Language proficiency is one of the most consequential — and most poorly assessed — competencies in hiring. A requirement set too low hurts hire quality; one set too high, or worded vaguely ("bilingual", "fluent"), narrows the candidate pool and can expose the employer to a complaint.
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) gives HR teams a shared vocabulary to describe what a job actually requires. This guide shows how to start from the job's tasks to set a level, what the texts say in Canada and Quebec, and how to build assessment into hiring. It is not legal advice: for a specific case, consult legal counsel.
Start from the job's tasks, not from a "bilingual" label
The first step is to pin down the language proficiency the job actually requires — not what "sounds senior" or what has always been asked. Three questions help:
- What are the main communication tasks? (Writing reports, interviewing clients, presenting to leadership, giving spoken instructions in real time)
- Which language is required, and for which activity? (Reading internal documents in French, writing correspondence in English, speaking with clients in both languages)
- Below which level would the work actually be compromised? (The operational minimum, not an ideal level)
Requiring C1 when B2 is enough narrows the candidate pool for no reason. Set the requirement at the level the job actually demands — no higher.
What each CEFR level describes
The CEFR does not set a level for each job: it is up to the employer to link the job's tasks to the descriptors. The Council of Europe's global scale summarizes each level; here are the three levels most often required at work (global scale, Council of Europe):
| Level | CEFR global scale |
|---|---|
| B1 | Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans. |
| B2 | Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options. |
| C1 | Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices. |
To go beyond the global scale, the detailed descriptors separate written production, spoken production, comprehension and mediation: see our CEFR descriptors. For the boundary most debated in hiring, see CEFR B2 vs C1: the differences.
What does the law say about language requirements?
Language requirements sit within a legal framework in Canada. Here is what the main texts say, cited with their source (this is not legal advice):
- Federal — Canadian Human Rights Act: language is not among the prohibited grounds of discrimination listed in section 3; section 15 provides that an employer's practice is not discriminatory if it is based on a bona fide occupational requirement (Justice Canada).
- Quebec — Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms: section 10 lists language among the grounds of discrimination; section 20 deems non-discriminatory a distinction based on the aptitudes or qualifications required for a job (LegisQuébec).
- Quebec — Charter of the French Language: section 46 prohibits an employer from requiring knowledge of a language other than French "unless the nature of the duties requires such knowledge"; even then, the employer must first take all reasonable means to avoid it, and state the reasons for the requirement in the job posting. Under section 46.1, these means include having assessed the actual language needs associated with the duties (LegisQuébec).
- Ontario — Human Rights Code: according to the Ontario Human Rights Commission, the Code does not include language as a prohibited ground, but a complaint can rest on related grounds such as ancestry, ethnic origin or place of origin (Policy on discrimination and language).
- Federal public service: second-language proficiency is assessed against levels A, B and C of the Treasury Board standard, and the choice of assessment methods rests with the Public Service Commission. The standard gives no correspondence with the CEFR.
In practice: document, for each requirement, the tasks that justify it; set the level at the minimum actually needed; apply the same requirements and the same assessment method to every candidate.
Building assessment into hiring
Step 1: the job posting
Express the requirement in CEFR levels, language by language and activity by activity, rather than with vague words ("bilingual", "fluent", "working knowledge"). In Quebec, state in the posting the reasons for a requirement in a language other than French (section 46 of the Charter of the French Language).
Step 2: the screening assessment
For jobs with a real language requirement, a structured assessment before the interview saves interviewers' time and reduces the weight of impressions. It should cover:
- written production: a task close to the job (replying to an email, a summary, a case note);
- spoken production, if the job requires it: a recorded answer to a situation close to the job;
- a shared rubric: the descriptors of the CEFR and its Companion Volume, rather than the interviewer's impression.
Dedicated tools exist for this step — our comparison with Pipplet details what sets them apart.
Step 3: confirmation at interview
The structured interview confirms and refines the screening result: probe the weak points flagged by the report, and check domain-specific communication (can the candidate explain a complex concept to a non-specialist?).
Step 4: the documented decision
Record in the selection file the requirement, the assessment method and the result. A requirement that is documented and applied the same way to everyone makes the decision easier to explain.
Official exam or assessment of a production?
The two meet different needs:
- An official exam (IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge English, DELF, TEF…) issues a recognized result; the candidate must register for a session. It is the right choice when a job or a professional order requires an official result.
- An assessment like CEFRHub places a real production, a written text or a spoken recording, on the CEFR scale, from A1 to C2, with a sub-level, in under 3 minutes. It is a non-certifying educational assessment tool: it informs the decision, it does not replace an official exam.
After hiring: tracking progress
CEFR-based assessment is not only for hiring. For organizations that fund language training, repeated assessments over time give:
- a baseline: where each employee actually stands, rather than their self-assessment;
- a measure of progress at regular intervals;
- training adjustments for employees who need a different intensity or approach.
How CEFRHub helps HR teams
- Assessment of written and spoken production, in French and English, from a real production.
- CEFR level from A1 to C2, with sub-levels, and a report based on the descriptors of the CEFR and its Companion Volume, in under 3 minutes.
- Indicative results: generated automatically by AI, they are intended to support, not replace, the judgment of an assessor; the hiring decision stays yours.
- Data stored and analyzed in Canada.
- Organization plans: Team (CA$169/month) and Business (CA$499/month), Enterprise on quote; free trial, no credit card. See pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an employer in Quebec require English for a job?
Only if the nature of the duties requires it, and after taking all reasonable means to avoid it; the reasons must appear in the job posting (sections 46 and 46.1 of the Charter of the French Language). This is not legal advice.
What CEFR level should a bilingual position require?
The CEFR defines no "bilingual" level: it describes what a person can do in each language. Set one level per language, based on the job's tasks, using the descriptors.
Is language a ground of discrimination?
In Quebec, yes: section 10 of the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms lists it. The Canadian Human Rights Act does not list language among its grounds; in Ontario, a complaint can rest on related grounds such as ancestry, place of origin or ethnic origin.
Does CEFRHub replace the federal public service second-language evaluation?
No. In the federal public service, the choice of methods to assess levels A, B and C rests with the Public Service Commission; the Treasury Board standard gives no correspondence with the CEFR.
Does AI assessment replace the recruiter's judgment?
No. Results are generated automatically by AI; they are indicative and intended to support, not replace, the judgment of an assessor. The hiring decision stays with the employer.
Can I ask a candidate to take a CEFRHub assessment?
Yes, by informing them of the assessment, its purpose and how the results will be used; data is stored and analyzed in Canada. For your specific obligations regarding personal information, consult your legal counsel.