What is the Minimum IELTS Score Required for Canada Immigration?

If you are considering studying abroad or pursuing opportunities in other countries, you might have heard of the standard IELTS exam. But, what is IELTS?

What is IELTS?

The International English language testing system (IELTS) is the most well-known standardized English proficiency test across the globe. The IELTS is developed by leading language assessment experts and is taken by millions of individuals seeking higher education every year.

This comprehensive English proficiency exam assesses your English skills in every aspect: writing, reading, speaking, and listening. The IELTS is a thorough demonstration of your ability to use English to study, at work, and in your everyday life abroad.

The IELTS is recommended for anyone hoping to further their education and expand on skills in English dominant countries such as Australia, Canada, UK, USA, and New Zealand. The exam is recognized and accepted by universities, employers, immigration officers and other professional organizations.

IELTS Test Format

The IELTS test format is broken down into four categories: speaking, writing, listening and reading. There are two versions of the exam, tailored for either academic or general training. The total exam time is 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Listening and speaking categories are the same for both exam types; however, the subject matter for reading and writing varies depending on if you are interested in academic or general testing.

Reading, writing and listening categories of the exam are all written on the same day with no intermediate breaks. The speaking component can be completed within a week before or after the other tests, according to your testing organization.

What is the Minimum IELTS Score Required for Canada Immigration?

For each program under Express Entry, there are different IELTS score required. Below are three tables that specify the IELTS score results in each of the four categories and how it translates to your Canadian Level Benchmark (CLB) level.

 

Federal Skilled Worker Program – IELTS – First Official Language (Maximum: 24 points)

CLB Level	Speaking	Listening	Reading	Writing	Points per Ability
7	6.0	6.0 – 7.0	6.0	6.0	4
8	6.5	7.5	6.5	6.5	5
9	7.0	8.0	7.0	7.0	6
10+	7.5 – 9.0	8.5 – 9.0	8.0 – 9.0	7.5 – 9.0	6

---

 Federal Skilled Trades Program – IELTS 

CLB Level	Listening	Reading	Writing	Speaking
10+	8.5 – 9.0	8.0 – 9.0	7.5 – 9.0	7.5 – 9.0
9	8.0	7.0	7.0	7.0
8	7.5	6.5	6.5	6.5
7	6.0	6.0	6.0	6.0
6	5.5	5.0	5.5	5.5
5	5.0	4.0	5.0	5.0
4	4.5	3.5	4.0	4.0

---

Canadian Experience Class – IELTS 

NOC	CLB Level	Listening	Reading	Writing	Speaking
0, A	10+	8.5 – 9.0	8.0 – 9.0	7.5 – 9.0	7.5 – 9.0
0, A	9	8.0	7.0	7.0	7.0
0, A	8	7.5	6.5	6.5	6.5
0, A	7	6.0	6.0	6.0	6.0
B	6	5.5	5.0	5.5	5.5
B	5	5.0	4.0	5.0	5.0

IELTS Listening Tips

The listening portion of the exam is 30 minutes, where you will listen to four recordings of native English speakers. The recordings will feature conversations, a monologue, an educational speaking, and a lecture.  You will write your answers by hand, and later assessed on your ability to comprehend main conversational ideas, information, opinions, attitudes and idea development.

The best IELTS listening tips are to practice reading comprehension beforehand, and carefully read questions before you begin listening! Training yourself to read context clues before you listen will help you hear the information you are listening for. There is often spoken clues in words and phrases that will guide you to the questions you need to answer.

IELTS Writing Tips

The writing portion of the exam is 60 minutes and topics vary depending on the exam format.

If you are taking the academic test, topics will pertain to undergraduate and postgraduate studies, or professional programs. Task 1 is to summarize a graph, table, diagram, or chart. You may need to describe data, trends or visuals. Task 2 requires you to write an essay in response to a problem, argument, or point of view. This written response requires a formal style and proper grammar.

Academic IELTS Writing Tips: Always include a conclusion at the end of your passage that summarizes your main points, and closes off your thoughts. Make sure words flow concisely.

The general training test will also focus on two tasks. Task 1 is to explain a situation or a letter request, which may be presented formally or in a personal style. Task 1 is to write a point of view essay in response to a problem, argument, or point of view. This section can be written in a personal format.

General IELTS Writing Tips: Always express your point of view as clearly as possible. Do not copy words or phrases that will not be included in your final word count. Using descriptive words for your thoughts provides a readable and personalized essay.

IELTS Speaking Tips

The listening portion of the exam is 11-14 minutes, and consists of three parts. During Part 1 the examiner will ask you general questions about work, family, home, studies, and personal interests.  Questions will last about five minutes. For Part 2, you will be given a card with a question about a general topic. You have one minute to prepare before speaking about the topic for up to two minutes.  You will be asked a few further questions regarding the topic. Part 3 contains further questions regarding the topic in Part 2. You will be able to further discuss ideas and issues for about five minutes.

The best IELTS speaking tips are to practice speaking English out loud as much as possible and listen to yourself! Take advantage of every opportunity to have verbal conversations with friends, colleagues and teachers. The more confident you are with your speaking abilities the easier verbal comprehension becomes.

There are no right or wrong answers on the speaking test, so take your time, express your thoughts and use proper English!

IELTS Reading Tips

The IELTS reading portion is 60 minutes long, and is comprised of 40 questions that test multiple reading skills. You must be able to pick up detailed information, skim read, comprehend opinions and arguments and summarize ideas.

The academic test includes three long texts that can range from factual to analytical context. Scripts are taken from magazine, newspapers, journals or books. They are selected at a skill level for individuals entering university or seeking professional designation.

The General Reading test includes articles from books, newspapers, magazines, advertisements, or guidelines. These materials are meant for everyday exposure and comprehension.

The number one IELTS reading test tip is to practice! Speed is not the determinant in a successful exam, rather skillful reading that allows you to pick up on critical words, ideas and general context. All the information you need to answer the questions are included in the text, so take your time and find the answer!

IELTS Success

To pass the IELTS exam, you need a minimum overall score of 6.5, with a minimum score of 6.0 in each category for the Academic test. Minimum accepted scores vary depending on institution requirements.

If you want to succeed on the IELTS test, follow these tips and guidelines to master your English skills and begin your journey to success. Preparing for every exam section in advance will fully prepare you and give you the confidence to ace the exam and score the highest marks!

Are you looking to apply for the Express Entry program? Contact the Immigration Law Office of Ronen Kurzfeld to give your application the best chance at acceptance.

 

How Trump’s Immigration Bill Compares to Canada’s Merit-Based Immigration System

Trump has recently announced his support for the RAISE Act, a bill that will radically change the US immigration system.  If this bill passes, skilled workers will be favoured over entire families seeking reintegration. Immigration would limit non-English speakers, halt family sponsorships, and discount less skilled workers.

This merit-based immigration system is inspired by Canada’s immigration policies, and Trump is adamant that replacing the current American legal immigration protocol with a merit-based system will increase national citizen wages and provide significant taxpayer savings.

Canada’s Merit Based Immigration System

Canada’s points-based immigration system is weighted on needed skills and educational aptitude.   Points are awarded for language proficiency, age, education, and job offers.

Canada has implemented a non-immigrant visa for parents of citizens, viable for 10 years.  This stipulation carries ineligibility for federal, provincial, and local benefits, and the sponsor is responsible for the maintenance of the parent. This allows families permanent residence status, while sponsors are fiscally responsible, as opposed to government welfare programs.

The United States currently accepts ten times as many immigrants as Canada. Canada does not utilize a diversity green card lottery as the US does.  Eliminating the green card lottery results in 50,000 fewer approved immigrants, mirroring the more stringent points-based system Canada follows.

Canada currently accepts 20,000-50,000 refugees every year.  While this policy still meets concerns from many critics, the RAISE Act would cap American refugee admittance to 50,000.

The RAISE Act uses Canada’s merit-based immigration system as a guideline, with significant revisions that tailor to economic issues and population pressures the US is facing.

What Can a Merit-Based Immigration System do for the United States?

The current US immigration system favours moving entire family members into the country regardless of age, education or financial stability. Under the current US immigration system, around one million foreign immigrants are granted legal permanent residence a year. The proposed RAISE Act could reduce that number of legal immigrants to around 500,000.

Green cards are offered through family sponsorship, job offers, humanitarian need, or the green-card lottery selection. Most green cards are offered through family sponsorships, and the current cap on family based immigration is 480,000. A points-based system could reduce this number to 88,000. A merit-based system would eliminate parents from immediate legibility for immigration, known as ‘chain migration’.

The RAISE Act proposes a non-immigrant visa that mirrors Canada’s family sponsor program, although the visa would be eligible for 5 years as opposed to 10.  Neither the Canadian or American programs has visa quotas attached; however, it would effectively change American family immigration dynamics and economic burden.

Presently, the lowest percent of green cards are issued on an employment precedent. Following a merit-based system, points are weighted towards English proficiency, advanced degrees, natural average income, and high achievements that increase employability.

A points-based immigration system strategically selects immigrants that enhance the county’s economy more effectively in comparison to less direct government involvement. This system allows the government to categorize desirable traits for immigrants, and weigh characteristics by assigning points.  The overall goal of a points based system is to weed out financially unstable, less-educated immigrants who have a propensity to rely on welfare or compete for lower class working jobs.

Prospective immigrants are prioritized based on skills and economic need.  A points-based system favours the immigrants who have higher educational training and work in industries that make higher net contributions.

There is no doubt adopting a merit-based system would be a historic change to American immigration dynamics, with intertwining moral issues that Americans are supporting in recent polls. Trump has repeatedly stated that progressing towards a merit-based immigration system protects workers, taxpayers, and the economy.

What other Countries Follow a Merit-Based System?

An immigration program that favours applicant with desirable skills has been implemented by countries such as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand half a century ago. While no one country selects immigrants exclusively through a points-based system, a merit based immigration system focuses on skills and education, as well as immigrants based on family connections and humanitarian reasons.

These countries realize that college-educated immigrants might perform under par to natives at the same skill level, and their respective legal immigration points systems have been adjusted to allow employers to prioritize immigrants who have passed a points threshold.

The Future of US Immigration

If the RAISE Act is passed, the American legal immigration structure would drastically change. The pros and cons of a merit based immigration system must be considered.

Immigration advocacy groups, such as Numbers USA and the Federation of Immigration Reform, praise reduced immigration efforts, supporting a new-age system that spurs economic growth through younger skilled workers. Economists claim a system based on skilled immigration will not likely affect wages on less-skilled native workers; however, significant scrutiny has been vocalized over native displacement to foreign skilled workers.

Trump is adamant that the RAISE Act will address the “compassion for struggling American families that deserve an immigration system that puts their needs first”.  Regardless of administration politics, the immigration debate is essential dialogue occurring in America.

The bill is facing an uphill resistance in Congress, due to the sizable Democrats who outwardly deject passing the RAISE Act. However, with the White House currently working with Cotton and Perdue on legislation policies, a merit-based immigration movement that mirrors Canada seems increasingly realistic and is a good starting point for open discussions on immigration reform.

Are you or someone you know seeking work permits, permanent residence or Canada Express Entry? Contact the Immigration Law Office of Ronen Kurzfeld to help perfect your application.

New Job Match Service Requires Employers to Invite Applicants

 

Changes in the law are to come into effect on August 28th for companies that are looking to employ foreign workers. Companies that look for employees through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) will now be required to invite any candidates, who have the right compatibility rating through the Canada Job Bank, to apply for the position.

For those who are hiring a foreign worker through the TFWP, this adds an extra step into the process. The new feature is called the Job Match service and is aimed at helping to protect Canadian citizens or permanent residents by ensuring that there is no-one suitable for the positions within the country before offering a position to a foreign worker.

Jobs in Canada for Immigrants

Before any foreign worker can take a position of employment in Canada, the potential employer must obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). These new rules affect both high-wage and low-wage LMIA applications. The LMIA process involves the checking that the position cannot be filled by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and only once that the LMIA application has been passed, a business is then able to hire a foreign person for the role.

The Job Match service presents a number of anonymous profiles of the registered person on the Canadian Job Bank to a potential employer. The profiles presented will be those who have matching skills and experience as stipulated in the prospective employer`s posting. The job match service works with a star system – which each potential candidate earning one to five stars depending on their compatibility – with five being very compatible.

Although both high-wage and low-wage jobs will be affected by the changes, the regulations differ slightly. For high-wage positions (for those who offer a pay of above the provincial / territorial average wage) they will be required to invite candidates with four stars or more, within 30 days of the job appearing on Job Bank to apply for the position.
For low-wage jobs (for those who offer a pay of below the provincial / territorial average wage), the invite must be sent to those with a two star or more compatibility rating, within 30 days of the posting on Job Bank.

LMIA Exceptions

There are a few jobs in Canada for immigrants that don’t require an LMIA and these are dealt with by the International Mobility Program (IMP). They are usually based around government initiatives and are usually the only way to obtain employment without entering the LMIA process.

There are certain industries in certain parts of the country which do not require them to advertise within these guidelines. The Global Talent Stream is an example where employees in the tech and IT sector can bring in workers from around the world, quickly. The province of Quebec also has a list of jobs which don’t require advertising from employers.

If your work is deemed to bring “significant social or cultural benefit” to Canada, you may also be allowed to be exempt from the LMIA process.

Requirements for Advertising

As part of the new changes, people offering employment will be required to advertise positions on Job Bank and with two other recruitment methods which are consistent with the position that is being advertised. If you have a provincial or territorial job board, you may advertise there. But you must also advertise on the national Canadian Job Bank.

Service Canada, the Canadian Government department who oversees the LMIA process, still haven’t outlined whether employers will be required to interview all of the candidates who have followed up on their invite and applied for the job, however.

Hiring a foreign worker through the TFWP is becoming a slightly longer process, but it does help the country to deal with labour shortages in the right way, ensuring that Canadian citizens and permanent residents get first priority in applying for positions.

For help or more information about the TFWP, please get in touch with the Immigration Law Office of Ronen Kurzfeld today.

Best immigration lawyer in Canada

Immigrants in Canada are required to adhere to certain very strict guidelines before they are granted the citizen status. To start with, for one to be allowed to apply for the citizenship, they have to be 18 years and above and they also have to have been given the permanent resident status.

To add onto that, the permanent resident must have resided in Canada for a minimum of three years and they should be able to fluently speak French or English. There is also a cost that is associated with getting this citizenship. Children will normally be charged $100 while the adults will have to part with $200. The entire process is also a long one and takes between 12 and 18 months to complete.

Many of the immigrants to the developed countries usually have the hope of being granted citizenship in their host countries. This is so they can get the chance to enjoy the rights and privileges that come with being citizens of those countries. This process however takes a longer time than is desirable. There are a number of requirements that need to be met before these immigrants can be granted the citizen status. The same applies to citizenshipand immigration in Canada.

All of the developed countries do have stringent processes that applicants have to follow before they can become citizens; it is not an exception to Canada. The entire process might seem very frustrating and hard but it really is not. The key to easily succeeding in it is making sure that you are a straight individual and you have as much information as possible on the process beforehand. There are quite a number of resources that can provide you with the required information such as the Ronen Kurzfeld Law Website.

The government is also working hard to ensure that its citizens are well taken care of and it has provided great funded social and health care structures that provide for employment insurance and family allowance. Statistics actually show that residents and citizens of Canada have the highest standards of living and life expectancy.

Canada as a country has these notable cities; Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. Montreal has the reputation of the second biggest French speaking city worldwide after Paris, Toronto on the other hand has been ranked as the fifth most popular, busiest and largest city in North America and the third one Vancouver has been rated among the most livable cities worldwide. The United Nations has also ranked Canada as the highest recommended country to immigrate to and also the best place to reside in.

Ronen Kurzfeld law firm employs legal team

It is known to many that Canada is highly recognized for being a home to countless of immigrants. For a fact, it is considered as an excellent location to reside in and it has one of the highest numbers of immigration rate annually with more than three hundred new immigrants that decide to live in Canada. Evidently, one of the reasons why this place is one of the most popular options for immigrants is that you are guaranteed to delight in a serene way of life, there are employment opportunities and there is respect, tolerance and cultural diversification. Needless to say, these are some of the valuable factors that immigrants look for in a place where they choose to start new life with their loved ones.

Be that as it may, residing or deciding to immigrate in Canada could be a tough and convoluted process. It is a good thing that there are a number of reputable and reliable lawyers in this region that can provide you all the assistance you need in order to process your documents and be settled in Canada. RonenKurzfeld Immigration Lawyeremploys legal teams as well as experienced lawyers who have devoted long years of vast experience, expertise and deep knowledge to accordingly guide and assist clients to uncover the appropriate solution to any forms of legal immigration process.

In addition, the strength as well as the benefits of this immigration firm is its exhaustive knowledge of not solely how immigration law and system functions but also how the policy of immigration is carried out and the significance it has on processing.

More than that, this law firm comes with expertise and vast experience when it comes to helping clients with regards to their immigration problems or concerns. Essentially, this firm is consulted by diverse law firms and they consult with them on arduous immigration appeals, cases, federal court issues and some other immigration problems.

It is such good news that with superior quality legal and immigration service, clients need not worry about spending lavishly on their cases since this law firm offers affordable legal fees to their most valued clients.

Canadian Immigration Lawyer Ronen Kurzfeld

Are you a foreign student looking forward to taking your bachelor’s degree in a Canadian university? Are you planning to seek a Canadian citizenship once you complete your studies in Canada? There is a place you can get bespoke immigrations services. Canadianimmigration lawyer, Ronen Kurzfeldand his team of experienced lawyers is reputed for helping foreign students acquire all of the following services.

• Application for Citizenship

Finally, Ronen’s law firm is ever ready to help any foreign student looking forward to obtain full Canadian citizenship as they continue to study do so. The lawyer is especially good at the service and will help work on the citizenship quest without disrupting your studies.

• Find out your eligibility to study in Canada

There are several requirements anyone hoping to study in Canada must have. Some of these requirements may look a bit obvious, but others are not. Immigration lawyer, Ronen Kurzfeld can however, take you through the whole process of finding out how eligible you are to study at a school or college in Canada. He will help you know the exceptions where you don’t need a student visa to study in Canada, and what types of visas you should have for the various levels of studies in the country.

• Extending Study permits

Working with a great lawyer can help quicken your student visa extension process. A good lawyer will gather your documents, prepare them and submit an application for your student visa to be extended early enough before your current visa expires. A law firm, with experienced and qualified lawyers like Ronen, will also help you change your student visa when you graduate from high school to college in the quickest time possible. And in case you lose your student status, the lawyer will also help you regain your student status in the quickest time possible.

• How to work as a student in Canada

If there is an exemplary student visa immigration lawyeryou should consider hiring in Canada, it is Ronen Kurzfeld. When you are planning to work and study at the same time, you will need a good lawyer to guide you through the requirements you must meet. Ronen Kurzfeld, through his law firm has a great reputation of helping foreign students find work permits in Canada. He has the resources and the full understanding of the Canadian law, through which he can also help you get work permits for your spouse as well.

Find out your eligibility to study in Canada

One of the top immigration law firms in Canada is RonenKurzfeld law firm. People suffering from legal or immigration problems are assured to obtain the best possible legal or immigration solution since lawyers in this firm as highly recognized for being one of the most outstanding lawyers in Canada. Lawyers here are licensed to practice immigration law in Canada. So, if you wish to study, work or reside in this region, it is possible for you to settle your immigration documents and other requirements right away without much hassle.

This law firm has a team of skilled and professional lawyers who have many times represented countless of businesses, individuals and families on refugee cases and immigration laws all through Canada, US and globally. So, if you seriously require assistance or in need of legal advice about your permanent or temporary resident application, refugee status claims, immigration concerns and immigration appeal that need urgent attention, then you will mostly benefit from this law firm’s professional and reliable legal consultation and top-drawer service standards and a client service that is certified result-oriented.

The delighting news is that whatever your legal or immigration concerns are, you can get the professional legal assistance you badly need urgently without the need for you to worry about spending all your savings since this law firm offers affordable legal fees.

To boot, the Canada immigration process can be truly intricate and taxing. So, when you are in this very convoluted process, of course, you will prefer to have the best and most reliable lawyer who can guide you through the thorny path. For you to end up dealing with the right legal or immigration lawyers for your case, it is a must to do vast research on who can best handle your immigration issues at once.