Media Contacts:
| ETS: | Alex Mazza |
|---|---|
| Email: | amazza@ets.org |
PRINCETON, NJ, USA (August 21, 2025) – ETS, a global leader in education and talent solutions, today announced that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has added ETS to its list of designated language testing organizations for the TOEFL Essentials test, for use in Canadian permanent economic immigration applications.
IRCC is not yet accepting TOEFL Essentials scores and will update its website once acceptance begins. In the meantime, ETS is working with IRCC on the steps leading up to acceptance and will share timing and test location details once confirmed.
Grounded in ETS’s mission to advance the science of measurement to power human progress, TOEFL Essentials offers a high-quality, reliable, and accessible pathway for aspiring newcomers to demonstrate their English skills.
A Practical, Real-World Test for Today’s Immigrants
TOEFL Essentials measures all four core language skills—listening, reading, writing, and speaking—through tasks that reflect the communication skills immigrants need to work, live, and thrive in Canada. The test’s engaging, task-based design can be completed in approximately 1.5 hours at a secure test center.
“As a Canadian and a non-native English speaker, I understand firsthand the challenges and opportunities of proving your language skills,” said Omar Chihane, Global General Manager of TOEFL at ETS. “Now that TOEFL Essentials is approved for Canadian economic immigration, test takers have a trusted, high-quality option designed for those building a life in Canada, while TOEFL iBT continues to serve as the gold-standard path for those who want to study there.”
Meeting Canada’s Immigration Goals
Canada’s 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan sets clear annual targets to attract talent in healthcare, engineering, technology, and skilled trades. Once IRCC begins accepting TOEFL Essentials scores, this will offer a reliable pathway to meet English-language requirements, supporting both applicants and the professionals who guide them through their immigration journey.
Accessible in Canada and Worldwide
The TOEFL Essentials test will be offered at secure test centers across Canada and globally. To stay updated, visit Designated language testing organizations - Canada.ca.
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About ETS
ETS is a global education and talent solutions organization enabling lifelong learners to be future ready. Our mission – advancing the science of measurement to power human progress – ensures our focus to enable everyone, everywhere, to demonstrate their skills and chart their path to future readiness for life. We are committed to readying 100M+ people for the next generation of jobs by 2035. We deliver on this commitment through trusted assessments and skills solutions – including TOEFL, TOEIC, GRE, Praxis and Futurenav – and groundbreaking initiatives powered by our Research Institute. With a robust global footprint, including subsidiaries like PSI, offices and operations in more than 200 countries and territories, we help over 50 million individuals each year measure their proficiency and unlock new opportunities. Discover how we expand our worldwide impact: www.ets.org