Most applicants applying for permanent residency only have access to IELTS. CELPIP is an easier alternative, but it's availability is limited to some first-world countries.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced last year that it is considering adding another approved English language test for immigration purposes in 2023. Recently IRCC approved the Pearson Test of English (PTE) as a designated language test. A new English test is coming soon and PTE is estimated to be available to test takers later this year.
PTE offers two versions: PTE Essential and PTE Academic. PTE Essential is similar to the existing PTE Academic test although its focus is on ensuring that test takers English abilities will allow them to successfully settle in Canada and their prospective occupations.
PTE Academic has been an accepted English test for over 90% of Canadian Universities for a number of years now.
PTE Academic is currently offered online. You can take the test at home or in the office, as long as you are in a quiet and private place. It is unsure if PTE Essential will also be offered online as well. Both IELTS and CELPIP tests needs to be taken in person which poses difficulties for test takers in rural areas as they need to travel a fair distance to take the test.
Note that PTE Academic is not accepted for immigration purposes.
The addition of PTE is welcome as it is rumored that IELTS deliberately lowers the score in one section forcing candidates to retake the exam. This can have a significant impact on Express Entry scores as achieving a CLB 9 in all four language abilities can add 75 - 100 additional points depending on your education. Candidates looses these extra points if one of their language abilities is scored lower than a CLB 9 which is why candidates often write the tests several times.
If you've taken your English test and need to know what immigration programs you could qualify for based on your English abilities, book a consultation with our Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant.
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