New English test for immigration to Canada
Dear Ms Powell,
I AM from an Englishspeaking country. I want to apply to live in Canada under the Express Entry System. Do I still need to do the IELTS exam to be able to qualify? What is the pass mark?
DD
Dear DD,
The Canadian government has developed a system to assess individuals’ ability to successfully adapt and become socially and economically successful in Canada. One of the main ways to determine this is by their ability to communicate effectively in one or both official languages of French and English.
The express entry manages programmes such as the Federal Skilled Worker Programme (FSWP), Federal Skilled Trade Programme (FSTP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and some Provincial Nominee Programmes (PNP). To enter the express entry pool, you need at least one language result. You get a better comprehensive ranking score if you have both French and English.
Each programme has its own qualifying grade to be accepted into the pool. For example, if you are planning to apply under the FSWP, the minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of seven is required in reading, writing, listening, and speaking for your application to be accepted into the pool. For the FSTP, applicants must have a minimum CLB level of five for speaking and listening and a minimum level four for reading and writing to be considered. For CEC, a minimum CLB level seven or level five proficiency in all language skills, depending on the National Occupation Classification competence level required for their employment.
The Niveaux de Compétence Linguistique Canadien (NCLC) is used for French. The CLB and the NCLC are the national standard used in Canada for measuring the language-proficiency immigrants.
ACCEPTABLE TESTS
As of January 2024, there are now three acceptable tests for English language. They are the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), General Training Examination; the Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Programme (CELPIP) – General Examination; and the Pearson Text for English (PTE Core). For French language, the required tests are the TEF Canada: Test d’évaluation de français, or the TCF Canada: Test de connaissance du français.
The PTE Core is a computerbased language examination designed to demonstrate an applicant’s general English proficiency for immigration purposes to Canada. They have several testing centres worldwide, including at the Overseas Examinations Council in Kingston, Jamaica; Pearson Professional Centre in Miami, Florida, USA; SBCS Global Learning Institute Ltd, Trinidad; and SBCS Global Learning Institute Ltd in Puerto Rico. Their tests are typically done over two days and are divided into speaking and writing (40 minutes); reading (30 minutes), and listening (30 minutes).
Although the minimum CLB grade required for entry into the express entry pool under the FSWP is seven in each category, since selection from the pool is based on your overall score, applicants should endeavour to score the maximum possible points. To receive the maximum points for language, you should have the following overall scores: IELTS – eight; CELPIP – 10; and for PTE (89+). Pay special attention to your scores for reading and listening skills to maximise your points under the Express Entry System.
Finally, the tests are valid for two years. You should check the websites for each test and choose the test based on availability and preparation.