The Language Requirements for Skilled Immigrants (Express Entry)

Last Updated on mars 17, 2015

Appendix A – The Language Requirements for Skilled Immigrants (Express Entry)

Applicants would need to prove their abilities in English or in French. In particular, they would need to demonstrate their abilities in the following areas:

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening and,
• Speaking

Minimum language levels tend to vary with each program. Therefore, applicants would need to ensure that they meet the prescribed minimum language levels specified for their programs.

The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)

Applicants would need to meet the minimum level of:

• Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in English or,
• Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 7 in French

This is applicable for the first official language selected by the applicants in all the four language abilities.

Similarly, applicants also have the ability to score points for their second official languages. For this, they would need to meet the minimum level of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in all the four language abilities.

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

The skills that applicants need under this program depend on the group the job remains classified under in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. Therefore, applicants would need to meet the minimum levels prescribed for all the four language abilities.

If the applicant’s skilled work experience in Canada is in a:

• National Occupational Classification (NOC) 0 or A job
• The minimum level is:
• Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in English or,
• Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 7 in French
• National Occupational Classification (NOC) B job
• The minimum level is:
• Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in English or,
• Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 5 in French

The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)

Applicants would need to meet the minimum levels of:

• Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in English or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 5 in French for speaking and listening and,
• Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 in English or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 4 in French for reading and writing

Applicants under this program would also need to take a language test approved by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). Thereafter, they would need to include the results when they complete their Express Entry profiles. This is especially applicable when the applicants receive invitations to apply for permanent residence. In case applicants do not include the results of the language test, they will not be eligible for Express Entry.

In addition, applicants would need to ensure that their test results are less than two years old, when the authorities receive their Applications for Permanent Residence (APRs).

Applicants would be able to ascertain their Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) levels. For this, they would need to use their test results.