Language testing for the temporary pathway to permanent residence

Ottawa, April 22, 2021 — As part of the eligibility criteria for the recently announced temporary pathway to permanent residence, applicants must receive a language level proficiency of at least benchmark 5 for international students who graduated from a Canadian institution or benchmark 4 for essential workers. These levels are set out in the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) and the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC).

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is aware that third-party language testing organizations had to reduce testing capacity to meet health guidelines and COVID-19 restrictions. We understand they are now adding extra testing sessions to meet increased demand.

Applicants can use a previous language test from a designated organization, as long as the test result is less than 2 years old when the application is received. It’s important that language tests be from an agency approved by IRCC, listed on our website.

As part of the application, IRCC will accept language test results received by applicants through email or from the testing organization’s online portal.

Applicants can book their own tests directly with language testing organizations. There is no requirement to use a representative. Pricing for tests varies, but is generally in the range of $280 and $465, before taxes.

If you choose to use an immigration representative to prepare an immigration application, always be aware of fraudulent representatives. Check if a person is licensed to represent immigrants or to give advice before using their services.