Famous for being the parent country to the world’s most liveable cities like Toronto, Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa, Vancouver, and more, Canada welcomes global citizens with open arms each year. One of the most significant requirements to start the process for your permanent entry post study is getting a minimum IELTS score for PR in Canada, which determines your English language proficiency. The minimum IELTS score for Canada PR stands at 6.0, which is definitely achievable! So fasten your seat belts as this blog will answer all of your questions on the IELTS score required for Canada PR and work visa!
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IELTS for Work Visa & PR in Canada: An Overview
Getting an IELTS test score can be considered as one of the first steps to start your journey towards grabbing a PR and a work visa in Canada. The main purpose of presenting an IELTS score for work visa and PR is a way to ensure that you are able to communicate in the country with ease once you decide there.
The IELTS exam is usually of two types: the General Training IELTS and Academic IELTS.
- Academic IELTS: This test is required if you’re planning to study higher education in any English speaking country.
- General Training IELTS: This test can be taken by you if you are planning to enter an English speaking country for training or work experience.
For immigration purposes in Canada, General Training IELTS is mandatory. Depending on the kind of job you are applying to and your PR process, you need to get the minimum IELTS scores to be eligible.
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IELTS Score for PR and Work Visa in Canada 2022
The IELTS score for PR in Canada requirements is highly variable and differs with each kind of program, and work requirements. The IELTS exam assesses your English language skills across 4 language components - listening, reading, writing, and speaking. The points you earn under each IELTS subcategory are mapped against the CLB level or Canadian Language Benchmark level.
Hee is a quick look at the IELTS score for Canada PR 2022 compared against the minimum IELTS score under each language component. Each CLB level corresponds to a set of IELTS individual component scores as shown in the table below:
|
CLB Level |
Reading |
Writing |
Listening |
Speaking |
|
10 |
8 |
7.5 |
8.5 |
7.5 |
|
9 |
7 |
7 |
8 |
7 |
|
8 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
7.5 |
6.5 |
|
7 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
|
6 |
5 |
5.5 |
5.5 |
5.5 |
|
5 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
|
4 |
3.5 |
4 |
4.5 |
4 |
The IELTS score for Canada work visa and PR entirely depends upon the CLB Level required by your work visa program or institution. For example if your visa requires a CLB level 9, you would need to score: 7 in Reading, 7 in Writing, 8 in Listening and 8 in Speaking.
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Now, let us understand the language requirements for different work visa or immigration programs that can help you become eligible for a PR in Canada.
How to get PR in Canada: Routes and Requirements
Skilled immigrants or students who have recently graduated from Canadian institutions can become eligible for Canadian PR through the express entry system.
The Express Entry System requires an individual to score a minimum 67 points which are aggregated across 6 factors. Of these, language proficiency holds a substantial weightage as shown below:
|
Factor |
Maximum Points |
|
Age |
12 |
|
Education |
25 |
|
Language Proficiency |
24 |
|
Work Experience |
15 |
|
Adaptability |
10 |
|
Arranged employment |
10 |
The express entry system has three major pathways:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program
- Federal Skilled Trades Program
- Canadian Experience Class
The IELTS band required for Canada PR differs with each of these programs as discussed below:
Federal Skilled Worker Program
If you are someone with English as your official and first language, you will get no points for having CLB 4 or lower, and the maximum points if you get CLB 10 or higher.
The CLB level and IELTS score requirements for the Federal skilled worker program are:
|
CLB Level |
Points per category |
Listening |
Reading |
Speaking |
Writing |
|
7 |
4 |
6.0-7.0 |
6.0 |
6 |
6 |
|
8 |
5 |
7.5 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
|
9 |
6 |
8 |
7.0 |
7 |
7 |
|
10 and above |
6 |
8.5-9.0 |
8.0-9.0 |
7.5-9.0 |
7.5-9.0 |
For individuals having English as their second language, 4 points are awarded if they meet these requirements:
|
CLB Level |
Points |
Listening |
Reading |
Speaking |
Writing |
|
5 and above |
4 |
5.0-9.0 |
4.0-9.0 |
5.0-9.0 |
4.0-9.0 |
The Federal Skilled Worker Program requires an individual to have a CLB level of 7, with the minimum IELTS score required for Canada PR being 6 in each component.
Federal Skilled Trades Program
Given below is the IELTS score for work visa in Canada for the Federal Skilled Trades Program, pertaining to each CLB level:
|
CLB Level |
Listening |
Reading |
Speaking |
Writing |
|
4 |
4.5 |
3.5 |
4 |
4 |
|
5 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
|
6 |
5.5 |
5 |
5.5 |
5.5 |
|
7 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
|
8 |
7.5 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
|
9 |
8 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
|
10 and above |
8.5-9.0 |
8.0-9.0 |
7.5-9.0 |
7.5-9.0 |
For the Federal Skilled Trades Program, you need to have a minimum CLB 5 level.
Canadian Experience Class
To get a PR or work visa in Canada, the Canadian Experience Class enables you, as an individual, to get suitable jobs according to the prescribed CLB levels.
Jobs can be classified as NOC A and NOC B level jobs, wherein NOC stands for National Occupational Classification, a system to classify jobs on the basis of certain levels.
The IELTS band score for Canada work visa according to specific NOC levels is given below:
|
NOC Level |
CLB Level |
Listening |
Reading |
Speaking |
Writing |
|
A |
10 and above |
8.5-9 |
8-9 |
7.5-9 |
7.5-9 |
|
A |
9 |
8 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
|
A |
8 |
7.5 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
|
A |
7 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
|
B |
6 |
5.5 |
5 |
5.5 |
5.5 |
|
B |
5 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
For NOC A level, you need a minimum CLB 7 and for NOC B you need a minimum CLB 5 level.
You should also know that the IELTS score for Canada work visa is highly differentiable with certain jobs and occupations. For instance, being a nurse requires a minimum IELTS score of 6.5, whereas being a lawyer demands an IELTS score of 7.0.
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Canada is home to international citizens from more than 150 countries, and recently the Canadian government has even simplified getting a Canadian PR and work visa. One of the prerequisites for which is the IELTS English proficiency test score. Though the IELTS score for Canada work visa is different for specific kinds of entry pathways, skilled immigrants are recommended to score a minimum of 6.0 as their cumulative and component-wise IELTS score, so as to avoid hindrances in the path!
Now that you have all the information regarding minimum band required for Canada PR, let us address a few commonly asked questions:
Frequently Asked Questions about IELTS score for PR and work visa in Canada
- What is the minimum Canada work visa IELTS score?
Ans. To get a work visa in Canada, the minimum score requirement depends upon the class of job you are applying for. The minimum requirement for NOC A level job is a band of 6.0 in all the components of the IELTS exam, whereas for NOC B level job it is a score of 4.0 in the reading component, and 5.0 in all the other three components.
- What is the IELTS score for Canada PR 2022?
Ans. The minimum IELTS score for Canada PR is 6.0.
- What is the IELTS fee?
Ans. The IELTS exam fee is approximately 14,000 INR.
- When can I get my IELTS results?
Ans. If giving an online test, you will receive the results within 3-5 days, whereas the paper based test results reach within 13-14 days via mail.
- What are the Canada PR IELTS Requirements?
Ans. The IELTS score for PR in Canada differs with each program, but the basic requirement is a minimum score of 6.0.