cecilehenderson

I have just been looking into the hoops that need to be jumped through in order to get permanent residency in Canada. Am I mistaken or do people with english as their 1st language( ie they are british) seriously need to sit an english exam? Please help

segs

Yes
I think you still need to sit an English exam.
Its just a formality...

Tirytory

Yes they do...tbh that's the least of the hoops. The ones obtaining a license to practice are the ones you need to concentrate on.

Stinkypup

Any ideas where you might be thinking about heading?

cecilehenderson

I have my letter of eligibility for Alberta and am just waiting for physicians apply to certify previous SHO posts etc. I can't wait- hopefully I'll be over by September. I think that's pretty crazy about having to sit an english exam - obviously it's a money maker for them

Stinkypup

As TT says, that little hurdle is a given- others are slightly higher! Canadian bureaucracy will astound you. Persevere though, it is well worth it!

scilly

actually being British born of generations of British born doesn't mean that one is necessarily fluent in English


Personally, as a long-time Canadian, I am comforted by the fact that Brits are treated more or less on an equal footing with other applicants.


You will have to learn another language when you get over here ........

....... it's called Canadian English, and in some areas it might be more like American English

names and terms for all manner of things, professionally and in real life, can be quite different


Our medical practice is at a clinic at the university where Family Practitioners do their 2 year residencies ............... the residents I've seen over the last 15 years have come from all over the world, and I've had to educate some of them in Canadianisms, including at least one of the English trained ones

mind you, this clinic believes that patients are part of the educating process

Stinkypup

You cheeky monkey!!
It's not that bad.. You do need to modify your words sometimes, diapers, etc- nothing tricky, you will get mistaken for Ozzies, Kiwis, South Africans- accents clearly are in the ears of the beholder! I think that the OP would agree that a large part of the key to being a good GP is good communication. Whether the buggers are actually listening to exactly what you are saying is another matter!

christmasoompa

A money maker for whom? CIC earn nothing from applicants sitting language exams, it's done by a completely separate entity.

Seems fair enough to me, you'd be amazed at the number of British citizens that barely speak a word of English, so they have the same rule for all applicants to make it equal. As the others have said, that's a very minor hoop to jump in the whole hoop jumping scheme of things! Canadians love their pieces of paper.

Tirytory

You said that in a much more pleasant way than I would have... I decided not to comment!

Gowest

Link from Healthmatch bc which to my mind says I won't have to do an English exam as my medical education at uni was in English

https://www.healthmatchbc.org/Physicians/Family-Physicians-GPs/Licensing.aspx

Which is great. One less hoop to jump. Still about another 50 mind you...

Tirytory

The English exam is for PR application.....not license to practice. My husband did not need it for Ontario either.

cecilehenderson

Unfortunately Gowest I wish you were right. You have pointed out exactly what I have found so ridiculous; that to get licensure you are exempt from having to do ielts if your medical eduction was in english. Most people I'm sure would then think it would normally follow that to get permanent residency that this fact should also exempt you from sitting ielts but it doesn't. Maybe not a money maker for CIC but pointless bureaucracy all the same and a waste of money for english speakers who have previously been told that they are exempt from sitting ielts for licensure.

Tirytory

Nobody is forcing your arm to live or work here... If you think it's all so beaurocratic don't do it...

snoopdawg

Totally agree! Seriously if you think that an English test is bureaucratic, then I would give up now. 7+ years after starting our journey ,we still have hoops to jump, do I mind- no not really, we chose to move, we weren't invited, Canada sets the rules not me. Its been hard work but we are in a better place so I'm grateful.The CPSA etc will also add to your work! We are just about to apply for citizenship, so more hoops/bureaucracy but again, our choice!!!