Canada
Drafted from the official pages listed under Sources, last read on 25 October 2026. Rules, fees and thresholds change: check the official page before you act. This is not legal advice and does not guarantee any outcome.
IRCC status
IRCC states: 'You must take the IELTS General Training option.' It also says IELTS One Skill Retake is not accepted for Express Entry.
Results must be less than 2 years old at profile completion and at application.
Format
Published section lengths:
- Listening: about 30 minutes, 4 parts, 40 questions (plus 10 minutes to transfer answers on paper, per the Writing page).
- Reading: 60 minutes, including transfer time.
- Writing: 60 minutes, 2 tasks (Task 1 a letter of at least 150 words; Task 2 an essay of at least 250 words; Task 2 counts twice as much).
- Speaking: 11 to 14 minutes.
What to check on the official page
Fees, validity and access arrangements are set by the test centre and IELTS. The IELTS pages fetched link to an 'Access arrangements' page; read it before booking.
What changes often
Re-check IRCC's approved-test list and the IELTS booking page.
Four parts: Listening (about 30 min), Reading (60 min), Writing (60 min), Speaking (11-14 min).