Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations

Marginal note:Official languages

• 79 (1) A skilled worker must specify in their application for a permanent resident visa which language — English or French — is to be considered their first official language in Canada and which is to be considered their second official language in Canada and must have their proficiency in those languages assessed by an organization or institution designated under subsection (3).

• Marginal note:Proficiency in English and French (24 points)

  (2) Assessment points for proficiency in the official languages of Canada shall be awarded up to a maximum of 24 points based on the benchmarks referred to in Canadian Language Benchmarks 2000 for the English language and Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens 2006 for the French language, as follows:

  • (a) for the ability to speak, listen, read or write with high proficiency

    • (i) in the first official language, 4 points for each of those abilities if the skilled worker’s proficiency corresponds to a benchmark of 8 or higher, and

    • (ii) in the second official language, 2 points for each of those abilities if the skilled worker’s proficiency corresponds to a benchmark of 8 or higher;

  • (b) for the ability to speak, listen, read or write with moderate proficiency

    • (i) in the first official language, 2 points for each of those abilities if the skilled worker’s proficiency corresponds to a benchmark of 6 or 7, and

    • (ii) in the second official language, 2 points for each of those abilities if the skilled worker’s proficiency corresponds to a benchmark of 6 or 7; and

  • (c) for the ability to speak, listen, read or write

    • (i) with basic proficiency in either official language, 1 point for each of those abilities, up to a maximum of 2 points, if the skilled worker’s proficiency corresponds to a benchmark of 4 or 5, and

    • (ii) with no proficiency in either official language, 0 points if the skilled worker’s proficiency corresponds to a benchmark of 3 or lower.

• (3) and (4) [Repealed, SOR/2012-274, s. 8]