Failed IELTS? You may be denied a visa to Canada

Failed IELTS? You may be denied a visa to Canada

The Canadian court ruled that in order to get a visa, one must pass the English language test with a high score.

On June 8, Canada held a trial over an incident that took place back in September 2020. What's the gist of it? An Indian national found a job in Canada as a trucker. The company was ready to take him on, arranged LMIA, paid a lot of money for it... but the visa officer refused to issue a work permit because the man did not pass IELTS well.

His scores are actually quite good: 6 for writing, 5.5 for listening comprehension, 5 for speaking and 4.5 for reading. His average IELTS score was 5.5, which is a really good level and is similar to B2. I have the same level myself, but the average score is higher. But in this story, the Hindu got his visa rejected.

Reason for rejection

It was the reading that spoiled everything. The officer considered that with a score of 4.5 the employee would not be able to read road signs and instructions properly, so it was not safe for such a person to drive a truck.

The Hindu, who was denied, sued, and the court justified the actions of the visa officer. And since Canada uses case law, you can be denied a visa in the future because of poor English, and it can no longer be challenged.

Fair or not?

It seems to me that the situation is unfair. The person found a job in B.C., meaning the employer was satisfied with his English level. And what's more, that province has an immigration program for intermediate and low skilled workers, which is exactly where truckers can get permanent residency after working in the province for 9 months. And the requirements are that you only need to pass IELTS with B's. For a work visa the test is not necessary at all, and I think immigration is more important, and there the language requirements are lower.

If an Indian got all A's, there would be no problem. But that's the way it is. The work permit was refused, the court upheld the decision, there is nothing to be done here. One can only conclude that English is very important, even if you're just going to work, so it's easier to learn it than to try to sue.

Fast way to learn a language

How to learn English? The most obvious one is to go to a tutor. In this case people usually take 2-3 lessons per week which last an hour and a half. To master one level of English, for example, to go from A2 to B2, at such load will take a year. During this time, immigration programs may change and you will not meet their requirements, or you will become older and lose points for age.

If you want to learn the language quickly without having to travel to a tutor, I recommend learning English online at the Canadian school ILAC. I used to study there myself, but now I am its agent. And by the way, this school was voted best in Toronto in 2021.

If you study full-time, when classes are held 5 days a week for 3 hours a day, you will move between levels much faster. The advantage of the school is not only the professional teachers, but also the fact that in one group there are people from different countries, so you will be able to understand English by ear and speak faster. When you will raise your language level, you may start preparing to take IELTS. ILAC has a separate preparation course.

I've already discussed the details of ILAC school: how to enroll there, what the schedule options are, how much it costs, and so on.

Alex Pavlenko, Founder of Immigrant.Today

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