I'm wondering in your application what proof did you include for your wife's English proficiency?
REMINDER: Part of the PI Interview (the interview attendant the knowledge of Canada test)
is to verify the applicant meets the requisite official language proficiency requirement. Regardless what proof of language proficiency was submitted with the application. (Purpose of the required documentation of language proficiency, which must be submitted with the application, is to meet what IRCC requires to make a complete application. Applicant must still prove language proficiency in person.) See citation and link to applicable PDI below.
CURRENT PROCESS: If during the PI interview the applicant fails to demonstrate sufficient proficiency in one of the official languages, the applicant will get an opportunity to appear at an interview with a Citizenship Officer, who will interview the applicant and determine whether the applicant meets the language proficiency requirement.
The Citizenship Officer's decision as to this requirement is final.
Hi friends.. i am in a same situation me and my wife passed the written exam and later during the interview she couldnt manage her English properly.. so they said they will call for an english
As
@ZingyDNA observed, this is an old thread. The post you quote is from September 2014. The OP's last activity in the forum appears to have been more than three years ago.
The OP did post later observations and queries about this in January and February 2015, and I will quote those below. However they do not illuminate much other than the fact the applicant was scheduled for an interview with a Citizenship Officer approximately five to six months later.
There have been some significant changes in the law and in IRCC policies and practices since then. That said, the key elements are much the same:
-- applicants who are required to show language proficiency must submit documentation with the application which meets IRCC complete-application requirements, AND
-- then also demonstrate proficiency in one of the official languages during the PI Interview, BUT
-- if they fail to satisfy the Interviewer as to language proficiency, the applicant will later be scheduled for a hearing/interview with a Citizenship Officer who will interview the applicant and determine if the applicant meets the language proficiency requirement
See PDI titled "
Citizenship: Interviewing adult applicants" at
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/canadian-citizenship/admininistration/decisions/interviewing-adult-applicants.html where it states that the purpose of the interview includes "
screening for language ability, if applicable." There is also a section describing scenarios which will result in a hearing before Citizenship Officers, which specifically includes the scenario where "
an official feels that the applicant cannot understand or express basic information in one of the official languages (despite the provision of language evidence at the time of application)."
The Citizenship Officer's decision is final. There is NO referral to a Citizenship Judge regarding language proficiency.
EDIT to ADD Link to more specific PDI re language screening, with some further observations:
See PDI titled "Lanugage and knowledge hearings for adults at
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/canadian-citizenship/grant/language-knowledge-hearings-adults.html
Where it states:
. . . if the citizenship official who screened for language during the program integrity interview is not satisfied that, despite the provision of language evidence at the time of application, the applicant meets a Canadian Language Benchmarks/Niveaux de compétence linguistiques canadiens (CLB/NCLC) level 4, the applicant will be scheduled for a language or knowledge hearing.
This PDI includes guidelines particular to administering citizenship language assessment at a hearing. And also includes a section describing the procedure following the oral hearing.
CAUTION: At the hearing the applicant may be examined regarding ANY of the citizenship requirements, INCLUDING knowledge of Canada.
See section in the PDI titled "Assessment of any other requirements under the Citizenship Act"
While the PDI states that applicants are to be informed of this in the notice, anecdotal reports and Federal Court decisions (which, however, are a few years old now) indicate this notice is stated in very general terms, something along the lines of simply stating, in the notice, that "
the officer has authority to assess any of the requirements for citizenship," and this is sufficient notice. While my recall of the Federal Court decision most on point about this is a big vague, I specifically recall that the procedural fairness of the notice was challenged, an applicant who had passed the written test was later denied citizenship based on her failure to adequately demonstrate knowledge of Canada in the hearing. The applicant's challenge was essentially based on the applicant had reason to rely on the sufficiency of passing the written test and thus not preparing to be tested on knowledge of Canada again in the oral hearing absent any specific notice that she would be tested again. The decision to deny citizenship based on failure to pass knowledge test at oral hearing was UPHELD . . . despite the fact the applicant earlier passed the written test AND despite no specific notice that the applicant would be again tested as to knowledge of Canada.
Additional (but still very old) posts by the OP:
From Mid-January 2015:
we applied in Jan 2014 and during the test in Sep 2014 my wife didn't meet the language requirements and officer said my wife has to see judge to re-asses her language skills.
He said it may take 3 moths to hear from cic but till now no news and i think that it may take years to hear from cic. Judge also said all is ok, but family application will be on hold until my wife's assessment is done.
After reading replies, i am planning to:
re-apply for my wife, and withdraw her previous application which will cause splitting of our files and rest of family will proceed to further processing.
OR
re-apply for my wife, and send a letter to CIC to split the files and rest of family will proceed to further processing and there will be two application under process for my wife.
From February 21, 2015
My wife failed the language proficiency test during the interview.
She has a hearing with citizenship officer after one month.
