Skilled workers and professionals:  Selection factors

Proficiency in English or French
(Maximum 24 points)

Being able to communicate and work in one or both of Canada’s official languages is very important. Knowing English, French or both helps you in the Canadian job market.

Your proficiency in English or French is one of the six selection factors for skilled workers. You will be awarded up to 24 points for your basic, moderate or high proficiency in English and French. You will be given points based on your ability to:

• listen
• speak
• read and
• write.

Language testing

If you have some proficiency in both English and French, decide which language you are more comfortable using. This is your first official language. The other is your second official language.

You must prove the level of language proficiency you claim on your application.

To do this, you must take a language test from an agency designated by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) before starting the immigration process.

NOTE: CIC officers will not hold an interview to assess your language proficiency. CIC will only accept test results from designated language testing agencies.

Description of each level of proficiency

You must submit language test results from a designated testing agency to the CIO with your application. Other evidence in writing will not be accepted as evidence of language proficiency.

For your application to be eligible for processing, you must include the results of one of the following language tests from a testing agency designated by CIC:

English

• IELTS: International English Language Testing System (General Training test only)
• CELPIP: Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (General test only)

French

• TEF: Test d’évaluation de français

If you do not submit the results of your official language proficiency test with your application to the CIO, your application will not be processed and will be returned to you as incomplete.

Take a language proficiency test from a designated testing agency

You must prove the level of language proficiency you claim on your application.

To do this, you must take a language proficiency test from an agency designated by CIC before starting the immigration process and submitting your application to the CIO.

Your test results must not be more than two years old at the time that you submit your application.

Steps	Action
1	Make arrangements to take a language proficiency test with a designated testing agency and pay the test costs. A list of designated testing agencies can be found at:www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/language-testing.asp
2	Submit the assessment results with your application. Do not request that your (IELTS – General Training, CELPIP - General or TEF) language test result be sent directly to the CIO. Submit your original language proficiency test results with your complete application to the CIO.
3	Consult the “using your test results” section to determine how many points you will be awarded for your language proficiency.

Note: Test results from a designated testing agency will be used as conclusive evidence of your language proficiency. Other evidence in writing will not be accepted as evidence of language proficiency.

If you wish to be awarded points for your proficiency in both official languages, include the results of your official English language proficiency (IELTS – General Training or CELPIP – General) and your official French language proficiency test (TEF) with your application.

 

 

 

Language knowledge requirement

 

Each applicant must demonstrate that they meet the minimum language requirements according to their occupational skill level by providing evidence of their abilities in English or French (speaking, reading, listening and writing).

All applications must be accompanied by the results of the principal applicant’s English or French language proficiency assessment in order to be considered for processing.

***Language test results must not be older than one year at the time of application.

For the purpose of language proficiency, your test result will be matched to the Canadian Language Benchmarks 2000/Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens 2006 (CLB/NCLC). CIC uses the CLB/NCLC to determine your language proficiency.

Descriptions corresponding to the CLB/NCLC 5 and 7 can be viewed on our website at:

• Language Benchmarks 7 at www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/cec/bench-7.asp
  or
• Canadian Language Benchmark 5 at www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/cec/bench-5.asp

Note: There is no Canadian Language Benchmark/Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien test. The Canadian Language Benchmarks/Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien are descriptions of language abilities. CIC visa officers use these descriptions to determine your language abilities based results of your English or French language proficiency test.

If you have qualifying Canadian work experience at Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A of NOC, your test results must match the CLB/NCLC below (see chart):

• 7 or higher for each of the language abilities, or 
• 6 for any one of the language abilities, 7 or higher for any other two of those abilities and 8 or higher for the remaining ability

If you have qualifying Canadian work experience at Skill Level B of NOC, your test results must match the CLB/NCLC below (see chart):

• 5 or higher for each of those abilities, or
• 4 for any one of those abilities, 5 or higher for any other two of those abilities and 6 or higher for the remaining ability.

Proof of language proficiency

At time of the application, you must:

For your application to be eligible for processing, you must include the results of one of the following language tests from a testing agency designated by CIC:

If you do not submit the results of your official language proficiency test with your application to the visa office, your application will not be processed and will be returned to you as incomplete.

***If you have some abilities in both English and French, decide which of the two you are more comfortable using; this will be considered your first official language and will be the one in which your abilities will be assessed against the minimum requirements.

Option 1

You must prove the level of language proficiency you claim on your application.

To do this, you must take a language proficiency test from an agency designated by CIC before starting the immigration process and submitting your application to the visa office.

 

Steps	Action
1	Make arrangements to take a language proficiency test and pay the test costs. A list of designated testing agencies can be found at: www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/cec/language-testing.asp ***Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) is not a designated testing agency for applicants under the Canadian Experience Class.
2	Submit the assessment results with your application. ***Do not request that your (IELTS-General Training or TEF) language test result be sent directly to the Visa Office. Submit your original language proficiency test results with your complete application.
3	Consult the “using your test results” section to determine how many points you will be awarded for your language proficiency.

 

 

Test d’évaluation de français (TEF)

The CEC requirements for the Test d’évaluation de français (TEF) are: