CNO English test scores: the minimums for IELTS, CELBAN and more.

What English test scores does CNO require?

These are CNO's minimum English test scores for registering as a nurse in Ontario. You must meet every component, not just the overall score.

For French, CNO accepts the TEF (reading 400, writing 400, listening 400, speaking 500) and the TCF (reading 453, writing 10, listening 503, speaking 12).

Do I have to meet every score in one sitting?

Yes, apart from approved retake options. For IELTS, a One Skill Retake taken within 60 days of your original test replaces that one score. Results must be sent to CNO directly by the test organisation, not by you.

Will my immigration IELTS score count?

Only if it meets CNO's minimums. CNO points out that a score good enough for immigration may not meet its nursing benchmark, so check each component against the table above.

Can I meet the English requirement without a test?

Yes. CNO also accepts one of these, gained no more than two years before you open your application:

• Nursing education taught in English or French, with a clinical component.
• Nursing practice where English or French was a primary language.
• Current or recent registration as a nurse elsewhere in Canada.

If your evidence expires before you register, CNO gives a one-time, automatic one-year extension.

Is OET accepted for nurses in Canada?

In Ontario, yes. CNO accepts the Occupational English Test (OET) with at least C+ (330) in reading, C+ (320) in writing, and B (350) in listening and speaking, all in one complete attempt. OET must send the results to CNO directly, and the test must be written within two years of registering. In Alberta, CRNA, which registers RNs, accepts only CELBAN and IELTS Academic. Australia accepts any profession-specific version of OET: see NMBA's English scores.

Are the English scores the same in Alberta?

The minimums are the same, but Alberta accepts only two tests: CELBAN and IELTS Academic, taken within the past two years. Compare Ontario and Alberta in full.