The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced easier English test requirements for applicants of the Student Direct Stream (SDS) program. The modifications aim to simplify the process of applying for a study permit in Canada, making it more accessible for students.

Effective from August 10, the new requirements state that applicants need an overall band score of 6 on the IELTS Academic test. Prior to this change, applicants using the IELTS Academic test were required to achieve a score of 6.0 in each skill. Applicants of the IELTS General Training test will need a score of 6.0 in each skill, both before and after August 10.

An important aspect of the new guidelines is that applicants can submit test scores that are up to two years old. Therefore, test scores obtained before August 10, 2023 can still be used to apply for the SDS program after the changes take effect. This flexibility allows students to utilise their existing test scores to meet the updated requirements.

The new academic tests which will now be accepted by the IRCC as proof of English proficiency for SDS include the Pearson PTE Academic, TOEFL internet-Based Test (iBT) and Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL).

The minimum overall score required for IELTS will be 6, CAEL will be 60, TOEFL iBT 83 and PTE Academic will be 60.