IELTS:ACADEMIC VS GENERAL

[Avtandyl]

Hi, can anyone tell me whether I have to retake my IELTS exam just because I passed academic one?thanks a lot beforehand.AK

[joy4u]

When did you take IELTS? If you have applied within the next twelve months of taking your test then I believe it will do as in cic.gc.ca they have only mentioned IELTS and not general or academic. This is for FSW cat.

[Leon]

For skilled worker, you should take General Training, see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/language-testing.asp where it says:

Note: IELTS has two options for the reading and writing tests: General Training and Academic. You must take the General Training option.

If you already have an Academic and it's less than a year old, you can take your chances with it.  Some IO's have accepted them but basically, if you apply with anything other than a General Training IELTS which is what they ask for, they can give you any kind of points they feel like.

[harryk]

Dear avtandyl, if your ielts academic is still valid, then in such cases, the ielts academic score card is acceptable. however, make sure that when you reach the stage of updating your documents at your local canadian high commission, your ielts academic should still be valid for at least another 6 months or so. if not, then get enrolled for ielts general training and get the new score card whose validity will be of 2 years. regards, harryk.

[Leon]

For immigration purposes, as long as the scores are less than a year old at the time you apply, immigration promises that this IELTS will be valid for the duration of the application, even if it takes more than 2 years.

[joy4u]

For immigration purposes, as long as the scores are less than a year old at the time you apply, immigration promises that this IELTS will be valid for the duration of the application, even if it takes more than 2 years.

Right. My case is an example.

[gsidhu]

dear
just understand it
academic can ork for both study and PR purposes
whereas
general only work for PR purposes.
as simple .

[CarribRN]

I really hope the immigration officer who will handle my case will accept my Academic IELTS result. I just got the result today.

Keeping my fingers crossed.

[ARK]

It does not make much of a diff since Academic is for both FSW and Academic evaluation. So if you have a score of band 7 you are fine it is not going to me a complex thing for you

[vamsi001]

But it states clearly on the high commission website that you MUST take the general IELTS test
(not the academic). There is nowhere on ther website that sas aademic is for both academic and
immigration. A lot of people like to misiform others beause the have made the same mistakes.
Why taking the risk of taking academic when you have applied fo PR(not for student visa)? Why giving the IO opportunity to award
whatever marks he/she feels?
I would not do academic whenam required to do general. Some people might sayit does not matter but the high
commission has the sole say and they have surly saidit on theirwebsite, for immigration, you need to take general and
academic you need to do academic IELTS
********************
Skilled workers and professionals: Who can apply—Selection factors
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.

Approved language tests

You can arrange to take a language test from any of the following approved organizations.
English Language Testing Organizations

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

The University of Cambridge Local Examination Syndicate, IDP Education Australia: IELTS Australia and the British Council administer this test.

Note: IELTS has two options for the reading and writing tests: General Training and Academic. You must take the General Training option

[dude]

I am sure Academic will be accepted. The same doubt I had when I applied but I did'nt have any problem.  They gave me 14 points out of 16.  I culd'nt manage to get 6.5 in one topic that's why it became 14.   Academic exam is more tough and so it don't make sense in saying higher exam will not be accepted.  So be happy...academic will be accepted.

[dude]

They are saying General training in the sense that it is "enough".  In my view, for every applicant same rules are applicable rather than saying its dependent on each IO.  I don't think its like that... otherwise they would have mentioned it specifically in the main website.  So, as somebody suggested, if its not necessary then go for General cuz there is no need to do a tough exam.  If my case was accepted then this should be applicable to every applicant otherwise what transparency the whole process has got?

[Leon]

This is from the Operational manual for skilled workers at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/op/op06-eng.pdf section 10.6, page 3:

Note: For the IELTS reading and writing tests, there are ‘General Training' and ‘Academic' options. Only the ‘General Training' tests are accepted for CIC purposes.

The IO's actually have quite a bit of power in the way they handle their cases.  Even though it should all be the same, it isn't.  I don't remember anybody from here who was refused with Academic but if the IO wanted to, they could.

[vamsi001]

***********dude*******, go and read www.cic.gc very well, it clearly states that for immigation, you MUST do general IELTS.
Because you were lucky to get away with it does not mean others would get away with it. It is misinformation to keep
telling people that academic ielts is the same as general ielts when cic website clearly says you must do general (not academic) for
PR. Because someone had made a mistake does not mean everybody must make the same mistake. The IO has the power to do and
undo.

[dude]

I just told my case and if the whole process is  transparent i believe everyone should be treated the same.   I guess i didnt advice anybody to take Academic and for your information i had read CIC instructions before sending my application and the IO gave me 14 points for Academic.  I shared that info with others thats all.  Academic is more tough exam and if people wish to do it, what is wrong in it?  They want to do some course after immigration, for which academic is necessary so if Academic is a superior exam then why not accept it ?  That maybe the reason why it is being accepted. A person having sense can't reject a superior test ...its like saying ur being rejected cuz ur over qualified.  I dont hav anything to say to such people. I believe, all applicants will read the instructions of CIC and file their application.  So if somebody thought like me and wanted to do academic they should know there are people like me who got accepted by taking academic.  For them only I shared my case, rest of the people can go ahead with general. Anyways general is less tough exam than academic so go for it guys who don't wish to do studies after reaching there.