One of the most important requirements for Canadian permanent residence is being proficient with either of the two Canadian official languages, that is the French or the English language. You are required to know how to speak, listen, read, and write fluently in either English or French language. This would help improve your score in the express entry pool and also help you obtain a Canadian permanent resident faster.
Proof of language proficiency is usually required and one of the accepted language test proof in Canada is the International English Test system. The IELTS Is an English test exam that English speaking immigrants who wish to immigrate to Canada will have to write and pass before they become eligible for a PR. If you want to know the best way to get a high IELTS score on your first on the first sitting, then you should check out our IELTS workbook that gives you a complete guide to prepare fully.
Immigrants who wish to study, work, live, and obtain Canada PR must hit a certain score in this test in other to stand a chance. The IELTS is so important that when you fail, you will not be allowed to receive a PR even if you meet other requirements. Each program you apply for in Canada has its own language requirements, however, having a good IELTS score of CLB7 and above will put your application at the top of the queue.
Learn ho other immigrants are scoring CLB 7 and above in their IELTS exam here and score high on one sitting.
The IELTS Minimum score required to Get Canada Permanent Resident Permit
The minimum score for most immigration programs in Canada differs depending on what you are applying for. For a study permit the minimum IELTS score will depend on the university you are applying for, and the general IELTS minimum score for a student visa. For a work visa or temporary resident permit, the program you applying from will state clearly the requirement required.
The English test is divided into 4 different categories listening, reading, writing, and speaking. If you score a minimum of 6 points for each category, your Comprehensive Language Benchmark (CLB) will be 7 points. And if you score a minimum of 7 or 8 points for each category, you will have a CLB of 8 and 9 points respectively.
The federal express entry program and a host of other immigration programs in Canada create a pathway for immigrants who wish to work and become permanent residents in Canada. And the ay the express entry works is that you receive points for each requirement you meet for instance you receive 10 points for work experience and depending on the language test score you obtain, you can receive another 6 points if you have a CLB score of 10 and above, 5 and 4 points for a CLB score 8 or 7 respectively. You will receive zero points for any CLB score below 6.0
CLB Level and IELTS Scores
| CLB score | Points per category | Listening | Reading | Speaking | Writing |
| 6 and below | 0 | 1 -5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| 7 | 4 | 6.0 – 7.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| 8 | 5 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| 9 | 6 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| 10 and higher | 6 | 8.5 and above | 8.5 and above | 8.5 and above | 8.5 and above |
To hit a high IELTS score and pass the English test at first sitting, you must prepare very well for it and the best way to do that is to familiarize yourself with the exam and the questions. Check out our IELTS Workshop to help you prepare better and become more confident when you write the exam.