Pearson’s English language proficiency has been approved for economic visa to Canada

BY PAUL JUNOR

Pearson Test if English will be administering PTE Essential, in order to show proficiency in English for new immigrants to Canada, and it was announced that Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) selected Pearson, a well-known company in the production of learning materials.

The press release which can be seen at Pearon’s website: www.pearsonopte.com states, “PTE Essential is a new version of the Pearson Test of English, that is very similar to PTE Academic. The key difference is it has a more vocational, real-life, and non-academic focus that meets IRCC’s language proficiency requirements.” Individuals who are interested in acquiring Canadian permanent residency or citizenship will be able to complete the test up to late 2023 in order to show proof of their English language proficiency.

PTE Essential will be a 4-skills test that will assess everyday English skills and not focus on academic situations. Individuals may be asked to read a magazine article or write an email. You will not be asked to consider lecture materials or academic articles.

There are several features that make PPE Essential ideal for test takers such as:

• A single computer-based test at a test centre
• Get scores within 2 business days
• Automated scoring that reduces human bias

The test will only be available to be taken at certain designated PTE test centres. The score that must be attained is based on the type of visa that an individual applies for. In some cases, there may be a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score required, but instruction will be given by Pearson as to how the PTE score can be translated to a CLB score. The PTE score ranges from a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 90. Each test taker will receive a personalized report of their score that indicates their overall performance as well as how they did in each component.

The PTE Essential test will be digitally accessible through Pearson VUE, which is the computer-based testing business of Pearson. It utilizes the most up-to-date AI technology, which involves biometric data collection and voice recognition. These features are anticipated to increase the security components of the test. In addition, it adds to the impartiality and accuracy of those who are writing English language proficiency.

Booking can be done online up to 24 hours in advance at any one of the 400 test centres in 118 countries, and the results are ready within 1.3 days on average.

Andy Bird, CEO of Pearson speaks to the program, “At Pearson, we see every day how English skills can transform lives. We’ve already seen how PTE Academic can help people take a huge stride towards being themselves in English in whichever country they chose to work or study. I’m delighted PTE Essential is now accepted in Canada for economic visas and proud of the innovation and rigor that sits behind the quick and high-quality experience our test provides to test takers.”

The fact that IRCC expects an increased number of permanent residents to Canada in 2024 with about 1.45 million in total projected for the next three years, the PTE Essential test is handy. Highly qualified professionals who are required for Canada can access the test quickly and speed up their entry into Canada.

Additional information can be seen on their website: https://www.pearsonpte.com/pte-essential