All applicants must demonstrate sufficient language proficiency acceptable to the College in either English or French to be eligible for licensure with the College. This requirement is to ensure veterinarians can communicate effectively with clients, the College, and others within the veterinary professional environment. The College’s language proficiency requirements are aligned with the benchmarks adopted by the Canadian Council of Veterinary Registrars (CCVR).
Scope
Pursuant to Reg. 1093 made under the Veterinarians Act, all applicants must demonstrate proficiency in either English or French to be eligible for licensure with the College.
Applicants meet the College’s language-proficiency requirement if they provide proof acceptable to the College that:
a) their primary and secondary education was conducted in English or French;
b) their undergraduate veterinary education was conducted in English or French; or
c) their language proficiency was verified and accepted by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association – National Examining Board (CVMA-NEB) prior to January 1, 2027.
For options a) and b), ‘proof acceptable to the College’ is satisfied through the applicant’s declaration on the licence application form confirming the language of instruction for their primary and secondary education, or undergraduate veterinary education. For option c), the applicant must provide a copy of the accepted test results to the College and the College will independently verify with the CVMA NEB.
Applicants who do not meet one of the above criteria must demonstrate proficiency by providing one of the following:
- Objective evidence of language proficiency, demonstrated by satisfactory results from a College approved language-proficiency test taken within the two years preceding their application to the College.
- Alternative evidence of proficiency demonstrating that they can communicate in English or French at a level sufficient for the practise of veterinary medicine.
Effective Date
The acceptable language proficiency tests and minimum required scores outlined in Section A will take effect January 1, 2027. Applicants may choose to submit test scores that meet the requirements in Section A prior to January 1, 2027. Until January 1, 2027, applicants must meet the previously approved language proficiency tests and score requirements as outlined in Section B.
Policy
Acceptable Language Proficiency Tests and Minimum Acceptable Scores
The Registrar will accept the following standardized language proficiency tests—and the minimum scores associated with each below—as demonstration that an applicant meets the College’s language-proficiency requirements.
Section A: For test results submitted to the College on or after January 1, 2027
English Language Proficiency Tests
Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL)
- Reading: 70
- Writing: 70
- Listening: 70
- Speaking: 70
Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) – General
- Reading: 9
- Writing: 9
- Listening: 8
- Speaking: 8
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) – Academic format
- Reading: 7
- Writing: 7
- Listening: 6.5
- Speaking: 7
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) – General Training
- Reading: 7
- Writing: 7
- Listening: 6.5
- Speaking: 7
Pearson Test of English Core (PTE Core)
- Reading: 78
- Writing: 88
- Listening: 71
- Speaking: 76
Test of English as a Foreign Language - Internet‐based (iB‐TOEFL)
- Reading: 4.5
- Writing: 4.5
- Listening: 4.5
- Speaking: 4
French Language Proficiency Tests
Test d’Evaluation de Français (TEF) Canada
- Reading: 503
- Writing: 512
- Listening: 462
- Speaking: 494
Test de connaissance du français (TCF) Canada
- Reading: 524
- Writing: 14
- Listening: 503
- Speaking: 12
Section B: For test results submitted to the College before January 1, 2027
English Language Proficiency Tests
Test of English as a Foreign Language - Internet‐based (iB‐TOEFL)
- Reading: 23
- Writing: 25
- Listening: 22
- Speaking: 22
For tests taken January 21, 2026 onwards: Reading 4.5, Writing 5, Listening 5, Speaking 4. For more information on TOEFL's updated score scale, please visit their website: Understand TOEFL Scores
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) – Academic format
- Writing: 6
- Listening: 6.5
- Speaking: 7
Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL)
- Writing: 50
- Listening: 60
- Speaking: 60
Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB)
- Reading: 85
- Listening – 85
- Writing – 85
- Speaking - 3
French Language Proficiency Tests
Exam of French of the Office de la langue francaise (OLF) of the Government of Quebec
- Writing – 60
- Writing comprehension – 60
- Oral communication – 60
- Oral comprehension – 60
Validity of Test Scores and Test Administration Requirements
Applicants must provide a language-proficiency test score report that is no more than two years old at the time of application to the College.
Applicants must also achieve the minimum required scores for all test sections during the same test administration; scores from multiple attempts may not be combined.
Submission of test results
The College can verify most test scores online.
- For CELPIP, applicants should ensure that they have shared the test results with the College on the CELPIP portal.
- For IELTS, the Test Report Form number in the bottom right corner of the report must be legible.
- For PTE Core, applicants should ensure that they have shared their score with the College and provide their Score Report Code (a 10-character code written at the top of the score report).
- For TEF Canada, the Attestation number in the bottom left corner of the report must be legible.
- For iB-TOEFL, the College’s institution code is 3981.
- For CAEL, the Registration Number and PIN number must be legible.
Otherwise, test score reports must be sent directly to the College by the testing institution.
Assessment of Alternative Evidence
The Registrar will consider alternative evidence submitted by an applicant to demonstrate that they are able to communicate in English or French at a level sufficient for the practise of veterinary medicine.
The process of providing alternative evidence is substantially more rigorous and demanding than submitting results from an approved standardized language proficiency test. Although taking one of the accepted tests is the most direct and reliable method of demonstrating proficiency, the College permits applicants to submit other forms of evidence for the Registrar’s consideration.
There is no restriction on the type or amount of information an applicant may submit. The submission of evidence must be accompanied by a cover letter. Examples of evidence that may be submitted include, but are not limited to:
- Evidence of having authored veterinary publications in English or French
- Evidence from a professor/supervisor attesting to language proficiency over a period of time (such as a residency or graduate program in an English or French speaking institution)
- Evidence of a long-standing history of working in a veterinary-related environment where services were provided in English or French (verified by regulated professionals or recognized academics)
- Evidence of successful English or French language proficiency test scores other than those listed in this policy.
Review and Decision-Making Process
The Registrar will evaluate the evidence provided using the following principles:
- Relevance: The extent to which the evidence demonstrates real world communication skills required for safe veterinary practice.
- Credibility and verifiability: Whether the evidence can be confirmed, and whether sources are authoritative or professionally recognized.
- Sufficiency: Whether the evidence persuasively establishes language proficiency at the level required for safe veterinary practice.
- Consistency: Whether the evidence aligns with the applicant’s education, training, and professional history.
After completing the review, the Registrar will issue a written decision outlining whether the applicant has met the College’s language proficiency requirement.
Right to Request Review by the Registration Committee
If an applicant is not satisfied with the Registrar’s decision, they may request that the matter be reviewed by the Registration Committee in accordance with the College’s review processes.
(revised by Registration Committee ‐ 2026)