Additional Resources

Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks (CCLB)

The CCLB supports the national standards in English and French for describing, measuring and recognizing second language proficiency of adult immigrants and prospective immigrants for living and working in Canada.

Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB)

A Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) is a description of a person’s ability in a specific language.  Each benchmark describes:

• Characteristics of Speaking, Listening, Reading or Writing ability as listed in the Profile of Ability.
• What a person can do in each language skill, as presented in the Competency Statements.
• Specific conditions under which abilities can be demonstrated (including factors such as time constraints, length of task/text, assistance given), as listed in the Profile of Ability.
• Examples of possible communication tasks for community, study and work contexts, as illustrated in the Sample Tasks.
• Indicators of task success, as listed in the Sample Indicators of Ability found below the Competency Statements.

Benchmark Stages

The 12 benchmarks are organized into three scales of ability:

• Stage I - Basic
• Stage II - Intermediate
• Stage III - Advanced

Each stage is associated with a degree of complexity and demand. Within each stage, there are four benchmarks that progress from initial to fluent ability: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. This progression indicates a learner's progression across a stage, as reflected in the Profiles of Ability that appear on a single page for each stage.

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The CELBAN Centre

CELBAN is an assessment tool designed to assess the English language proficiency of internationally-educated nurses who are applying for licensure in the nursing profession in Canada. CELBAN is recognized by the BC College of Nurses & Midwives (BCCN&M). English language proficiency is a requirement for all nursing applicants. In cases where an applicant was not educated in Canada and/or English is not the applicant’s first language, the results of an approved language proficiency test must be submitted to the National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS) before applying to BCCN&M.

In BC, CELBAN tests are offered through Ashton College:

Ashton Testing Services

1190 Melville Street  Vancouver, BC V6E 3W1
604-628-5783

testcentre@ashtontesting.ca

LINC: Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada:  Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSofBC)

LINC provides basic and intermediate level English training for adult newcomers. Programs are government-funded and free to students. You must be 17 years or older and approved for permanent residence to qualify.

LINC goes from level 1 (low beginner) to level 8 (high intermediate). There is also a pre-beginner level (literacy). After you apply for LINC, you will be given an appointment for an English assessment (test). At levels 5, 6, 7 and 8 there are general English classes and English for the Workplace classes.