Language Assessment Centre for Northern Ontario

The language assessment centre provides clients with free language assessments and referral services for government-funded English training programs. Language assessments may be conducted online or in -person at specific sites . 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Participants Must Be:

    18+ years of age

    Ontario Residents, with one of the following immigration statuses:

    Permanent Residents

    Convention Refugees/Protected Persons

    Persons in Canada whose applications for Permanent Resident status are being processed in Canada and who have been

    informed by a letter from Citizenship and Immigration Canada of the initial approval of their application subject to an admissibility assessment

    Refugee claimants

    Temporary workers or students who have obtained initial approval for a concurrent Application for Permanent Residence

    Foreign domestic workers admitted under the Live-In Caregiver program.  

  • You will be required to present proof of your residency in Ontario. A copy of your immigration document is required.

  • A certified Language Assessor will test you in listening, speaking, reading and writing based on the Canadian language benchmarks.  For more information about the Canadian language benchmarks go to this site: https://www.language.ca/home/

    The language assessment process can take up to 2 hours.  

    Child-minding is not available while taking the test.  


    Cell phones must be turned off during testing.

  • A Language Assessment

    •  does not provide proof of language proficiency for citizenship 

    Government-funded English training programs provide a certificate for citizenship purposes. 

  • Online assessments are available for anyone who is digitally literate, has a PC or lap top and good interent connectivity

    Email maggiel@thunderbay.org to set up an appointment.

    Depending on where you live, you can choose to take the assessment at home or at a proctored site (see list below)

    Online language assessments are conducted through an online testing site with the guidance of a certified language assessor.

    Online assessments will take about a hour and a half of your time.

    Proof of eligibility (see “Who is Eligible?”) is required.

    A valid email address is necessary

Please call to schedule an appointment at a
location close to you.

Thunder Bay Multicultural Association
17 North Court Street , Thunder Bay, Ontario
Regional Language Assessor:
Maggie Landry
maggiel@thunderbay.org

English Language Instruction Centres:

  • Laurentian Learning Centre Near North District School Board
    647 McKay Ave
    North Bay, ON, P1B 7V7
    Phone: (705) 472-5419 Ext. 5990

  • Northeastern Catholic District School Board
    101 Spruce St N
    Timmins, ON, P4N 6M9
    Phone: (705) 268-7443 Toll-Free: (877) 422-9322

  • Northland Adult Learning Centre
    440 Northland Rd
    Sault Ste Marie, ON, P6C 3N6
    Phone: (705) 945-7109 Toll-Free: (705) 945-7109

  • The Lakehead Adult Education Centre / Lakehead District School Board
    1255 S Lillie St
    Thunder Bay, ON, P7E 2A3
    Phone: (807) 625-5145

  • Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC)
    Thunder Bay Multicultural Centre
    17 N Court StThunder Bay, ON, P7A 4T4
    Phone: (807) 345-0551 Toll-Free: (888) 831-1144

  • Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC)
    85 Larch St
    Sudbury, ON, P3E 1B8
    Phone: (705) 675-8405

  • Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC)

    Sault Community Career Centre

Proctored Language Assessment Sites:

  • The Multicultural Association of Kenora & District
    136 Main St S
    Kenora, ON, P9N 1S9
    Phone: (807) 468-7104 Toll-Free: (888) 242-5661

  • North Bay & District Multicultural Centre
    100 Main St E
    North Bay, ON, P1A 1A8
    Phone: (705) 495-8931

  • Sault Community Career Centre
    503 Queen St E
    Sault Ste Marie, ON, P6A 2A2
    Phone: (705) 759-0909 Ext. 4225 Toll-Free: (855) 759-0909

  • Timmins & District Multicultural Centre
    Pine Plaza, 119 St S Suite 10
    Timmins, ON, P4N 3K3
    Phone: (705) 363-7267

  • YMCA of Sudbury - Newcomer Services
    112-10 Elm St
    Sudbury, ON, P3C 5N3
    Phone: (705) 470-3022

LINC Home Study

If you are a Newcomer in Northwestern Ontario who is eligible for LINC , but unable to attend regular classes, you may* be able to study English at home through the LINC Home Study Program. *Minimum benchmarks apply. LINC Home Study lets you learn English in the comfort of your own home using a computer or books and CDs. Common situations where Home Study is preferred:

  • health issue(s) preventing classroom attendance

  • lack of transportation to classroom programs in your region

  • employment scheduling conflict(s), such as rotating shift work

  • lack of classroom programs in your region

  • lack of child-minding services for your LINC classroom programs

  • children too young for the child-minding program in your region

To inquire about LINC Home Study contact Maggie at: (807) 345-0551 or Email:  Maggie- maggiel@thunderbay.org