Canadian immigration, changes to proof of language requirements

One of the most important factors contributing to an immigrant’s economic success is the ability to speak one of Canada’s official languages. Under changes to the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Program and the Canadian Experience Class, all new applicants are required to include the results of an English or French language test as part of their application. The language requirements themselves, however, are not changing.

Previously, applicants had the option of proving their language ability through a language test or a written submission. The written submission was intended for people whose first language was English or French. However, non-native English and French speakers frequently used this option – in many cases, using someone else’s writing sample – making it difficult for visa officers to perform an accurate assessment of the applicant’s true language ability.

An independent language test is the fairest, most transparent, objective, consistent and accurate way to evaluate an applicant’s language skills. Language ability will be assessed by accredited testing agencies rather than the visa officer. All applicants are evaluated against the same standards, no matter what their language of origin, nationality or ethnicity.

The change is intended to benefit both immigrants and Canada’s economy by improving the outcomes for newcomers. Research has shown that language proficiency is a key determinant of an immigrant’s labour market success. A 2005 Statistics Canada study found that employment rates for immigrants increased with their ability to speak English and that language proficiency had the biggest impact on their ability to find employment in a high-skilled job or in their intended field.

In addition, skilled workers admitted to Canada under new selection criteria introduced with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) have employment earnings that are as high as double those of skilled workers admitted under the old selection criteria. Much of the increase in wages is attributed to the greater emphasis on stronger official language skills under the selection criteria that accompanied IRPA.

This change also brings Canadian requirements for proof of language proficiency closer to those of other countries. Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, Canada’s main competitors for skilled workers, all require the results of an independent language test. The strong performance of skilled worker immigrants in these countries has been attributed in part to their stringent language requirements.

With the results of a language test, FSW applicants will know before they apply exactly how many points they will be awarded for language ability on the federal skilled worker selection grid. Canadian Experience Class applicants will also know in advance if they meet the minimum language requirements necessary as part of their application. In keeping with the Action Plan for Faster Immigration, processing times are expected to improve because the visa officer simply assigns points based on the language test result instead of taking the time to review a written submission. Finally, many regulatory bodies and industry sectors require language testing or other proof of language assessment, so in taking the test, applicants are one step further on the path to integration into the Canadian labour market.