Is IELTS Required for Canada Work Permit?: Format, Eligibility, Documents Required

Individuals looking to work in Canada have to apply for a Canada Work Permit, also known as Work Visa. This visa is issued by the Government of Canada to foreign individuals so that they can work in the country for a specific time.

Individuals can apply for one type of work permit among ‘Employer Specific Work Permit’ and ‘Open Work Permit’. If individuals opted for ‘Employer Specific Work Permit’, they can work in Canada as per conditions available on the work permit, but in the latter one, individuals can work can with any eligible employer in Canada. There is a lot confusion around is IELTS required for Canada work permit. The answer is yes, but it is also necessary if applying you’re for a Canada PR visa.

What is IELTS? 

The International English Language Testing System assesses the candidate’s ability to effectively communicate in English. There are primarily four factors that are taken into consideration while assessing the candidate’s English proficiency- reading, writing, listening and speaking. This evaluation is done through band score that ranges from 1 to 9, whereby 9 is the highest. Moreover, IELTS is accepted by 11,000 organizations worldwide and is primarily of two types- Academic and General Training. Students who aspire to pursue higher education can opt for IELTS Academic. On the other hand, those who wish to enrol in below degree level or wish to migrate for employment purposes can chose General Training. 

IELTS Exam Format 

IELTS contains four segments: reading, writing, listening and speaking. These sections must be completed within a stipulated word limit. The reading, writing and listening must be taken in the same day, whereas the speaking is given on the other day. It is a face to face interview and spans for 11-14 minutes.

Reading Candidates must answer 40 questions in 60 minutes and are of various types such as: multiple choice, True, False, Not Given, identify the claim of a writer, matching headings, sentence completion, summary, note, table, flow-chart, diagram and short-answer questions. It mainly evaluates the candidate’s ability to summarise, key ideas, recognising the writer’s perspective. 

Writing Candidates must finish two tasks. For Academic Task 1 requires them to present an overview of the graph, table, chart or a diagram. They must highlight the key features. For Task 2, candidates must write an essay as a response to a statement made. 

On the other hand for General Training, candidates must write a letter for Task 1. For the second task, they must justify their opinion. Nevertheless, candidates must be aware of the marking scheme. It is divided into four essential parts: 

• Response to the task– Here, the student will be assessed based on meeting all the task requirements. It includes the information provided, their perspective, and answering all parts of the questions. 
• Vocabulary usage- Here, the usage of vocabulary, spellings, implementation of collocations, word formation is determined. 
• Range of grammar and accuracy- This tests the candidate’s ability to use tenses, sentence construction, punctuations, and a combination of simple and compound sentences. 
• Coherence and Cohesion– The candidate is marked on the usage of linking words, paraphrasing skills, and connectors. Furthermore, the number of paragraphs written is also taken into account. 

Listening Students must listen to four recordings and answer questions accordingly. Thus, candidates can appear for IELTS, a standard and accepted English test for Canada immigration, to prove their English language skills.Additionally, if an applicant is 18 to 44 years of age, they must meet the Canadian Language Benchmarks Level 4 or higher in either English or French. Thus, it is important to have an English language test for Canada immigration. 

Speaking The speaking section remains the same for both Academic and General IELTS. It tests whether the candidate can communicate in English effectively with the native English speakers. The total time for the test is approximately 11-14 minutes and the syllabus is underlined below: 

Part 1- Introductionand interview First and foremost, the candidates will introduce themselves. The examiner asks questions around generic topics such as family, education, hobbies and professional life. This session stretches to 4-5 minutes. 

Part 2– Individual talk Here candidates are given cue cards on which they must speak least for 2 minutes. The test-taker can also make notes on the topic and must do so within the preparation time. They can write the keywords down and elaborate on the points while speaking. After the stipulated time, follow-up questions are asked on the same topic. In this section, the candidate’s ability to communicate without any pause is assessed along with their language usage. This session is generally 3-4 minutes. 

Part 3– Long discussion Candidates now have to discuss in-depth about the topic given in the cue card. However, more abstract issues will be discussed and may involve asking questions such as: 

• What makes the subject important, according to you? 
• Related questions to the topic 

The main focus of the task is to assess whether the candidate is able to justify their opinions and if they are able to elaborate on the issue. This session stretches to 4-5 minutes. 

Importance of IELTS Required for Canada Work Permit

Individuals can also immigrate to Canada through Express Entry. This is primarily meant for skilled immigrants looking to settle in Canada permanently and can take part in Canada’s economic growth.  However, candidates have to provide a range of documents for express entry and a good score in IELTS  can substantially boost a candidate’s chances for being selected for Express Canada entry. Finally, it is evident that apart from other eligibilities concerned, IELTS is also required for Canada work permit. So, may it be for a work visa or a PR, one must consider providing the IELTS score, as this will significantly boost an applicant’s candidature for a visa. 

Eligibility for Canadian Work Permit Visa  

Before application, individuals have to meet certain eligibilities first. Although the eligibilities depend on the type of work visa an individual is applying for, but they have to meet these compulsory eligibilities first – 

1. Individuals have to have that they have enough money to sustain themselves in Canada and to return home. 
2. Prove to the concerned officer that he/she will leave Canada after the work permit expires. 
3. Applicants shouldn’t have any criminal record. 
4. Candidates shouldn’t be a danger to Canada’s security. 
5. They should be in good mental and physical health. 
6. Applicants shouldn’t have any plans to work for an employer listed as ‘ineligible’ in ’employers who failed to comply with the conditions.  
7. Candidates shouldn’t have any plan to work for an employer that offers erotic dance, striptease, erotic massages or escort services. 
8. Provide any additional documents concerning officer demands. 

If applicants are looking to apply for a work visa from outside Canada, they need to check visa-specific requirements depending on the location of the application.

Documents Required for Canada Work Permit Visa 

Applicants looking to apply for a Canada Work Visa must arrange a few documents required for application. The list of documents required are listed below – 

1. Passport
2. Proof of work experience and professional qualifications
3. Two photographs, along with accompanying family members
4. Proof of available funds
5. Educational qualification documents 
6. Proof showing an applicant fulfilled the applied job requirement.
7. Certificat D’Acceptation du Quebec (if applicable).
8. Proof of evidence of relationship with a common-law partner, children, and spouse.
9. Completed application forms of IMM 5645, IMM 5488, IMM 5476, and IMM 5409.

Besides these documents, candidates might also check if IELTS is required for a Canada work permit beforehand. Additionally, they might also require submitting additional documents, so it is advised to review this requirement from the official website. 

Types of Canadian Work Permit 

Canada offers two types of work permit: Open Work permit and Employer Specific Work Permit.

Open Work Permit This permit allows individuals to work for any Canadian employer except – 

• Who regularly offers jobs related to erotic dance and massages, escort services or striptease, and  
• Who is listed ineligible in ‘the list of employers who have failed to comply with the conditions.’ 

However, applicants can only apply for an open work permit if an applicant – 

• is graduated from a designated academic institution and is eligible for a post-graduation work permit 
• is a student can’t able to meet the cost of studies
• has applied for PR in Canada
• has applied for an employer-specific work permit and got abused or at a risk of getting abused at the job in Canada
• is a spouse or a common-law partner of a student or a skilled worker
• has dependent who applied for a PR in Canada
• have a spouse, or common-law partner applied for the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
• is a refugee, protected person, refugee claimant, or family member
• are a temporary resident permit holder
• are a younger worker participating in special programs

Although all conditions are listed above, candidates are advised to check these pointers before application. 

Employer-specific Work Permit The employer-specific work permit allows individuals to work in Canada as per conditions mentioned in the work permit. It includes – 

• Duration of work
• Name of the employer a candidate can work for
• Location (if applicable)

Dependent Work Visa for Canada This dependent work visa allows dependents to work or study in Canada. According to Canada Dependent Visa, an applicant can sponsor – 

• Conjugal partner or spouse or common-law partner
• Dependents grandparents or parents
• Children under 21 years of age
• An adopted child outside Canada, when the applicant has Canadian citizenship or PR
• Close relatives of the applicant such as a niece, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, nephew or other close relatives

Document Required for Dependent Work Visa for Canada  

Here is the list of documents required to apply for a dependent work visa – 

• Travel history and passport
• Partner/spouse document and marriage certificate (if applicable)
• Background documentation
• Proof of Relationship
• Income proof if sponsor to display adequate financial resources
• Application and fee

Candidates can also apply for Canadian citizenship to stay and work in Canada. However, to apply for citizenship, applicants must – 

• be a permanent resident
• have resided for at least 3 years in Canada, out of 5 years (1,095 days). 
• passed citizenship test
• have paid taxes (if applicable)
• proof of English language skill or French

Conclusion

Candidates can appear for IELTS, a standard and accepted English test for Canada immigration, to prove their English language skills.Additionally, if an applicant is 18 to 44 years of age, they must meet the Canadian Language Benchmarks Level 4 or higher in either English or French. Thus, it is important to have an English language test for Canada immigration. Additionally, individuals can also immigrate to Canada through Express Entry. This is primarily meant for skilled immigrants looking to settle in Canada permanently and can take part in Canada’s economic growth. Candidates should also note that they also need IELTS for Express Canada entry. Finally, it is evident that apart from other eligibilities concerned, IELTS is also required for Canada work permit. So, may it be for a work visa or a PR, one must consider providing the IELTS score, as this will significantly boost an applicant’s candidature for a visa.