Nigeria is a top source of immigrants to Canada. Every year, thousands of Nigerians move to Canada. If you want to migrate from Canada to Nigeria, one of the things you’ll be required to do is to sit for and pass the IELTS test. This is an English Language test to prove that you’re proficient in one of Canada’s official languages.
A question many Nigerians ask is how do I migrate to Canada without taking the IELTS test? Is it even possible? Well, you’ll find out in this article as we look at how to migrate from Nigeria to Canada without IELTS.
Why is IELTS Important?
In Canada, it’s important that everyone has the language skill. There are two official languages in Canada – French and English. As a Nigerian with English as your official language, you’re expected to take the IELTS test for English instead of the TEF or TCF test for French.
Well, there are many Nigerians who are proficient in French. If you’re one of them, you can sit for the TEF or TCF test for French. All you need to do is to earn a passable grade and you’ll be on your way to Canada. When you get there, you can still communicate with the locals in English.
Can you migrate without IELTS?
Immigrating to Canada means you’re going to live there permanently. It’s different from just visiting for vacation or going on a business trip. You can visit Canada for vacation or business for a limited time without sitting for IELTS. For immigrants, you must take an approved language test.
What this means is that officially, you cannot migrate to Canada without IELTS. Canada has different immigration options for Nigeria including;
- Federal Economic Class.
- Provincial Economic Class.
- Quebec Immigration.
- Business Immigration, including the Start-Up Visa Program.
- Temporary to Permanent Residence
- Family Class Sponsorship
All of the above options require an approved language test.
How to migrate to Canada from Nigeria without IELTS
If you want to migrate to Canada from Nigeria without IELTS, you simply need to take a different approved language test. In this case, you’ll have to take the CELPIP test. The problem however is availability. While IELTS is accessible in more than 140 countries, CELPIP is only available in the UAE and Canada.
A lot of Nigerians go for IELTS instead of CELPIP due to convenience. You can take IELTS tests on different days; it’s not compulsory that you complete all the components in one day. Also, IELTS is taken with pen and paper with a short speaking section. CELPIP on the other hand is focused more on speaking and listening.
The CELPIP test is completely computerized and you’ll have to record your voice while interacting with the examiner. Although the exam is not so difficult, a lot of people would prefer an actual live conversation.
How do you pass CELPIP?
The result of your CELPIP test will be out 10 to 12 calendar days after the test. With an extra fee, you can get it in just 3 business days after the test. CELPIP grading system is not very different from that of IELTS. There are 4 sections in the test – reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Each can be scored from 1 – 12.
The minimum score that determines if you’ve passed or not depends on your immigrant visa category. However, on average, you should aim for a minimum of 7 points in each section. That would guarantee a pass in most visa categories. This is about the same for IELTS.
Which is better IELTS or CELPIP?
You can migrate to Canada from Nigeria with IELTS by sitting for CELPIP instead (or TEF or TCF if you can speak French). However, is it worth ditching IELTS for CELPIP? Which out of the two is better? Straightforwardly, IELTS is the better examination to sit for. It’s recommended that you consider CELPIP only if for some reasons you cannot take IELTS.
First of all, IELTS is the International English Language Testing System while CELPIP is the Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program. What this means is that the former is international while the latter is local. With IELTS, you can migrate to Canada and other European countries including New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. On the other hand, with CELPIP, you can only migrate to Canada.
Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, IELTS is more accessible than CELPIP. There are several IELTS test centers in Nigeria but there are no approved CELPIP test centers in Nigeria. CELPIP test centers are only in Canada, USA, India, China, Philippines, Singapore, and UAE. As a result, the process of applying for a CELPIP test will be a lot more stressful than that of IELTS.
Immigrating to Canada
Before concluding, it’s important to note that IELTS or CELPIP are not the only things you need to immigrate to Canada. Depending on your immigrant visa category, you’ll be required to provide or meet several other requirements such as sponsors, a particular net worth, etc. Out of all, the money important thing in all visa category is the money.
One of the easiest ways of immigrating to Canada without IELTS is by first applying as a temporary resident. Later, you can transition your temporary resident visa to a permanent one. You can applying for temporary resident as a worker, most especially for priority occupations like medical occupations that were in high demand during the corona virus pandemic.
A lot of Nigerians go through this route. If you know you don’t meet all the requirements for a permanent residence immigration from Nigeria, you should first take the temporary route too. The longer your stay as a temporary resident, the higher your chances for a permanent residence visa.
Bottom Line
If you’re a Nigerian wanting to leave the country, Canada is one of the best and easiest countries to Migrate to. However, IELTS is a necessity if you must permanently reside in the country. It’s possible to migrate to Canada without IELTS but it’s a lot difficult than migrating with IELTS.