Language proficiency rating
Every Canadian flight crew licence carries a language proficiency rating: ICAO-mandated annotation for English, French, or both, based on evaluation of ability to speak and understand it (TC AIM LRA 1.3).
| Tier | ICAO level | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Expert | 6 | Never expires. No retest. |
| Operational | 4 and 5 | Minimum for radiotelephony. Retest every 5 years. |
| Below operational | 1 to 3 | Does not qualify for licence. |
- Licence issue: submit evaluation documentation at operational or expert level in English or French (CAR 401.06(1.1)(b)). TCCA annotates licence with language(s) met.
- International flight: demonstrate acceptable proficiency in English, or the ground station's language (TC AIM LRA 1.3).
Trap: expert never expires; operational is enough to fly but needs 5-year retest.
References
- CAR 401.06(1.1)(b)
- TC AIM LRA 1.3