The School offers a number of free online self-assessment tools, in English and in French, to help you improve or maintain your language skills.
Our online language learning products include self-directed evaluation simulations and interactive tools designed to improve oral and written comprehension, pronunciation, grammar, written expression and fluency in the second official language.
Understanding your linguistic profile
Linguistic profile
A language profile is assigned to you following a second language evaluation administered by the Public Service Commission of Canada. Similarly, each job description in the public service has its own linguistic profile. The following information will help you interpret your linguistic profile and that of your current position or the position you are interested in.
These profiles are linked to federal public service work descriptions.
Linguistic profiles are composed of three letters, each representing a different language skill:
- First letter: reading comprehension
- Second letter: written expression
- Third letter: oral interaction
Each letter also represents a language proficiency level:
- A: beginner
- B: intermediate
- C: advanced
These three letters make up your linguistic profile. For example, a BBC profile indicates the following:
- B: intermediate proficiency in reading comprehension
- B: intermediate proficiency in written expression
- C: advanced proficiency in oral interaction
For more information on language tests and language levels used in the federal public service, please consult the Public Service Commission's Second Language Evaluation in the Public Service page.
