Why is the French immigration test so criticized? Does it meet our expectations as a host company? What are its pitfalls and pitfalls? To get a more direct knowledge of it, we took one of the tests, the French placement test adapted for Quebec. We have chosen the two oral parts of the test, namely the expression and the comprehension part, as these are currently mandatory.
After making an appointment at an approved center near the Le Devoir offices, we go there with proof of identity. All other personal items are left in the cloakroom and the oral comprehension part takes place in a gray booth in front of a computer and under headphones. The supervisor makes rounds in the rows, in which a maximum of ten candidates come together.
The oral expression test consists of two simulations that are personally assessed by an examiner. As she sits in front of the candidate who presents her passport as proof of identity, she is surprised that a Canadian citizen would want to skip this part. “You don’t need it for immigration,” she said, frowning.
In order not to influence the outcome of the trial, Le Devoir did not disclose the professional reasons that prompted him to attempt it. In the speaking simulations, we had to pretend to call the staff at a cheese shop and ask questions for five minutes. Then it’s a matter of simulating for 10 minutes that you convince a friend to become a food delivery bike. Here the examiner encourages the candidate to keep coming up with ideas, but it takes a lot of imagination to fill this time. A shy or insecure person may find it difficult to speak for so long.
The French accent is immediately noticeable in oral understanding. Out of 51 questions, only four audio recordings have a Quebec accent. However, the Paris Île-de-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry assured us by email that “the Quebec accent is present at about 35% in the oral comprehension test”.
Some possible answers are quite confusing, even ambiguous. For example, we once hear a fake news report. “The first heart transplant patient has died. “He will be buried next Saturday,” we learn with few details. You must then indicate which section the statement referred to: unusual, science, society, miscellaneous facts. Even for the person who understands every single word and general information, multiple answers seem appropriate.
Same scenario for the following question: “It rained so heavily in the stadium that the sporting event was canceled.” » Is it the weather or the sport?
In this test, it is also the stopwatch that keeps an eye on the candidate. Sometimes you have to answer three questions about the same recording, which you usually only hear once. A person with reading difficulties could be at a significant disadvantage even if they speak French well.
Another section is about opinions. We hear the expressions “c’est pas de la tarte” and “c’est fichu”, which come from a French vocabulary, as well as the word “lunch” to denote lunch or also “supermarket” and “to sit”. cross-legged”.
All these elements confirm several opinions of immigrants and experts. “Are all tests biased? Yes. But can this test be improved? Even safer,” summarizes linguist Elizabeth Allyn Smith.
A week after the test, we received the results by email. For the oral expression part, we have reached the highest level, namely C2 on the European scale. The oral comprehension portion was less successful, scoring just below C1. However, it is only one level above B2, the threshold required to apply for permanent residency in the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ).