Language requirements – Provincial nominees

This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.

Who must undergo language testing

PNP Base non-Express Entry applications:

All Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applicants in a Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) 4 and 5 occupation of the National Occupational Classification system (NOC) are required to undergo mandatory language testing (with the exception of nominees under New Brunswick’s Critical Worker Pilot) and must achieve a minimum standard of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 in each of the 4 abilities (listening, speaking, reading and writing) before obtaining a provincial nomination certificate.

Applicants in a TEER 4 and 5 occupation of the NOC are also required to include a copy of their language test results when submitting their base non-Express Entry PNP application for permanent residence through the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Permanent Residence Portal. Applicants may provide electronic copies of test results.

PNP Express Entry applications:

All PNP applicants who have been nominated under an Express Entry stream must undergo language testing. Individuals must indicate their test result scores in their Express Entry profile and in their electronic application for permanent residence. Test results must be valid in both instances. In Express Entry, test results are validated electronically with the testing organization, so PNP-EE applicants are not required to upload a copy of their test results as part of a complete application.

Procedures

Applications for permanent residence from PNP applicants (excluding Express Entry streams) in TEER 4 and 5 occupations must include a copy of valid language test results demonstrating that they meet the minimum language standards. Electronic copies of test results are acceptable.

Recognized language-testing organizations

To be considered valid, the applicant’s language test results must be from one of the approved tests:

  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS General Training)
  • Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP-General)
  • PTE Core
  • Test d’évaluation de français pour le Canada (TEF Canada) to test proficiency in French
  • Test de connaissance du français pour le Canada (TCF Canada) to test proficiency in French

When the Centralized Intake Office (CIO) reviews each TEER 4 and 5 PNP base non-EE applications for completeness, they use the “Test required?” column in the provincial PNP nomination spreadsheet to determine if valid language test results should be included in the application.

The following explains when an applicant must include a language assessment with their application and what to do if it is required and not included:

  • If the province or territory selected “yes” in the “Test required?” column, the applicant must include a copy of the language test with their application in addition to all other documents listed in the document checklist for PNP applicants for it to be considered a complete application.
  • If the province or territory selected “no” in the “Test required?" column, the province or territory has determined that the applicant meets one of the exceptions and the applicant is not required to include a copy of language test results with their application for permanent residence.

To determine the equivalency between an applicant’s language test scores and Canadian Language Benchmark levels, please see the Language test equivalency charts.

Note: If an application for permanent residence for which a PT selected “yes” in the “Test required?” column does not include a copy of valid language test results, the application will be considered incomplete and the CIO will return the entire application package to the applicant.

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