This page explains how to apply for permanent residence in Canada through Express Entry, which is a system that selects skilled immigrants who want to settle in Canada permanently and take part in its economy. One of the requirements for applying for permanent residence through Express Entry is to prove your English or French language ability by taking an approved language test. Here are the main points of the page:

• You must take an approved language test and get the minimum results required by your program. You must include the test results when you complete your Express Entry profile and when you apply for permanent residence if you are invited.

• The approved language tests for English are:

  • CELPIP: Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (you must take the CELPIP-General test) 

  • IELTS: International English Language Testing System (you must take the General Training option) 2

• The approved language tests for French are:

  • TEF Canada: Test d’évaluation de français 

  • TCF Canada: Test de connaissance du français 

• The language test evaluates your abilities in writing, reading, listening, and speaking. Your test results are measured using the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) for English and the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC) for French.

• The minimum language level you need depends on the program you apply for. For example, for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, you need CLB 7 or NCLC 7 in your first official language and CLB 5 or NCLC 5 in your second official language. For the Canadian Experience Class, you need CLB 5 or NCLC 5 for NOC B jobs and CLB 7 or NCLC 7 for NOC 0 or A jobs. For the Federal Skilled Trades Program, you need CLB 5 or NCLC 5 for speaking and listening and CLB 4 or NCLC 4 for reading and writing

• Your test results must be less than two years old when you submit your application for permanent residence. If your test results expire before you can apply, you should be tested again or apply before your test results expire or decline the invitation and go back into the pool to be considered in the future

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