Learn English and French

Improve your English and French

If you are an adult immigrant or refugee, you can take English and French language training classes.

On this page

  1. Before you arrive
  2. English or French as a Second Language classes
  3. Language training for your job
  4. Language classes for your education
  5. Language programs for children and youth
  6. Information in other languages

Read this page in other languages

Before you arrive

Do a free, online test to get an idea of your English or French skills and find out if you need language training.

Once you know your skill level and you need to improve your language skills, you could:

  • take an English or French language course in your home country before you move to Ontario
  • use free online resources to learn to speak and read in English or French, such as Learning English with the CBC

English or French as a Second Language classes

You can take an English or French as a Second Language (ESL/FSL) class through the Government of Ontario’s Adult Non-Credit Language Training Program.

Eligibility

Government of Canada language classes

If you are a permanent resident of Canada or a protected person, you can take the Government of Canada’s language training programs:

Get started

Contact a language assessment centre to find out what language training you need. They will refer you to language training programs.

Find language centres for English classes

Find language centres for French classes

Language training for your job

Improve your workplace language skills if you are an adult immigrant, newcomer or refugee.

Language Training in the Workplace

These classes, organized by an employer, offer ESL or FSL training to help employees learn or improve their language skills for specific jobs.

These classes cover a wide range of jobs and provide language training in a classroom or in the workplace.

Employers contact their local school board for the training.

Occupation-Specific Language Training

You may be eligible for Occupation-Specific Language Training (OSLT) or Formation linguistique axe sur les professions (FLAP) if you have training or experience in:

  • business
  • health sciences
  • human services
  • construction
  • technology
  • automotive trades

Enhanced Language Training

If you trained outside of Canada or work in a trade, you can take Enhanced Language Training or Cours de langue de niveau avancé classes to help you prepare to work in Ontario.

These classes give you language training to help you find and keep jobs that match your skills and qualifications.

Language classes for your education

High school diploma

If you are 19 and older, you may be eligible for free secondary school language, reading, writing and other courses to help you get your high school diploma.

You can apply for full-time, part-time, summer or evening programs or take classes online.

Learn more about adult learning in Ontario.

College and university

If you are applying to college or university in Ontario, you may be asked, by the school, to take tests before you can start your program. This includes the:

You have to pay to take these tests.

If you are applying for college or university programs taught in French, you may be required to take a French language skill test.

You can also choose to pay for a language training program at one of the many universities or colleges across the province.

Contact a university or college near you for information about their language training programs.

Language programs for children and youth

Children and youth from kindergarten to Grade 12 can get language training and support in school if they:

  • do not speak English or French as their first language
  • speak a variety of English or French that is different from that used in Ontario schools

Some school boards have newcomer reception centres where they test your child’s language skills and help you find schools with language training support.

Contact your local school board to find out what services are available.

For more information about Ontario’s school system, read or download the Newcomer’s Guide to: