May 29, 2023

CAEL approved for Student Direct Stream (SDS)

We are pleased to announce that the CAEL Test is now accepted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the Student Direct Stream (SDS). Starting on August 10, 2023, test takers will be able to use their CAEL test results from a test centre in applications for expedited study permits. For more information, please see the release below:

IRCC Approves CAEL and CELPIP – General tests for the Student Direct Stream  

International students can now choose Canadian-made English language proficiency tests to apply for study permits through the Student Direct Stream.  

Vancouver, British Columbia (May 29, 2023) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has announced that starting on August 10, 2023, the Student Direct Stream (SDS) expedited study permit process will accept results from Prometric’s Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) and Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program – General (CELPIP – General) tests taken at a test centre. 

“We welcome the changes to the Student Direct Stream and look forward to supporting more students who wish to live, work, and study in Canada with our CAEL and CELPIP – General tests. These products were developed right here in Canada and have already been an integral part of many people’s immigration and study plans.” ,said Michael Holaday, Vice President of Business Development at Prometric.  

With thousands of tests delivered every year, CELPIP – General has been an approved English proficiency test for Canadian permanent resident status applications since 2009.  The approval of CAEL will provide an additional choice for prospective SDS applicants and is already accepted by over 180 Canadian academic institutions.  

Initially developed in 1987 by leading language assessment and testing experts at Carleton University, CAEL combines reading, writing, and listening assessments with speaking skills through computer-based language tasks. It is designed to reflect the Canadian academic context, mirroring the first-year classroom experience, and demonstrating to students the abilities needed to succeed in the Canadian post-secondary environment.  

Supporting over 7 million test takers annually at testing locations in more than 180 countries worldwide, Prometric is a leading provider of technology-enabled testing and assessment solutions to many of the world’s most recognized licensing and certification organizations, academic institutions, and government agencies. As part of Prometric’s portfolio, CAEL and CELPIP are well-positioned to leverage the company’s global reach and industry-leading experience, expertise, resources, and customer focus. 

A combination of the CAEL and CELPIP – General tests are currently administered at test centres across Canada and internationally, including SDS countries India, China, and the Philippines. 

CAEL
What I liked most about the CAEL was that you can do the test on the computer, it uses Canadian English, and the results are released quickly!
- Alinsson, CAEL - Test Taker
CAEL
I appreciated the availability of test dates for CAEL, and found it convenient and inexpensive compared to other English proficiency tests.
- Aashima, CAEL - Test Taker
paragon