The list of documents you need when preparing to immigrate to Canada might differ depending on your own unique circumstances, but if we could streamline it to three 'ultimately important' documents, it would be these.
IELTS and/or TEF Canada Results
IELTS
Established in 1989, the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is an international standardised test of English language proficiency for non-native English language speakers.
If you want to immigrate to Canada, you need to prove that you can read, write, speak and understand English proficiently. There are four separate parts to the test: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.
The IELTS comes in two forms: Academic and General Training. If you want to come to Canada as an immigrant/permanent resident, you have to take the General Training exam.
Find out more about the IELTS here.
TEF Canada (Test d’Évaluation du Français)
The Test d’Évaluation du Français (TEF Canada) is the only exam for proving proficiency in French if you want to immigrate to Canada. So if you come from a francophone country or if you speak French fluently, you can take the TEF Canada instead of the IELTS, or you can take both.
The TEF Canada also has four separate parts to the test: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.
Find out more about the TEF Canada here.
WES Accreditation
The World Education Services (WES) provides accreditation for academic degrees, converting your acquired qualification(s) to the Canadian equivalent. For example, if you got a BSc degree from your home country, WES verifies what standard that degree holds in the Canadian educational system.
Find out more about WES here.
Passport
You need a passport in order to begin your application process. Your passport should be valid for at least 18 more months at the time you begin your application process, as the process could take over a year (depending on your unique situation and/or processing backlogs by IRCC - Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada).
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