Language Testing & Proof of funds for FSW Canada

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Language testing – Federal skilled workers

You must prove your language skills by taking a language test from an agency approved by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). You can use your test results to see exactly how many points you will get for the language selection factor.

You must:

• arrange to be tested by an agency approved by CIC and pay the costs,
• include the results of your test when you apply to be a skilled worker. If you do not, we will not process your application and will send it back to you.

Do not ask for your language test result to be sent directly to CIC. Submit your original test result with your application.

About test results

• Use the tables below to see how many points you will get for your test results.
• CIC will use the test results as proof of your language skills.
• Language test results are valid if they are received by CIC within the two years from the time your test results were issued.

Approved language tests

You can take a language test from any of these approved agencies.

English

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

IELTS has two options for the reading and writing tests: “General Training” and “Academic.” You must take the “General Training” option.

First official language (Maximum 24 points)

CLB Level	IELTS test results for each ability				Points (per ability)
	Speaking	Listening	Reading	Writing
7	6.0	6.0	6.0	6.0	4
8	6.5	7.5	6.5	6.5	5
9 and above	7.0 – 9.0	8.0 – 9.0	7.0 – 9.0	7.0 – 9.0	6

Second official language (4 points if you meet the minimum threshold in each of the four language abilities)

CLB Level	IELTS test results for each ability				Points (total)
	Speaking	Listening	Reading	Writing
5 and above	5.0 – 9.0	5.0 – 9.0	4.0 – 9.0	5.0 – 9.0	4

CELPIP: Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program

CELPIP has three tests: “CELPIP-General (CELPIP-G),” “CELPIP-General LS (CELPIP-General LS),” and “CELPIP-Academic (CELPIP-A).” You must take the “CELPIP-G” test.

First official language (Maximum 24 points)

CLB Level	CELPIP test results for each ability				Points (per ability)
	Speaking	Listening	Reading	Writing
7	4L	4L	4L	4L	4
8	4H	4H	4H	4H	5
9	5L	5L	5L	5L	6
10 and above	5H	5H	5H	5H	6

Note: CELPIP test results for tests written before May 3, 2013 will have these scores for CLB levels 9 and 10:

CLB Level	CELPIP test results for each ability				Points (per ability)
	Speaking	Listening	Reading	Writing
9 and above	5	5	5	5	6

Second official language (4 points if you meet the minimum threshold in all four language abilities)

CLB Level	CELPIP test results for each ability				Points (total)
	Speaking	Listening	Reading	Writing
5 and above	3L 3H 4L 4H 5L 5H	3L 3H 4L 4H 5L 5H	3L 3H 4L 4H 5L 5H	3L 3H 4L 4H 5L 5H	4

French

TEF: Test d’évaluation de français

You must submit results from the following TEF tests as proof of your French language proficiency:

• compréhension écrite
• compréhension orale
• expression écrite
• expression orale.

First official language (Maximum 24 points)

CLB Level	TEF test results for each ability				Points (per ability)
	Speaking (expression orale)	Listening (compréhension orale)	Reading (compréhension écrite)	Writing (expression écrite)
7	309 – 348	248 – 279	206 – 232	309 – 348	4
8	349 – 371	280 – 297	233 – 247	349 – 371	5
9 and above	372+	298+	248+	372+	6

Second official language (4 points if you meet the minimum threshold in each of the four language abilities)

CLB Level	TEF test results for each ability				Points (total)
	Speaking(expression orale)	Listening(compréhension orale)	Reading (compréhension écrite)	Writing (expression écrite)
5 and above	225 – 372+	180 – 298+	150 – 248+	225 – 372+	4

Add your points:

Proof of funds – Federal skilled workers

You must show that you have enough money to support yourself and your family after you get to Canada. You cannot borrow this money from another person. You must be able to use this money to pay the costs of living for your family (even if they are not coming with you).

You will need to show proof to the Canadian visa office in your home country that you have enough money when you apply to immigrate.

The amount of money you need to support your family is set by the size of your family. We update these amounts every year.

Number of Family Members	Funds Required (in Canadian dollars)
1	$11,115
2	$13,837
3	$17,011
4	$20,654
5	$23,425
6	$26,419
7 or more	$29,414

You do not have to show that you have these funds if:

• you have a valid offer of arranged employment in Canada AND
• you are currently working or authorized to work in Canada.

How much money should you bring?

It is a good idea to research how much it costs to live in the place where you plan to settle in Canada.

Bring as much money as you can to make moving and finding a home in Canada easier. Note, however, that Canadian customs regulations require you to declare if you are bringing more than C$10,000 into Canada. If you do not tell them, you may be fined or put in prison. These funds could be in the form of:

• cash
• documents that show property or capital payable to you (such as stocks, bonds, debentures, treasury bills, etc.) or
• documents that guarantee payment of a set amount of money, which are payable to you (such as bankers’ drafts, cheques, travellers’ cheques or money orders).

Eligibility for FSW Canada and SIX selection factors

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Specific eligibility criteria – Federal skilled workers

A. Basic eligibility– Federal skilled workers

We can only process your application if you:

• have one year of continuous full-time (or an equal amount of continuous part-time) paid work experience
  • in one of the eligible occupations within the last ten years, OR
• have a valid offer of arranged employment, OR
• are an international student who is enrolled in a PhD program in Canada (or who graduated from a Canadian PhD program within the past 12 months) and meet the factors below.

Also, no matter which of the three groups above you apply under, you must:

• include the results of your official language test showing that you meet the minimum language threshold (Canadian Language Benchmark 7) in all four language skill areas (speaking, listening, reading and writing) when you apply, and
• include either a completed Canadian educational credential or a completed foreign educational credential with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from an approved organization, and
• have at least one year of continuous full-time (or an equal amount in continuous part-time) paid work experience within the last ten years in the primary occupation you state in your application.

Remember that even if your application is eligible to be processed, you must meet all of the other FSW program requirements, such as meeting the pass mark on the selection grid and having enough money to support you and your family in Canada.

See basic eligibility criteria for each of the three groups below.

1. Eligible occupations

2. Arranged employment

3. PhD students

If you are eligible, we will tell you that we have sent your application to one of our offices for processing. They will assess the rest of your application. Once they have started this process, we cannot give you a refund on your fee.

Note: If you got an Educational Credential Assessment, it does not guarantee you a job in your field or that you will be able to get a license in Canada. If you plan to work in an occupation that is regulated in Canada, you should contact the regulatory authority in the province where you plan to live.  They can give you important information about getting your license, including any steps you can take before you leave your home country.

There are many ways to immigrate to Canada. If you do not meet the criteria to apply under the FSWP, you may qualify under another category. Learn more about your options.

Six selection factors – Federal skilled workers

If you are eligible to apply as a federal skilled worker, we will assess you on a point system based on six selection factors.

Selection Factor	Maximum points
English and/or French skills	28
Education	25
Experience	15
Age	12
Arranged employment in Canada	10
Adaptability	10
Total	100
Pass mark: 67 out of 100 points

If your score is 67 points or higher, you may qualify to immigrate to Canada as a federal skilled worker.

If your score is lower than the pass mark of 67 points, you will not qualify to immigrate to Canada as a federal skilled worker. It is better not to apply at this time.

Principal applicant

If you are married or you live with a common-law partner, either you or your spouse can apply as the principal (main) applicant.

Look at each selection factor and see which one of you is most likely to meet the eligibility requirements and earn the most points. That person should apply as the principal applicant. The other person would apply as a dependant.

Federal skilled worker for Canada_2013

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Applications we will accept – Federal skilled workers

As of May 4, 2013, Citizenship and Immigration Canada will only consider federal skilled worker (FSW) applications from people who have:

• at least one year of continuous and paid (full-time or an equal amount in part-time) work experience in a single occupation,
• within the last 10 years,
• at skill type 0, or skill levels A or B of the 2011 edition of the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC), and who are:

1. in one of the 24 eligible occupations,

and whose application is received under the occupation’s sub-cap and overall FSW cap, or

2. with a valid offer of arranged employment, or

3. who are applying under the PhD stream (see below) until the PhD cap of 1,000 applications is reached.

All applicants must also:

• meet the minimum language threshold (and submit approved language test results), and
• submit a Canadian educational credential or foreign credential and an assessment of their foreign education from an approved agency, and
• meet all requirements of the FSW Program.

Applications per eligible occupation:

The cap year began on May 4, 2013, and will end on April 30, 2014, unless otherwise stated by the Minister.

Total received toward the overall cap:

Eligible occupation (by National Occupational Classification [NOC] code)	Number of complete applications countedFootnote1
0211   Engineering managers
1112   Financial and investment analysts
2113   Geoscientists and oceanographers
2131   Civil engineers
2132   Mechanical engineers
2134   Chemical engineers
2143   Mining engineers
2145   Petroleum engineers
2144   Geological engineers
2146   Aerospace engineers
2147   Computer engineers (except software engineers/designers)
2154   Land surveyors
2174   Computer programmers and interactive media developers
2243   Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics
2263   Inspectors in public and environmental health and occupational health and safety
3141   Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
3142   Physiotherapists
3143   Occupational Therapists
3211   Medical laboratory technologists
3212   Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists' assistants
3214   Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
3215   Medical Radiation Technologists
3216   Medical Sonographers
3217   Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists

Note: Due to the large number of applications we get, we cannot check that each one is complete on the same day it gets to the office. The numbers on this page are updated at least once a week, but are only a guide. There is no guarantee that an application sent in now will fall within the cap by the time it gets to the Centralized Intake Office.

Applications in the PhD stream:

CIC will accept 1,000 applications for processing per year under the PhD stream. To apply under this stream, you must have either

• finished at least two years of study in Canada towards a PhD, or
• graduated from a Canadian PhD program in the 12 months before we get your application.

Find out more about eligibility for this category.

The new PhD cap year began on May 4, 2013, and will end on April 30, 2014, unless otherwise stated by the Minister.

Footnotes

Footnote 1

The number of complete federal skilled worker applications received as of XXX is an estimate.

Return to footnote1referrer

Footnote 1

Once we reach the cap, we can only accept applications under this occupation from people with a valid job offer in place.

How to save TAX for employees this year

It's that time of the year again when one needs to begin calculating their tax liabilities. However, before you do so, remember to analyze the various sections of tax deductions under the Income Tax Act as tax planning does not end with Section 80C. (Calculate your tax liability here)

80D:
Tax deduction under section 80D qualifies for mediclaim policies. The premium, which is paid for medical insurance policy for self and family members to protect them from sudden medical expenses, comes under this section. The maximum amount allowed for exemption annually for self, spouse and dependent parents/children is Rs. 15,000. In case of a senior citizen, the maximum amount extends up to Rs. 20,000. If you are paying the premium for your parents (whether dependent or not), you can claim an additional maximum deduction of Rs. 15,000.

80DD:
According to the Income Tax Act, if you are paying a premium to LIC or any other insurance company (approved by the Income Tax board) for the medical treatment of a dependent physically disabled person, you can avail exemption under the section 80DD. Here, the dependent should be none other than your spouse, children, parents or sibling. If the person is suffering from 40 per cent of any disability, a fixed sum of Rs. 50,000 can be claimed in a year. Similarly, if the disability is 80 per cent, the fixed sum goes up to Rs. 1,00,000 per year. For initiating the process of deduction you need to submit the medical certificate issued by a medical authority along with the return of income.

80DDB:
If you have incurred expenses for the medical treatment of self or your dependents, you can claim a deduction of up to Rs. 40,000 or the actual amount paid, whichever is less, under the section 80DDB. For a senior citizen, the maximum exempted amount is Rs. 60,000, or the amount actually paid for medical expenses. To claim a deduction under this section, you need to submit a medical certificate from a doctor working in a government hospital.

80E:
The interest paid on loan taken for pursuing higher education of self or any dependent is exempted from tax under section 80E. An education loan can be taken for wife, children and minors for whom you are the legal guardian. This deduction is applicable for a period of eight years or till the interest is paid, whichever is earlier. The deduction is only approved for higher studies, which means full-time graduate or postgraduate courses in engineering, management or applied sciences, pure sciences including mathematics or statistics. However, from 2011 onwards, the scope of this exemption has been extended to cover all fields of studies including vocational studies pursued after completing the senior secondary examination or equivalent. No exemption is applicable for part-time courses.

80G:
One often donates on philanthropic grounds to help the destitute. Such an amount can be donated to trusts, charitable institutions and approved educational institutions, and qualifies for deduction under Section 80G. The exemptions can be up to 50 per cent or 100 per cent of the donations made. Funds in which the donations are eligible for tax exemptions include the National Defence Fund, Prime Minister Drought Relief Fund, National Foundation for Communal Harmony, National Children's Fund, Prime Minister's National Relief Fund, etc.

80GG:
If a salaried or self-employed person staying in a rented house does not receive any kind of HRA, they can claim a deduction under this section. However, you cannot avail any such benefit if you, your spouse and/or your child owns any residential accommodation in India or abroad. You can claim the least of the following under Section 80GG: 25 per cent of the total income, or Rs. 2000 per month, or excess of rent paid over 10 per cent of total income.

80GGC:
Any monetary contribution to any political party or electoral trust is eligible for tax exemption. Thus, your contribution, as a matter of appreciation for their work, will serve both the purposes.

80U:
A resident of India suffering from any kind of specified disability is eligible to claim tax deduction under this section. In order to enjoy this opportunity, one should be suffering from not less than 40 per cent of the following diseases: blindness, low vision, mental illness, mental retardation, hearing impairment. The deduction provided is flat Rs. 50,000, irrespective of the expense incurred. If the disability is severe, the deduction can be up to Rs. 1 lakh. One needs to provide a copy of all the certificates issued by a medical authority in order to avail this benefit.

80CCG:
The Finance Act 2012 introduced a new Section 80CCG to offer 50 per cent tax break to new investors who invest up to Rs. 50,000 and whose GTI is less than or equal to Rs. 10 lakh. It has been introduced for budding investors entering the equity markets for the first time and is a once-in-a-lifetime benefit.

Hence, there are several sections apart from 80C that can help an individual benefit from tax exemptions. It is time to start looking beyond 80C for tax savings.


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