IELTS & OET News Tracker: November 2023

Nov 12, 2023 | IELTS Test

Here are the latest IELTS and immigration news updates since we last left you in October.

The Latest IELTS News

IELTS in the News

The first two stories show the importance of achieving a high IELTS score to secure a work permit, study abroad, and unlock new opportunities.

Canadian Federal Court Rejects Work Permit Application Due To IELTS Score

The Canadian federal court denies a work permit to a citizen of Iran due to low IELTS score.

The applicant signed an employment contract with a construction company based in Vancouver. The construction company later obtained a favourable Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) and is now officially authorised to recruit temporary foreign workers in British Columbia. The individual then applied for a work permit under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), which required their IELTS language test results as part of the application.

The results submitted was an IELTS language score of 5, which led to the work permit being denied by the immigration refugees and citizen Canada (IRCC) officer that was assigned to the case.

The court ruled that the officer’s decision was justified, considering the applicant’s low IELTS scores and the absence of any other supporting evidence showcasing their language proficiency. Moreover, the court emphasised that an overall IELTS score of 5 merely demonstrated basic, not effective, communication skills, further validating the officer’s conclusion that the provided IELTS evidence fell short of meeting the position’s requirements.

Consequently, the case’s implications highlight the potential refusal of a work permit based on the applicant’s language abilities, which showcases the importance of gaining a high IELTS score. One great way to ensure this is with the help of an expert; choosing English With An Expert as your IELTS tutor will greatly increase your chances of a high IELTS score, securing your future.

ApplyBoard Collaborates With The British Council To Support International Students

British Council IELTS test takers can now choose their study abroad destination with the international student recruitment and mobility technology platform, ApplyBoard. 

ApplyBoard is a recruitment platform that assists students in admission to the best international educational institutions. Its goal is to simplify the study abroad process by connecting international students, student advisors, and academic institutions all on one platform. This makes it easier for candidates to study abroad by supplying them with new opportunities and simplifying the process.

Candidates pursuing IELTS through the British Council will be able to gain access to study-abroad opportunities. There are 1,750 partner institutions in major English-speaking countries to choose from and 140,000 academic programs.

“ApplyBoard is dedicated to creating comprehensive technology solutions that directly help students at every stage of their journey, and we are only just getting started,” says Meti Basiri, Co-Founder and CEO of ApplyBoard. “Our collaboration with the British Council IELTS is a significant step in our mission to empower an even greater number of students in realising their aspirations of studying abroad and maximising their potential.”

“The British Council has a proud history of promoting study in the UK. We are committed to helping IELTS test takers broaden their university experience, as well as helping to sustain and enrich UK universities, and have a positive impact on local economies,” says Andrew Mackenzie, Head of IELTS at British Council. “As a fast-growing organisation at the forefront of educational innovation, we are confident ApplyBoard’s services will further enhance the experience of British Council IELTS test-takers, equipping them with an advanced tool to choose the next steps of their journey.”

If you’re looking to study abroad, then now is the time to take advantage of this exciting program.

International Migration News

international migration news banner image

If you’re looking to emigrate to Canada, the following story may be of interest to you…

The IRCC Is Set To Review The Post-Graduation Work Permit

On October 27th, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced changes to be implemented to its international Student Program in order to protect students from fraud.

This will include Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) to validate applicant acceptance letters directly with the IRCC to confirm that the study permits are genuine. IRCC has also announced plans to assess the Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) criteria, which will be the first review in a decade.

A PGWP is a work permit that gives you the ability to work for any employer of your choice in Canada; those who are eligible to apply are international students who have completed a Canadian post-secondary program. Depending on the duration of your Canadian educational program, the PGWP can be valid for up to three years.

One of the advantages of the PGWP is that it gives international students the opportunity to gain professional work experience in Canada, which is beneficial for those who are planning to immigrate to Canada permanently.

Canadian immigration pathways typically favour applicants who have previously worked or studied in Canada; normally a PGWP holder will be required to obtain a year of work experience in a National Occupational Classification (NOC) code of 0, A or B in order to qualify for Canadian permanent residency.

If you plan to emigrate to Canada after completing your studies, then now is the time to start preparing for the IELTS test. With help from an expert, this will guarantee that you are ready when the time comes to apply for permanent residency.

Further Reading

If you want to keep abreast of the latest developments, follow Our Blog, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts for up-to-the-minute news.

See you in December!

Return to Blog 

Book a Lesson

Sign up to our Newsletter