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.
You must prove your ability in English or French to qualify for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class.
Your occupation (job) will determine the language abilities you require to immigrate under the Canadian Experience Class. The requirements vary according to job classification under the National Occupation Classification system (NOC). Consult the application guide for more information on the language ability required for your job.
If you do not meet the minimum language skill requirement for your NOC category, your application for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class will be refused.
Proof of your language abilities
If you have some abilities in both English and French, decide which of the two is your first official language. The other is your second official language.
You must prove your abilities in your first official language only. There are three ways to do this. You can:
1. take an IELTS test to prove your ability in English or
2. take the TEF to prove your ability in French.
Note: IELTS and TEF are the only “designated language testing agencies.” CIC uses IELTS and TEF scores to determine your level on the Canadian Language Benchmarks. Finally, you may
3. provide other written evidence of your abilities.
Note: If your first language is neither French nor English, CIC recommends taking either the IELTS test or the TEF before starting the application process. This will help you find out if you meet the minimum language requirement for your job.
Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) is not a designated testing agency for applicants under the Canadian Experience Class. See IELTS and TEF in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page to find out where to get tested.
For more information about providing written proof, see the next section, Providing other written evidence.
Providing other written evidence
We strongly recommend that you take an official language test if you are claiming skills in English or French and it is not your first language.
If you choose not to take an IELTS or TEF, you must prove your ability to speak, listen, read and write English or French through written evidence. There are only certain types of evidence visa officers accept as proof. It is your responsibility to find out the immigration language requirement for your job AND how to prove you meet the requirement. Please see the application guide to learn about CIC’s requirements in detail.
Depending on your job, your written proof and explanation must clearly show that you meet the benchmark criteria listed for either Canadian Language Benchmarks 7 or Canadian Language Benchmark 5.
Note: There is no Canadian Language Benchmark test. The Canadian Language Benchmarks are descriptions of language abilities. CIC visa officers use these descriptions to determine your language abilities based on the written evidence you provide.
What happens next
A CIC officer will review the proof you include with your application.
· Your submission must satisfy the officer that your language skills meet the benchmarks for the levels you are claiming.
· The officer will assess your language ability based on what you send with your application.