IELTS is one of the five approved language proficiency tests by the government of Canada for permanent residency purposes. The full form of IELTS is the International English Language Testing System, which is conducted by IDP Education, British Council, and Cambridge English. The organization came into existence in 1980 and since then, it has helped uncountable people live their dream lives, get the desired jobs, and recognition for their hard-earned money.
There are different types of IELTS test but for Canada PR, you must take the General training option. This and more related topics will be cleared subsequently in this blog.
Table of Content
- Why IELTS Is Required
- Minimum IELTS Score For Canada PR
- IELTS Score Requirement for PR Pathways
- IELTS Test Format
- How to Register for the IELTS Test?
- Calculate IELTS Band Score
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Why IELTS Is Required
IELTS assesses a person’s reading, writing, listening and speaking English skills. Many English countries require an immigrant to demonstrate that they can converse in English so as to get on with their day-to-day activities in a foreign country. Even if you are not immigrating to the country, you might want to work for a higher position and that may require you to showcase higher English skills. For these and other reasons, you can take an IELTS test.
Minimum IELTS Score For Canada PR
The minimum IELTS bands you need for Canada PR is 5.0.
There are many ways to apply for Canada PR but one of the fastest ways is to apply through Express Entry. To immigrate through any one of the Express Entry programs, you must score at least CLB level 5 or 5.0 bands in all abilities, except for reading, in which you need a minimum of 4.0 bands. With these many bands, you can qualify for the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).
As we said earlier, IELTS is one of the approved language tests for Canada PR, but it doesn’t mean that you can simply see that you have received 7.0 bands in each ability and you are good to go. Actually, after getting your IELTS test results, you will use the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) to calculate the final scores.
CLB is used to measure the different levels of English proficiency tests so that the different testing approaches can be measured on a similar basis.
Take a look at the table below to understand how to convert your IELTS band score to CLB level.
| CLB level | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking |
| 4 | 3.5 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 6 | 5 | 6 | 5.5 | 6 |
| 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| 8 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 6.5 |
| 9 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 |
| 10 | 8 | 8 | 8.5 | 7.5 |
IELTS Score Requirement for PR Pathways
Here’s the table for minimum IELTS score requirement for different Canada PR pathways:
| PR Program | Minimum CLB Requirement | |
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | TEER 0 & 1 | Level 7 |
| TEER 2 & 3 | Level 5 | |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | First Official Language | Level 7 |
| Second Official Language | Level 5 | |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | Listening & Speaking | Level 5 |
| Reading & Writing | Level 4 | |
| Atlantic Immigration Program | TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 | Level 5 |
| TEER 4 | Level 4 | |
| Agri-Food Pilot | All Abilities | Level 4 |
| Start-up Visa | All Abilities | Level 5 |
| Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) | All Abilities | Level 5 |
| Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) | Without Job Offer | Level 7 |
| TEER 0, 1, 2, 3 | Level 5 | |
| TEER 4 & 5 | Level 4 | |
| Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program (RNIP) | TEER 0 or 1 | Level 6 |
| TEER 2 or 3 | Level 5 | |
| TEER 4 or 5 | Level 4 | |
| Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot (Caregiver program) | All Abilities | Level 5 |
IELTS Test Format
The IELTS test is composed of four sections:
- Listening
- Reading
- Writing
- Speaking
The whole IELTS test can be taken in under 2 hours 45 minutes and online as well. The summary and then detailed information about each format is provided below:
| Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | |
| Time | 40 | 60 | 60 | 11-14 minutes |
| No. of Questions | 40 | 40 | – | – |
| No. of Parts/Section/Task | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Scoring | Each Answer Receives 1 Mark | Each Answer Receives 1 Mark | Task 2 gets you twice the score as Task 1 | – |
1. Listening
The listening section of the IELTS test is composed of 4 parts:
Usual, everyday, social conversation
- Part 1: A usual conversation between two people
- Part 2: Only one person speaking about a topic
Educational and Training Situation
- Part 3: Two people having a conversation
- Part 4: A single person speaking on an educational topic
Each part consists of 10 questions and the accents heard throughout the test are:
- British
- North American
- Australian
- New Zealand
Once you have heard all four recordings, you have 10 minutes to answer the questions and write them on the answer sheet. The examiner will evaluate the answers and may deduct points if they find spelling and grammatical errors.
2. Reading
There are three sections in the Reading section of IELTS test:
- Section 1: Deals with usual, everyday topics
- Section 2: Deals with work-related topics
- Section 3: Deals with general interests of the society, the text is taken from a newspaper, magazine, etc.
3. Writing
The Writing section has two tasks and you need to complete both of them:
- Task 1: Write a letter of 150 words in 20 minutes as a response to a situation
- Task 2: Write 250 words on a problem, argument or point of discussion provided to you in 40 minutes
4. Speaking
The Speaking test will be conducted face-to-face with the examiner. It consists of three parts:
- Describe your family and talk about a similar topic
- The examiner will present a Cue Card and allot you one minute to prepare speaking on it. You must talk about that topic and answer questions as asked by the examiner.
- The examiner will ask more questions about the topic
How to Register for the IELTS Test?
There are three ways by which you can register for IELTS test:
- Online
- By courier
- In person
1. Register Online For IELTS Exam In India
Follow the steps provided below to register for an IELTS General Training test in India:
Step 1 – Visit the official website of IELTS or IELTS IDP and select its “REGISTER FOR IELTS” option. There, choose the GENERAL TRAINING option.
Step 2 – Select the test centre, date and time slot you are comfortable taking the test in.
Step 3 – Fill out the IELTS application form by providing the required details and information. The application form will require you to send a photocopy of your passport, don’t forget that. Once you are done, submit the form.
Step 4 – Pay ₹17,000 and receive an official mail of confirmation of the test.
2. Registering for IELTS By Courier
Here are the steps to register for an IELTS test by courier:
Step 1 – Get the application form by downloading it from the official website or visiting the nearest IELTS branch or Input Node. Provide the required information in the application form.
Step 2 – Along with the application form, provide a photocopy of your passport, sign the Terms & Conditions document and submit them altogether.
Step 3 – There are two ways by which you can pay the IELTS test fee:
a. In the T&C document, you will find a list of approved banks. You can either pay the fee there and attach the Demand Draft with the application, or
b. you may deposit cash in the nearest ICICI bank and attach the original customer copy of the deposit slip
Either way works.
Step 4 – Once you are done, send the form via courier to the nearest IELTS IDP branch office.
3. Steps to Register In-Person
There are two ways to register in-person for IELTS, but first you must visit any IELTS IDP branch office or Input Node:
Option 1
Step 1 – Once you visit the branch office, you can fill out the registration form online on their computer.
Step 2 – Submit a photocopy of passport and a signed Terms & Conditions document.
Step 3 – Pay the fee and your seat will be confirmed immediately as well.
Option 2
Step 1 – Fill the form, attach a signed T&C document, and a photocopy of passport.
Step 2 – Pay the fee via through any of the following methods:
a. Using a credit/debit/ATM card
b. ICICI deposit slip
c. Demand Draft from any approved bank
Step 3 – The staff at the branch will submit your application online. Receive the acknowledgement slip and a tentative seat reservation.
Calculate IELTS Band Score
This is the band scoring system of IELTS. Understand it in detail below:
| Skill Level | Description | |
| 0 | Unanswered Question | You didn’t attempt the question |
| 1 | Non-User | You are only able to use a few words of English language |
| 2 | Intermittent | You had trouble understanding the spoken and written words |
| 3 | Extremely Limited | – You are hardly able to communicate – Could only comprehend a few words, when used in familiar situation |
| 4 | Limited | – You can understand basic meaning but the knowledge is still limited to familiar contexts – You broke down multiple times during expressing yourself |
| 5 | Modest | – You can understand the overall meaning but still make mistakes – Can converse on a topic in their own field |
| 6 | Competent | – You have an effective command over English language, even though you still make some mistakes and misunderstand sometimes – In particular situations, you can understand fairly complex language |
| 7 | Good | – You have operational command over language but there are still inaccuracies at times – Can handle complex language and comprehend detailed reasoning |
| 8 | Very Good | – You have operational command with only few inaccuracies – Only misunderstand a few things in unfamiliar situation |
| 9 | Expert | – You have fully operational command over language – You are fluent, and the way you use English is accurate and appropriate |
How To Calculate Overall IELTS Band Score
To calculate your overall IELTS band score, simply find the average band score of all four abilities and then round it to the nearest half-band.
Is Passport Required For IELTS?
Yes, when you are filing the application form, you are required to provide a photocopy of your passport.
How Much Is IELTS Exam Fee
The IELTS exam in India is ₹17,000.
How many years is the IELTS score valid?
An IELTS test result is valid for two years from the date of the results. When you are applying for Canada PR, make sure that your test results are less than 24 months old and still valid while the PR application is being processed.
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