What is IELTS
IELTS, The International English Language Testing System is a worldwide accepted English proficiency test for people from non-native English speaking countries who are looking to study, work, or migrate to a country where English is the native language, such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the USA.

IELTS is jointly owned and managed by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English.

IELTS tests your English language proficiency in 4 main areas: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. IELTS test takers can choose between the Academic or General Training versions of the test. The Academic IELTS is required for university or college admission, while the General Training IELTS is intended for career and immigration purposes. IELTS is graded on a scale of 1-9.

Why is IELTS so Important?
English is the third most spoken language in the world, with 379 million native speakers worldwide and 978 million people who speak it as a second language.

Non-native speakers looking to work, live or study in an English-speaking country, must be able to demonstrate a high level of English language ability as being able to communicate in the native language of the country they wish to work or study in, is very important, especially at it helps them settle in easily and integrate well into their new environment.

IELTS is the most accepted English Proficiency test for those looking to migrate to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK. More than 11,000 employers, universities, schools, and immigration agencies around the world recognize it, including 3,400 in the United States.

IELTS for Study
Non-native speakers planning to study abroad in a country where English is the native language, such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK need to take the IELTS as proof of their English language proficiency.

Most of the Universities and colleges in these countries require foreign students to take the IELTS and IELTS Academic is the recommended test for academic purposes. IELTS Academic determines whether the English language proficiency of the test taker is suitable for an academic environment.

A good IELTS score is required to apply for an undergraduate or even a postgraduate degree program in most of these Universities.

IELTS for Work
Employers around the world, especially in native English-speaking countries, rely on IELTS to help them select the right people. People looking to work abroad, in an English-speaking country, may need to provide proof of their English language proficiency in order to secure their work visa.

This will demonstrate to their potential employers that they have ‘competent’ or ‘vocational’ English language skills, meaning they have more than basic conversational English skills.

For work and immigration purposes, the IELTS General Training test is recommended.
In the UK, applicants must achieve a score of 6.5 in each of the four sections of the test – Reading, Speaking, Listening, and Writing. In Australia, a test score of 5 is considered to be a vocational English level while a band score of 6 indicates that the applicant is a competent English speaker. In New Zealand, work permit applicants must have an overall band score of 4 or higher in the IELTS General or Academic module.

IELTS for Immigration
The governments of the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and many other counties in the world have considered the IELTS as part of the eligibility requirements to obtain citizenship or permanent residence in their countries.

The IELTS is widely accepted by many immigration authorities around the world because it reflects real-life communication. Unlike other automated speaking tests, the IELTS involves a live interaction between the test taker and the examiner. This creates a real-world conversation scenario that helps prepare immigrants for life in a foreign country.

The IELTS is being used by the governments of these countries as a strict language requirement to control the influx of foreigners into their countries.

Maple Education Canada assists students and individuals who want to migrate to Canada. We also offer top-notch IELTS services to help you achieve the very best in your IELTS exams. You can reach out to our team of Certified Canadian Consultants via email: info@mapleeducation.ca for more information.