Overview: ESL Classes
If you're a permanent resident or a protected person, start with the free classes. The Government of Canada pays for language classes for newcomers. A local group that helps newcomers tests your level against the Canadian Language Benchmarks first. Quebec runs its own free French courses through Francisation Québec.
Private schools fill the gaps. They run fast-paced courses, exam prep, business English, and classes for people who can't get a funded place. The federal EduCanada site suggests picking a school accredited by Languages Canada, which checks teaching staff, courses and student services.
If a test is part of your immigration plan, pick the right one. Express Entry accepts CELPIP General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core, and IELTS Academic won't count. A general class won't drill you on test format. An exam class won't do much for your nerves at the bank counter either.
Our listings show what each language school states on its own website. The province and city lists below lead to English schools in your area.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out my level?
If you're heading for a funded class, a newcomer organization arranges an assessment against the Canadian Language Benchmarks, and you're placed from that. Private schools run their own placement tests, usually a written part and a short conversation. Don't argue your way into a higher class. Sitting in a room where you understand nothing is the quickest way to stop going.
Do I need an exam course?
Only if someone is asking you for a score. For Express Entry, IRCC accepts CELPIP General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core in English. IELTS Academic isn't on that list, and people do book the wrong one. If no application depends on a test, a general class will build your English faster than drilling question types.
Can I get English classes for free?
If you're a permanent resident or a protected person, yes. Government of Canada funded classes cost you nothing, and a local newcomer organization gets you assessed and pointed to a class. Classes follow the Canadian Language Benchmarks, and you get a certificate when you finish a level. In Quebec, the free provincial courses teach French through Francisation Québec. Ask before you pay a private school.
What should teachers be qualified in?
A recognized certificate in teaching English to adults, not just fluency and a degree. In Ontario, funded newcomer programs typically ask for TESL Ontario's OCELT certification, though each employer and its funder set the actual hiring rules. Private schools vary more, so ask what the teachers hold and how long they've taught. Explaining a tense to someone whose language doesn't have one is the real job.
Will my class certificate help with citizenship?
It can. Most adult citizenship applicants have to prove they can speak and listen in English or French at a basic level. IRCC accepts a few kinds of proof. A certificate from certain funded language training counts. So does a result from an approved test, or a diploma from school or college taught in English or French. Use IRCC's online questionnaire first, because an application without accepted proof can be sent back.
Are there classes for children and teenagers?
School boards usually give English help to school-age children, and private schools run junior classes apart from adults. If a teenager joins an adult evening class, ask how it's supervised. The school decides whether staff need a vulnerable sector check, which adds a search for pardoned sexual offences to a police check. Ask whether its teachers have one.
