Is IELTS Required for Work Permit in Canada – Get The Proper Answer

Canada is the country of choice for many individuals looking to work abroad. However, to work abroad, you need a valid work permit. A work permit is written permission to live and work in a specific foreign country.

To obtain a work permit various eligibility requirements need to be fulfilled. One such requirement is the International English Language Testing System or the IELTS exam. Read this blog to know the answer to the question: is IELTS required for work permit in Canada.

What is IELTS?

The IELTS is a means of testing the candidate’s ability to communicate in English. This exam has the following four parts-

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening
• Speaking

Additionally, the result of the exam is issued in bands. In this, the highest score is 9 and the least is 1. It is the exam of choice for over 11000 organizations worldwide. And is of two types- 

• Academic, and 
• General Training. 

People looking to pursue higher education have to appear for IELTS Academic. People taking the exam for employment purposes have to choose General Training.

IELTS Exam Format

The four-segment of the exam has specific time limits within which the exam has to be taken. The writing, reading, and listening, must be taken in one day, whereas speaking is conducted on the other day. It is a face-to-face interview conducted for 11 to 14 minutes.

Reading 

Students should answer 40 questions in a 60 minutes time frame. The questions range from multiple-choice, matching headings, true-false, and matching heading to sentence completion, table, flow chart, and many more. It aims at evaluating a candidate’s ability to comprehend things in English.

Writing 

This part comprises 2 parts. Academic Task 1 requires candidates to present an overview of the table, graph, diagram, or chart. In this, they highlight the key features. For the 2nd task, candidates are supposed to write an essay in response to a statement made.

In the case of General Training, task 1 requires candidates to write a letter. In Task 2, they are to justify their opinion.

Listening 

Candidates are to listen to four recordings and answer questions accordingly. 

Speaking

This section is the same for both Academic and General Training IELTS. It aims to test a candidate’s ability to communicate in English with native English speakers. This test spans about 11 to 14 minutes.

Is IELTS required for work permit in Canada? 

Many want to settle in Canada on a work basis but they are in a dilemma: is IELTS required for work permit in Canada? Here is the answer-

IELTS is not required for individuals looking to get a work permit through Express Entry. This is for skilled workers looking to move to the country permanently for work-related reasons. You need to submit several documents at the time of application. Although IELTS is not required, attaching a good IELTS score to your application can give it a good boost.

IELTS may or may not be compulsory depending on the work permit you are applying for. Despite this, adding a good IELTS score to your application is always a plus point for your file.

In the case of Canadian immigration, individuals in the age group 18 to 44 years need to meet Canada’s Language Benchmarks Level 4 or higher in French or English.

Now you get the answer to your question- Is IELTS required for work permit in Canada. Now know the other important things that you must know if you are willing to apply for a work permit.

Canada Work Permit Process

Getting a work permit in Canada can differ based on where you are from and what kind of work permit you want. But there are some steps you will need to take in general:

Find out what kind of work permit you will need:  Canada has many different kinds of work permits, each with its own rules. You will need to find out what kind of work permit you need based on your country of origin, the kind of work you want to do, and how long you want to stay in Canada.

Meet the eligibility standards: Each work pass has rules about who can get it. You will need to meet all the standards for the type of work permit you want. This could mean having a valid passport, a job offer from a Canadian employer, and a certain amount of education or skills.

Try getting a work pass: You can apply for a work permit when you meet the conditions. You can send in your application online or by mail. The application process can take a few months, so starting early is important.

LMIA stands for “Labour Market Impact Assessment.” If you need a Work permit for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), your company will have to apply for one on your behalf. The LMIA is a piece of paper that shows that no Canadians or permanent residents are qualified to do the job you’ve been offered.

Pay the fee for the application: You must pay a fee if you want to get a work permit in Canada. The fee will be different depending on what kind of work pass you want.

Give evidence to support your claims: When you ask for a work permit, you must show proof. Some of these papers could be your passport, a letter offering you a job, a letter of acceptance from a Canadian school, and proof of money.

Wait for someone to decide: Once you’ve submitted your application, you’ll have to wait for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to decide what to do. Work permit applications can take a few weeks to several months to finish.

You should get your work permit:  If your application is accepted, your work pass will be mailed. The time your work permit is good for will be written on the permit.

Validity of IELTS score

The exam results are received within 5 to 7 days. In offline mode, it can extend up to 13 days.

The validity of your IELTS score is 2 years anywhere around the globe. The expiry of the exam results ensures the originality of the exam. As candidates tend to forget things, a higher time might show the false ability of the candidates.

So, while submitting the IELTS exam, you need to ensure that the score is valid for the entire duration of the application processing time.

Tips to score higher in the IELTS Exam

Prospective candidates can use the following tips to score higher in the exam-

Step 1: Know all you can about the exam. Tiny details such as date, time, frequently asked questions, exam format, etc. can surely help you in improving your scores.

Step 2: Work on your vocabulary.

Step 3: Master the art of writing

Step 4: Practice and constantly use ways to improve your English Language skills.

Documents Required For Canada Work Permit

Here is the list of documents that are required for the Canadian work permit that you must know after learning Is IELTS Required for Work Permit in Canada.

• A valid passport
• Two recent passport-sized photographs
• Educational qualification certificates
• Proof of professional qualifications (work experience)
• Proof of  financial resources
• Medical examinations
• Application fee

Eligibility requirements for Canadian Work Permit

Although the eligibility requirements differ with the work permit you are applying for, the general eligibility conditions are as follows-

• Candidates should have enough money to stay in Canada and also return hassle-free.
• Be able to prove to the presiding officer that they will leave as and when the permit expires.
• No criminal records of the applicant
• Candidates shouldn’t pose a threat to the security of Canada
• Candidates should be in good health both physically and mentally
• Candidates shouldn’t be intending to work with an ineligible employer in Canada
• Candidates shouldn’t be wanting to work with an employer offering erotic massages, erotic dances, escort services, or striptease.
• Submit additional documents as required by the officer concerned.

Please note that when applying for a visa outside Canada, you should also check the location-specific requirements.

Other alternatives to IELTS-

Many think Is IELTS required for work permit in Canada? Yes, but you have other alternative exams too.

Certain companies have the scores of an English Language proficiency exam as a requirement. Additionally, other than IELTS, scores of other tests such as TOEFL, CAEL, PTE, etc are also accepted. You can appear for other exams if you don’t want to submit the IELTS score. Although, you will have to check the official website to know the requirements for the work permit.

Another way to skip the IELTS score is to study at a Canadian university that does not give importance to the IELTS score. Then apply for work post-study in Canada itself. 

Conclusion

In this blog, I have answered the most asked question Is IELTS Required for Work Permit in Canada? As most people are always have confusion about this question. 

Also, you can contact our experts if you need any guidance or help regarding the work permit in Canada. I have mentioned every query with an appropriate answer related to the work permit.

For more informative and interesting content like this, keep visiting CourseMentor™.

FAQs