As of July 1st, 2012, most Provincial Nominee Program applicants in lower skilled occupations (NOC skills C and D) must undergo mandatory language testing to show that they meet minimum language proficiency standards in Canada. In order to submit their Application for Permanent Residence to CIC, they must submit satisfactory language test results.
However, there are some exceptions to the general rule above:
- If foreign workers with NOC C & D skill trades have come to Canada before July 1st, 2012 AND are nominated in a NOC employer-driven stream before July 1st, 2013;
OR
- If applicants applied for a Provincial Nomination Certificate before July 1st, 2012.
To be considered valid, the language test results must be from one the following testing agencies:
•International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (General Training stream);
•Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP-General); or
•Test d’évaluation de français (TEF) (to test proficiency in French).
If you have any individual questions or concerns, please contact our office for more customized consultation for your unique situation. Please note that this posting is for general information only and is not to be considered binding or official legal counsel since situations will vary and can be complicated. The content in this post is current as of the day of entry. Due to the changing nature of Immigration law, the information in this entry may or may not still be applicable.