Do I need a language test to immigrate to Canada?

To meet the eligibility criteria for one of the skilled worker programs under Express Entry:

when creating your Express Entry profile, you must fill in all the information related to the language test you took for your first and, if applicable, second official languages.
The test must be a third-party language test from an agency approved by IRCC.

If you apply under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) in a semi- or low-skilled job, the province will require you to complete a third-party language test before they nominate you.

This does not apply if you are a temporary foreign worker in a semi- or low-skilled job who:

entered Canada on or before July 1, 2012, and
has been nominated in a PNP employer-driven stream by July 1, 2013.

A test will show if your language skills meet a minimum standard in each of these four abilities:

listening,
speaking,
reading, and
writing.

You must be prepared to submit a copy of your test results when you apply for permanent residence. If we request a copy of your test results and you do not submit them, your application will be considered incomplete and we will send it back to you.

Note: Completing an Express Entry profile is the first step to immigrate to Canada permanently as a skilled worker. Completing an Express Entry profile does not guarantee that you will receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence. An Invitation to Apply for permanent residence will be based on your score and rank in the Express Entry pool using the Comprehensive Ranking System.

If you apply as a Self-employed Person under the Business Immigration Program, you must include the results of a third-party language test or you will not be given points for your language skills.