and probably the goal of most foreign language learners, C2. Level A1 refers to native speakers who have a basic knowledge of the English language.
A well-educated native English speaker is technically at a C2 level. Relatively few English learners reach this level because their professional or academic goals do not require it.
In order to progress from C1 to C2, a student needs to further develop their listening skills. This means they should become adept at understanding idioms and complex expressions.
Level C1 corresponds to users who can express themselves fluently and spontaneously. They can use language flexibly and effectively for all purposes.
A C1 level speaker can also be considered as someone who is a fluent speaker of the language. They will have no problem speaking, reading, writing and understanding the language and don't really need to take pauses to think while they are speaking.
It takes at least 18 years in general for a native speaker to reach C1 level in his own language, so you can hardly expect that a teenage or adult foreigner can take any less than a decade to approach that level.
Reaching B2 is generally considered by most people as having basic fluency. You'll have a working vocabulary of around 4000 words. It's not always effortless and it's not always perfect, but neither you nor your native speaking partners are having a really hard time in most circumstances at this point.
Long answer: B1 means you can get by in most day to day situations, but "fluent" means different things to different people. For me, it means "no difficulty", and for that, I'd think you'd need C1 bare minimum, and even then I would hesitate if someone asked me if I was fluent.
If a person is at C1, this is advanced level. He/she can do the following: Understand a wide range of more demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning in them. Express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for the right expression.
B1 is synonymous with good language skills. B2 is synonymous with very good/fluent language skills. C1 is synonymous with business fluent language skills. C2 is synonymous with (almost) native language level.
It is our highest-level qualification – proof that you are a highly competent speaker of English. A C2 Proficiency qualification shows the world that you have mastered English to an exceptional level. It proves you can communicate with the fluency and sophistication of a highly competent English speaker.
A native speaker is not required to pass a C2 level exam, instead, they require only the technical words that are used in their own language. There are also speakers of foreign languages who have a C2 level who are not native of the language.
Level five means you are entirely fluent in a language. You were raised speaking the language or have spoken it long enough to become proficient in it. Your accent is either nonexistent or barely recognizable.
Level C2 corresponds to proficient users of the language, i.e. those able to perform complex tasks related to work and study.
C2 Proficiency is our most advanced qualification. It shows that students have the English skills to study demanding subjects at the highest level, including postgraduate and PhD programmes. This exam is the logical next step in a student's language-learning journey after C1 Advanced.
At this stage, you can use English day-to-day for business and academic purposes. If B2 is what many consider “fluent,” then C1 is fluency with increased nuance and understanding. At C1, you can understand subtle jokes in the language, and express yourself with colorful native phrases.