AlvicBC

HI strangers!!

Well after 13 years and a bit here, we are thinking of applying for citizenship, hubby does not have GCSE/post secondary certificates to prove he is an English speaker. Can he submit his Inter-Provincial Journeyperson Certificates, he has Heavy Duty and Automotive? Or will he have to sit the English exam.

Thanks

Siouxie

I'm unsure, hopefully others will be along to offer advice..
Did he have to take a program / course and sit any exams, both in English or was he assessed based on prior experience and just sat an exam?
Usually it requires a course/program to have been taught in English.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...age-proof.html

AlvicBC

He didn’t take any course, he just went and sat the two Journeyman exams. It was from that link you sent I saw last night them mentioning if you can supple a certificate, which made me wonder would his actual certificates be sufficient, even though there was no schooling, if that makes sense.
He was 37 when we immigrated and had a lifetime of work experience and that’s why he just sat the exams without going to school here as he knew he would pass them. Immigration may think otherwise though lol. We are both born and raised in the UK so he would pass an English test, he just would rather not fork out the money if he doesn’t have to and really has been one of the biggest reasons we never applied yet for citizenship, as he thinks that part is a rip off. 🙄 But I would like to have it over and behind us!

Former Lancastrian

I would say NO it isn't proof for Citizenship purposes.

AlvicBC

ok!! Thanks for this! I’ll just book him the English test and he’ll have to do it and that’s it lol.

Siouxie

In that case I would say that they wouldn't count - he would need to have attended a course given in English and then passed an exam, taken in English.
He might find CELPIP General is cheaper
https://www.celpip.ca/take-celpip/overview/
No guarantees about getting high marks just because you are from the UK, by the way - most people have to practice online for a while before taking it.

Alternatively, he could take any part time course (given in English) that results in a certificate or diploma - check out the local colleges

AlvicBC

See this was his point if all they ask for is a certificate as a result of a course, wouldn’t the Journeyperson One suffice lol. Men!

SanDiegogirl

Just an enquiry ..... Did you have to prove you were an English speaker when you applied to emigrate to Canada?
If so, could you not use that proof?
If not asked, strange that they should ask for it now for citizenship

When I emigrated to the US my proof of being born and bred in the UK (passport) was proof I was an English speaker.

Siouxie

This isn't the US

For Canadian Citizenship the requirement to prove your ability to speak English or French applies to everyone, unless you are over 55. Not everyone born in the UK can speak, understand, write and read English well
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...age-proof.html

Good point about proof of English for Immigration - unfortunately some streams didn't require proof of English.. it would depend on when they immigrated - if they have it then yes, they could use that.

AlvicBC

Hi! No there was no such requirement 14 years ago when we applied for our work permits. I actually don’t think the English requirement for citizenship was there then either, though I could very well be wrong and that has always been a requirement.