TOEFL and Canadian permanent residence
IRCC's Express Entry page says you can take any of its approved language tests: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core for English, and TEF Canada and TCF Canada for French. Results must be less than 2 years old both when you complete your profile and when you submit your permanent-residence application, and IELTS One Skill Retake is not accepted (IRCC). TOEFL is not mentioned anywhere on the page (modified 2026-06-22), so a TOEFL score cannot be used for Express Entry.
IRCC measures results on the Canadian Language Benchmarks, so if Canada PR is your goal, compare IELTS General vs PTE Core for Canada or IELTS vs CELPIP.
| Purpose | Is TOEFL iBT accepted? | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Express Entry / permanent residence | No. English tests: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training, PTE Core | IRCC |
| Study permit | IRCC's document list names no English test; your school sets its own requirement | IRCC |
| University admission | Yes, at many universities, e.g. Toronto and UBC | See table below |
TOEFL for a Canadian study permit
IRCC's study-permit page on the documents you need (modified 2026-10-06) does not list a language test (IRCC). In practice the English requirement comes from the school that admits you, so the TOEFL score that matters is the one your university or college publishes.
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TOEFL scores at Canadian universities
Read on 14 October 2026 on each university's own page. All three list the TOEFL iBT Home Edition as accepted.
| University | Tests from 21 January 2026 | Tests before 21 January 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| University of Toronto, undergraduate | 4.5 overall, Writing 4.5, Speaking 4.0 | 89 total, 22 in Speaking and Writing |
| University of Toronto, graduate (all four divisions) | 4.5 overall, Writing 4.5, Speaking 4.0 | 93 overall, Writing / Speaking 22 |
| UBC, undergraduate | 4.5 overall: Reading 4.5, Listening 5, Writing 4.5, Speaking 4 | 90 overall: Reading 22, Listening 22, Writing 21, Speaking 21 |
Practical points
The University of Toronto's graduate school notes that TOEFL score reports will show both the old 0–120 and the new 1–6 scale until 21 January 2028, and it does not accept MyBest scores (U of T SGS). Its undergraduate office does not accept TOEFL Essentials or TOEFL ITP (U of T). ETS sends scores to institutions in about 4–8 business days through its Data Manager (ETS).
If you plan to study in Canada and later apply for PR, you will need a second test from IRCC's list anyway. See IELTS for Canada Express Entry and IELTS for a Canadian study permit.
Frequently asked questions
Is TOEFL accepted for Canada PR?+
No. IRCC's Express Entry page lists only CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core for English, and TEF Canada and TCF Canada for French.
Do I need TOEFL for a Canadian study permit?+
IRCC's study-permit documents page lists no language test. Your university or college sets the English requirement, and many accept TOEFL iBT.
What TOEFL score does the University of Toronto need?+
4.5 overall with 4.5 Writing and 4.0 Speaking for tests from 21 January 2026, for both undergraduate and graduate admission.
Does UBC accept TOEFL Home Edition?+
Yes. UBC lists 'TOEFL or TOEFL iBT Home Edition' with a 4.5 overall minimum on the 1–6 scale.
How old can my language test be for Express Entry?+
Less than 2 years old both when you complete your Express Entry profile and when you submit your permanent-residence application, according to IRCC.
Keep reading
Related
- IELTS for Canada Express Entry
- IELTS General vs PTE Core for Canada
- University of Toronto IELTS requirement
- UBC IELTS requirement
- PTE Core practice test
- All 1712 guides
Verified against the linked official sources on 14 October 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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