The following blog post appeared in the June 2012 edition of Canadian Immigrant Magazine. It is generally recognized that proficiency in either English or French is essential if newcomers to Canada wish to be economically successful here. While immigrants who cannot converse in one of Canada’s official languages may find some employers who are willing to hire them, their career mobility is limited relative to those who can. Indeed, numerous recent studies reveal that an immigrant’s language proficiency is perhaps the most important indicator of economic success. The Government of Canada has taken note of these studies, and has begun implanting language requirements for numerous immigration programs. The Canadian Language Benchmark The Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) is the national standard used in Canada for measuring the English language proficiency of adult immigrants and prospective immigrants. It covers four skill areas: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Individuals are ranked in these areas on a scale of 1-12. The Canadian government generally recognizes two tests for measuring an applicant’s CLB level; the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and the Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP). While both use different scales than the CLB (the IELTS runs on a scale of … Read More