Skilled workers and professionals: Who can apply—Selection factors

Official language testing

The best way to provide proof of language skills is to take a language proficiency test given by an organization that is approved by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). If you do so, you will be able to see exactly how many points you will receive for the language factor according to your test results.

You must

• Make arrangements for testing by an approved organization. You will have to pay the costs.
• Include the results of your test with your immigration application.

What happens next

• You can use the equivalency charts to see exactly how many points you will earn based on your test results.
• The test results will be used by CIC as conclusive proof of your language skills.
• You can use language test results for one year from the time you took the test.

Approved language tests

You can arrange to take a language test from any of the following approved organizations.

English Language Testing Organizations

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

The University of Cambridge Local Examination Syndicate, IDP Education Australia: IELTS Australia and the British Council administer this test.

Note: IELTS has two options for the reading and writing tests: General Training and Academic. You must take the General Training option.

CELPIP: Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program

The Applied Research and Evaluation Services of the University of British Columbia administer this test.

French Language Testing Organizations

TEF: Test d’évaluation de français

The Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry administers these tests.

Note: You must submit results from the following TEF tests as proof of your French language skills:

• compréhension écrite
• compréhension orale
• expression écrite
• expression orale