How long is the IELTS good for?

[Abokor]

Thanks Leon. then I have to get 7 in each category because when I take the asseement test I got 69 points in which 16 points were from the english.

New Yorker
If I want to spend some money for the IELTS. How good is this website. any Expreince?

You can also look here http://www.scottsenglish.com/ielts/pages/home.asp - it is simulation of a real test if you want to spend some money.

 

[NewYorker]

First, if you got 69 points then you do not need to get 7 in each category, you can get less than 7 in ONE of the category and 7 or above in all of the rest to get passing 67. But always shoot for 7 and above.

Yes the website is good, and I guess you pay $49 for three months to practice, and they will provide you exact same simulation to practice for your test. If you pass there, you will pass the real IELTS test also.

 

[josinyc]

But is that website only for academic or for general test too?

Thank you.

 

[NewYorker]

For both..

 

[Sisifo]

Your IELTS score is valid for 2 years from the date you sit the exam. I would suggest that you calculate the approximate time frame of when your file will be reviewed and sit IELTS 6 months prior to that date.
eg if the center you have applied to takes 60 months before they start processing your file , sit IELTS at the 54 month mark. Please remember that if you have just applied and sit IELTS , your score will expire/be invalid in 24 months time. You need to provide a valid score when asked so by CIC.

i can vouch for the scottsenglish site. i used it for my IELTS. The main advantage i found was the simulation exams and tips they gave to tackle each section. It helped me and they are very good practise runs for the real thing.

I consider myself an "expert" having studied in English medium schools my whole life but i would have bombed IELTS ( ie score less than the 7 , i require ) if i had not done the simulations. Whether you use the scottsenglish site or some other site or other reference material , the key to IELTS is getting used to their style and format. And to achieve that you need to try out a few practise tests before the real one.

 

[NewYorker]

True, IELTS is valid for 24 months, however CIC will only accept 12 months old test. You need to make sure at the time of application submission, your IELTS test is not more than 12 months old. If your application is already in, you can sit in the test in advance and send it to them, it will not expire within a year or two.

 

[Leon]

For CIC, the IELTS is good as long as it is taken within one year of submitting your application, see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/faq/immigrate/skilled/skilled-faq14.asp

If you take the language test within one year of submitting your simplified application, the results remain valid and will be accepted as supporting documentation by the visa office.

And you can be sure they don't just mean that you need to take it within one year after you submit your application because at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/EG74.asp they are basically advising you to take the IELTS before you apply to be able to correctly estimate your points:

Official language testing

The best way to provide proof of language skills is to take a language proficiency test given by an organization that is approved by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). If you do so, you will be able to see exactly how many points you will receive for the language factor according to your test results.

You must

* Make arrangements for testing by an approved organization. You will have to pay the costs.
* Include the results of your test with your immigration application.

What happens next

* You can use the equivalency charts to see exactly how many points you will earn based on your test results.
* The test results will be used by CIC as conclusive proof of your language skills.
* You can use language test results for one year from the time you took the test.

 

[Sisifo]

If you take the language test within one year of submitting your simplified application, the results remain valid and will be accepted as supporting documentation by the visa office.

Thanks Leon , this is a great piece of knowledge. Revised opinion for anyone who has just applied , keep sitting IELTS until you have a good IELTS score. As long as it is within a year of AOR you have unlimited validity with CIC and no worry about IELTS expiry / resitting it later on.

Once you cross the 1 year mark on your AOR then you need to remember that your IELTS score is only valid for a year from when you sit. Based on my earlier post , i suggest that you delay it even further to 3 months from when you may be asked. eg 60 months do IELTS at 57 months

 

[Abokor]

Thaks Leon, Newyorker and sisifo, one more thing about the IELTS, is it true that if you sit for the test and you don't get the required marks, you can do the test again after only three months. that is what I know from the British council in here (where I stay).

 

[Leon]

Once you cross the 1 year mark on your AOR then you need to remember that your IELTS score is only valid for a year from when you sit. Based on my earlier post , i suggest that you delay it even further to 3 months from when you may be asked. eg 60 months do IELTS at 57 months

Why would you need to take it again at 57 months if your old result (within a year of submitting application) is still valid with CIC?

 

[Sisifo]

Why would you need to take it again at 57 months if your old result (within a year of submitting application) is still valid with CIC?

I meant for those who have not sat IELTS within 1 year of AOR , or for those who did not get the IELTS score they were after within the year and who need to improve their IELTS score.

is it true that if you sit for the test and you don't get the required marks, you can do the test again after only three months. that is what I know from the British council in here (where I stay).

That was the old rule which has been changed. Now as long as you can afford to pay , you can sit every month.
Please check out
http://www.ielts.org/candidates.aspx
12. How soon can candidates repeat the test?

There is no limitation on how frequently candidates can sit IELTS. It should be noted however that IELTS scores are not substantially improved merely by taking the test on multiple occasions. To significantly improve a score it is necessary to engage in further study of a serious nature.

 

[NewYorker]

Abokor,

The reason you can sit after 3 months because that particular test is offered few times in a year not every week or month, therefore if you don't get the desired marks in the first one, you can catch the other one which is offered 3 months after and if you are lucky enough to get the registration.

There is no restriction I am sure from the British Council, I believe the test is offered only so many time and that is why you have to wait.

 

[Sisifo]

Abokor , IELTs exams are held all the time but Your test center may limit the number of times it holds a particular exam each year. If that is the case , you then need to find another test center where it is available which is usually in another city.

 

[Suin]

Why does CIC only accept 1 year validity ? IELTS result itself is valid for 2 years from the date you sit the exam.

If it's already 1 year old when you apply, it probably will be 2 years old or more by the time you get processed.

but if i prove that i have a good command of the language once why should i prove it again in 2 years?

 

[NewYorker]

I think rule is pretty much explained in very simple words. If you submit your application and at the time of submission, your IELTS test was little less than 1 year old at the time of AOR, then you don't have to sit in IELTS test again and that test you submit with your application will be valid until the end of your application process no matter it takes 5 years.

In other words if you submit and IELTS test which is valid at the time of submission (AOR) or during your application process and you achieve all your numbers, you do not have to sit again in the IELTS test no matter it take 5 years to process your application.

So the test does expire in one year for PR application, but if you submit in time, it will not expire until the decision was made on your application.

I hope that explains...