For immigration purposes, you, as an applicant, need to demonstrate that you are capable of communicating in at least one of the official languages in Canada and required to submit a language exam result. There are many language exams that evaluate your language skills, so this article talks about language exams that are accepted by Immigration and Refugees, Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Please note that this article mainly talks about language exams to obtain permanent residency under the federal classes. This article does not necessarily provide information for Canadian citizenship or immigrating to Quebec, as there are different requirements for citizenship and Quebec immigration. Be aware that the information in this article is current as of December 5th, 2018; however, immigration law changes frequently. Please make sure to do your research and talk to an immigration lawyer or consultant if you need professional assistance. We are not responsible for consequences or the accuracy of the content of the article.
IELTS is an English exam that is widely accepted over the world, and many major cities have testing centers. IELTS has 2 types of exams, Academic and General. Only General is accepted for immigration purposes. Depending on the location you take an IELTS exam, you can choose a computer-based or paper-based format though speaking will be in an interview format. Since this exam is not specifically for Canadian immigration, it tests wide knowledge of English, which means that it can be British English, American English, Australian English, and/or Canadian English. Exam takers receive scores 0 to 9 for each category, which will be converted to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB).
Like IELTS, CELPIP tests exam takers’ English abilities. CELPIP also has 2 types of exams, General and General LS. General LS is only for listening and speaking, so you will need to take CELPIP General for immigration purposes. CEPLP is all computer-based including speaking. The biggest difference from IELTS is that CELPIP is a test for Canadian English, which means that spelling and accents are all Canadian English. Since CELPIP specializes in Canadian English, it is not accepted as widely as IELTS is, which limits locations you can take CELPIP. Currently, you can take CELPIP in Canada, the United States of America, the United Arab Emirates, India, and Philipines. Exam takers receive score 3-12 for each category, speaking, reading, writing, and listening, which will be converted to CLB.
TEF is a French exam to test exam takers’ French ability. TEF is accepted for immigration purposes in Canada and France and available various countries.TEF has two sections, oral and written comprehension section and oral and written expression section, and you will need to take both sections if you want to claim your French abilities for permanent residency. Citizenship applications, however, requires only the oral and written comprehension section. Depending on where you take the exam, you can choose either computer-based or paper-based format. Exam takers receive 0-360 points for oral comprehension(listening), 0-300 points for written comprehension (reading), 0-450 points for written expression (writing), and 0-450 points for oral expression (speaking), and scores for each ability is converted to CLB.
TCF is a French exam administered by the French government designated organization, the Centre International d’Etudes Pédagogiques (CIEP) for immigration purposes for Canada and French and is available over 150 countries including Canada. TCF has recently added to the options for immigration though I believe it has been accepted for Quebec. Exam takers who want to use TCF for immigration purposes need to complete four ability tests, reading, writing, speaking, and listening like other exams. Reading and listening are scored 0-699 each, and speaking and listening are scored 0-20 each. Each ability, like other language exams, is converted to CLB.
How Is My Language Score Converted To Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB)?
Each language exam has a different scoring system, and IRCC will convert the scores to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB).
- IELTS
| CLB | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 8.0 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| 9 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 |
| 8 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 6.5 |
| 7 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| 6 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| 5 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| 4 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 |
- CELPIP
| CLB | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
- TEF
| CLB | Listening | Reading | Wiriting | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 263-277 | 393-415 | 316-333 | 393-415 |
| 9 | 248-262 | 371-392 | 298-315 | 371-392 |
| 8 | 233-247 | 349-370 | 280-297 | 349-370 |
| 7 | 207-232 | 310-348 | 249-279 | 310-348 |
| 6 | 181-206 | 271-309 | 217-248 | 271-309 |
| 5 | 151-180 | 226-270 | 181-216 | 226-270 |
| 4 | 121-150 | 181-225 | 145-180 | 181-225 |
- TCF
| CLB | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 or higher | 549-699 | 16-20 | 549-699 | 16-20 |
| 9 | 524-548 | 14-15 | 524-548 | 14-15 |
| 8 | 499-523 | 12-13 | 503-522 | 12-13 |
| 7 | 453-498 | 10-11 | 458-502 | 10-11 |
| 6 | 406-452 | 7-9 | 398-457 | 7-9 |
| 5 | 342-374 | 6 | 331-368 | 6 |
| 4 | 342-374 | 4-5 | 331-368 | 4-5 |
Who Needs To Take A Language Exam?
Applicants who apply under the Economy Class and the Business Class are required to take a language exam. If you apply under the Family Class, you do not need to take a language exam.
What Is The Validity Period?
Regardless of which exam you chose to take, the validity period is 2 years from the date you take the exam. If you have taken an exam, but 2 years have passed, you will have to retake again, as you no longer can use the exam result.
Why Do I Need to Take A Language Exam?
First and foremost, a language exam score is required for many programs to get permanent residency in Canada for the Economy Class, which means that applicants cannot apply for permanent residency without taking a language exam. In fact, assessment is not accurate or reliable because it actually plays an important role, especially if you consider applying for permanent residency under programs such as the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program, or the Federal Skilled Trades Program. These programs use a point system, which means that your language score directly affects points you can get.
What Score Do I Need?
Generally, the higher the score you have, the better it is for your profile. The minimum language score will depend on the program you apply for permanent residency and your occupation. For the Federal Skilled Worker Program, you will need to get CLB 7 for each category. If you are applying under the Canadian Experience Class, it depends on your occupation. You will need CLB 5 for each ability for National Occupation Classification (NOC) level B jobs, but you will need CLB 7 if your jobs fall into NOC A or 0. If you apply under the Federal Skilled Trades Program, you need to score CLB 5 for all categories. If you apply under any of provincial nominee programs (PNPs), it will depend on their language requirements.
Where Can I Take A Language Exam?
This will depend on which exam you chose to take, as you can take a language exam at a designated testing centre. Please visit a website of the language exam you are interested in taking, and find out the closest location for you.
How much does it cost?
It depends on which language exam you take and the location you take the exam, but it generally costs CAD $250-300.
Conclusion
You will need to take a language exam to apply for permanent residency under the Economy Class or the Business Class because a language exam is required. It also has a significant impact on your profile on programs that use a point system. So, study for it and take it when you are ready!
