F1001

Hi,

I am completing my skilled workers application pack and they say you have to provide test results to prove your proficiency in your canadian official language otherwise the app will be returned - I was born in the UK and completed up to post-grad studies in english therefore, it is my native language - so I still have to take the IELTS test??

Additionally, I am moderately proficient in french - should I risk waiting to complete the TEF exam in October or should I just send the app off asap before the cap for my NOC category gets filled?

Thanks!

JonboyE

Yes. Every principal applicant must take the test.

If you don't need the points then it makes sense to get your application in as soon as possible. You don't get any benefit from having more than 67 points.

Geordie Lass

Hi

My husband has his test in a couple of weeks.

I would try and book this as quickly as you can - they fill up quickly (there were only 5 places left when I booked his place and that was over a month before the date of the test) and they are only every few weeks across different areas in the country.

Seems crazy to me... we are both in our late 30s and brought up in England - why he needs an English test is beyond me??

Also - you need passport photos for the application so you'll need to sort that out aswell.

Hope this helps!

x

Aviator

There are people in the UK, like elsewhere who don't speak the language as a mother tongue, if at all. Hard as it is to figure, some people lie on their application. There has a to be a uniform system for it to be manageable.

Geordie Lass

Yeah we figured as much and we also figured they want photos so that you can't get someone else to take the test for you... no flies on us!...

Simon Legree

Having read many posts on this website it is quite apparent that many born and bread Brits have difficulty wiv ritin an such. If they fink ver english is good why do they fear the test.

CanadaJimmy

It's not so much about fear, I think it's more that you have to drop $300 to take the damn thing.

james.mc

Prior to the language test I believe that the only proof required, as a sign of language proficiency, was a letter in either French or English.

I wrote my own, by way offering a brief history of my Construction background. Rather than create a letter on a random subject, the subject matter I chose made sense as I applied under the FSW scheme as a construction manager.

Not hard to imagine how many of those types of language proficiency letters were cooked up in the past by 'professional' letter writers to accompany applications for those applicants who could barely speak/read/write English, if at all.

I feel that the new(ish) idea (in effect since late June 2010) is a fairer way of doin it rite Jon.

No matter which country you hail from, nor what your first language may be, it's pretty hard to cook the results of a language test administered by a certified authority.

Take the test... it's not an option. Querying the idea is, but it'll be a waste of time methinks. The cost is way OTT I agree.

MillieF

Waggle

Under which NOC are you considering applying?

If you look at the "Projections" tab on this spreadsheet you can see how the NOCs filled up last year, which might give you a good indication as to how quickly the NOC will fill this year.

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AiJy8Qu8lcQbdGxiSnNhME5sVi1uRlZtUWNhOEFwe mc&hl=ar&authkey=CLDXsFA#gid=6

Please bare in mind that the NOC cap is 500 this year, not 1000.

Best of luck,
Wayne.