In Calgary, English is the language of everyday life.

Language teachers and some employers use a system called Canadian Language Benchmarks to assess a newcomer's English language skills. Click here for information about these standards in English, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Russian, Spanish and Urdu.

The Centre for Newcomers offers the Canadian Government's official Language Instruction for New Canadians (LINC) program. In small classes, you can learn the speaking, reading, writing and listening skills you will need for your new life in Calgary.

To take part in LINC classes, you must first visit the Immigrant Language and Vocational Assessment Referral Centre, or ILVARC. Phone ILVARC at (403) 262-2656 and set up a time to meet with someone who will assess your English language skills, and refer you to the right LINC class.

English upgrading is also offered as a part of the Centre for Newcomer's Health Care Aide, Business Communication for Professionals and Catering Training Programs.