Why Do Immigrants Need to Take the IELTS?

The IELTS, or the International English Language Test System, is a common requirement for those who wish to leave their native, non-English communicating country and live in a foreign, English communicating nation. In the Philippines, despite having English as an official language and using it in institutions such as the government and the academe, Filipinos who wish to migrate are still required to take the IELTS, specifically the General Training module.

Many people question the importance of IELTS in their application to live abroad. However, having international accreditation on English proficiency is beneficial not just to the migrant-to-be but also to the nation these people want to penetrate.

1.       It adds to the “points” a hopeful migrant need to complete. Ask any consultancy agency and they will tell you that in order to earn the chance to live in Canada, the United States, New Zealand, and Australia, you need to reach a certain point. The point system criteria include age, educational background, work background, and English proficiency. The higher the IELTS band score is, the higher the points you get. The more points you get, the higher the chances that your immigration papers will be approved.  

2.       It boosts the probability of couple migration. If you and the love of your life want to create a new life overseas, you can both take the examination. In cases like this, the band score requirement of your partner may be much lower than what you need, or both of your score requirements would be lowered. Your partner might be just asked to get a 5 or even a 4.  Apart from this, your partner’s IELTS can boost the points that you already have. This has been the case in many partner-migration instances.

3.       It assures the country to wish to migrate to that you will not be a liability because you can survive the communication barrier. At the end of the day, the IELTS is a test of survival. The host country needs to make sure that you can survive in an environment wherein the main mode of communication is English.

4.       It gives you additional credentials. Once you have used your IELTS and gotten into the country of your dreams, the IELTS can be of use as additional credentials. Some work places may ask for proof of English abilities and the IELTS is an internationally-accepted document that gives an objective assessment of your communication skills.

What else are you waiting for? Prepare and review hard for your IELTS and take the test that gives you international opportunities!

Good luck!