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Canada remains one of the top destinations for international students, offering promising post-graduation work opportunities. However, recent changes introduced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in October 2024 have made language proficiency a mandatory requirement for candidates applying for a Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP). Here, we explore the IELTS score requirements and how they impact work permit eligibility in Canada.

Mandatory language requirement for PGWP

To address labour shortages in key industries and ensure international graduates meet the necessary language standards, IRCC now requires all PGWP applicants to demonstrate proficiency in either English or French.
The accepted English language tests include:

For French, candidates can take:

IELTS score requirements for PGWP

The minimum language proficiency required varies depending on the level of education and field of study, according to the International Development Program (IDP), the organising body for IELTS.

University graduates (Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD)

Candidates graduating with a university degree must meet a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in all four language skills—Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. This corresponds to an IELTS General Training band score of 6.0 in each section. For French, a Niveaux de Competence Linguistique Canadiens (NCLC) 7 is required across all four abilities.

Graduates from other university programs

The same language requirement applies to graduates from university programs not explicitly listed under IRCC’s new guidelines. They must also attain CLB 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French, with an equivalent IELTS General Training score of 6.0 per section.

College graduates and other programs

For graduates from colleges or non-listed university programs, the minimum requirement is CLB 5 in English or NCLC 5 in French. This means they need to score at least IELTS 4.0 in Reading and 5.0 in Writing, Listening, and Speaking under the General Training module.

Field of study requirement for PGWP

In addition to language criteria, IRCC has introduced a new requirement related to the candidate’s field of study. If the study program falls under one of the designated fields linked to Canada’s long-term labour shortages, eligibility for PGWP will depend on this classification.
The five broad categories of eligible study fields include:

Students whose programs are not listed under these fields may face restrictions in obtaining a PGWP unless their education level meets the standard eligibility criteria.

Why is the language requirement important?

The implementation of language benchmarks ensures that international graduates possess the communication skills necessary to integrate into Canada’s workforce. This move aligns with the country’s long-term immigration strategy to fill labour gaps while maintaining high professional standards.