How long are IELTS results valid for Express Entry?

Plan around a 24-month window from the test date for application purposes. Confirm on IRCC’s language test page.

Will Northway email me before expiry?

If you opt into email alerts and save date facts, milestone reminders can be queued for language and ECA windows. Opt-in is required.

When language tests stop counting for CRS

Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/language-test.html · Rule pack 2025-03-25

IRCC expects language test results used for Express Entry to be less than 24 months old when you submit an application after an ITA. Northway models validity from the test year-month you optionally provide.

When results expire in our timeline model, first-language points and related skill-transfer contributions can fall sharply — often the steepest cliff on a candidate’s chart. That is why we surface language expiry as a high-priority milestone.

Education credential assessments (ECAs) follow a longer window in our model (60 months from issue month). Confirm both windows on the official IRCC document pages before you act.

Job offers no longer add CRS points after 2025-03-25, but language validity still does. Track test months, not just scores.

FAQ

How long are IELTS results valid for Express Entry?: Plan around a 24-month window from the test date for application purposes. Confirm on IRCC’s language test page.
Will Northway email me before expiry?: If you opt into email alerts and save date facts, milestone reminders can be queued for language and ECA windows. Opt-in is required.

Self-assessment information and estimates — not a decision about your case, and not legal advice.