There is a language level requirement to apply for Canadian citizenship for applicants between 18 and 54 years old. Canada needs these applicants to display an adequate knowledge of either English or French before IRCC.
Canada considers four guiding principles that showcase an applicant’s adequate knowledge of the two official languages. The following guiding principles outline the skills required to demonstrate the necessary potential to listen and speak in either French or English:
- The ability to participate in short and routine interactions on general topics.
- The potential to comprehend easy instructions, directions, and questions.
- The capability to use grammar skills, including simple structures and tenses.
- The ability to display your knowledge of sufficient general words and phrases to respond to questions and express yourself.
The applicant’s age when they sign their Canadian citizenship application will determine the age conditions for language skills.
Language level requirement to apply for Canadian citizenship – IRCC’s process of analyzing your language proficiency
IRCC considers the following three methods for the evaluation of the language skills of qualifying Canadian citizenship applicants:
- Reviewing the language proof attached to a Canadian citizenship application.
- Evaluating an applicant’s speaking potential while in conversation with the citizenship officer at any point during the application procedure.
- Assessing your language proficiency level with an official during the citizenship test, if required.
Please note that specific citizenship candidates can attain accommodation or assistance for the exemption from this particular sphere of the Canadian citizenship process.
What about an equivalence between my language level for Canadian citizenship and PR?
Several candidates with the Canadian citizenship might be well-versed in either of the following:
- Canadian Language Benchmarks; (English)
- NCLC testing for French – Niveaux de competence linguistique canadien
The Government of Canada states that obtaining a Level 4 on the speaking and listening sections of the CLB or NCLC language examinations equates to having “adequate” knowledge of either French or English.
Is it possible for an applicant to request an accommodation or waiver for the Canadian citizenship language ability requirement?
Candidates of Canadian citizenship have the choice to request or obtain an accommodation or exemption from the language ability requirement.
For instance, IRCC observes that the following set of applicants have the choice to request accommodations:
- Applicants dealing with conditions such as medical, psychological, cognitive, or physiological. These also include disabilities.
- Those who are unable to take the digital citizenship examination.
- Applicants who are undertaking the digital citizenship test but can’t display their face without the covering.
Waivers
Individuals who fulfill the qualifications outlined by the IRCC for a waiver on compassionate grounds may request an exemption from the testing and language requirements related to the Canadian citizenship test.
When determining what constitutes a valid waiver, the IRCC may consider the following examples:
- A severe medical condition that has persisted (or may persist) for a minimum of one year, such as a significant sickness, physical or developmental disability, or mental impairment.
- Trauma brought on by torture, a war, being in a camp for refugees, etc.
- Low levels of literacy in one’s native tongue or first language.
Contrarily, IRCC will acknowledge certain exemption requests to be invalid if they are due to the following reasons:
- An applicant demands time to prepare for the citizenship test.
- If an applicant fails to cover the expenditure of undertaking a third-party language test.
Our immigration representatives at Make Home Canada have immense knowledge related to Canadian immigration. To clarify your doubts or queries, you may write to us at [email protected]
