NAV CANADA Language Requirements: English and French

NAV CANADA language requirements explained: English across Canada, bilingual roles in Quebec and Ottawa, Montreal FIR, phone testing, and free practice.

Written by Michael Reed and reviewed by Editorial Team Last updated: November 7, 2026 · 6 min read

Illustration of an air traffic controller at work, not an image from an official NAV CANADA language assessment.

NAV CANADA says applicants must be fluent in English in every region. Its official selection guide requires both English and French fluency for work in Quebec or Ottawa. The employer’s air traffic controller careers eligibility section additionally describes bilingual positions in the Montreal Flight Information Region (FIR), including the National Capital Region.

Last checked November 7, 2026. The wording of your actual vacancy and your individual NAV CANADA invitation take priority over this independent guide.

English and French requirements by region and selection step

On a narrow screen, swipe the table horizontally to see the final column. Keyboard users can focus the table and scroll sideways.

Applicant or stage	Employer's published wording	What to verify personally
All regions	English fluency required	Specific vacancy and any extra role requirements
Work in Quebec or Ottawa	English and French fluency required on dedicated selection pages	Position, work location and language designation
Montreal FIR / National Capital Region	Controller careers eligibility describes fluent English and French for bilingual positions	Whether your particular position is designated bilingual
Bilingual Montreal FIR assessment centre	A bilingual assessment-centre session for candidates applying to bilingual positions	The centre invitation, venue and actual session instructions
Language proficiency verification	May require testing by a third-party company over the phone	Whether you are invited, the date and the provider's rules

These statements use two different lenses: geographic wording (Quebec or Ottawa) in the dedicated selection pages, and recruitment-region/position wording (Montreal FIR including the National Capital Region) in the careers eligibility page. They should be read together, not collapsed into an inaccurate rule that all jobs outside Quebec are English-only or that every job in Canada requires French.

For the application and testing sequence, see the NAV CANADA selection process and hiring-process guide.

Is English required throughout Canada?

Yes. The NAV CANADA air traffic control selection page says applicants must be fluent in English in all regions. The separate flight service selection page uses the same general language rule, so this is not limited to one controller stream.

Being fluent is a genuine eligibility condition, not merely a preference. However, NAV CANADA’s public selection overview does not publish a single numerical English test score, proficiency certificate or standardised external exam cutoff applying to every applicant.

Where French is required: Quebec, Ottawa and the Montreal FIR

NAV CANADA’s selection pages explicitly require both English and French for work in Quebec or Ottawa. Its controller careers page expresses the recruitment condition as fluent bilingual English and French for the Montreal FIR, including the National Capital Region; English for all other regions. These are official descriptions from different parts of the same employer website, not interchangeable geographical labels.

Ottawa is in Ontario, yet the dedicated selection pages explicitly name Ottawa in their bilingual requirement. Equally, the Montreal FIR is an operational flight information region, not simply a synonym for the province of Quebec. To determine your actual language obligation, read the specific vacancy’s position designation, region and invitation.

For a candidate applying to a bilingual Montreal FIR position, NAV CANADA also specifies a bilingual assessment-centre session. This does not establish that every assessment centre across Canada is bilingual. See the assessment-centre guide for the distinct group, individual and interview activities.

Is language testing a separate phone assessment?

It can be. NAV CANADA writes that candidates may need language testing to confirm they satisfy the applicable requirement. The employer describes that testing as conducted by a third-party company over the phone. It does not confirm in its public selection overview that every candidate receives the same call.

The bilingual assessment-centre session and telephone language test are different concepts. Do not assume passing the centre automatically waives a later language check, or that a telephone assessment replaces the centre.

The public selection information does not specify a universal call duration, number of attempts, precise question format, allowed notes, score threshold, IELTS/TOEFL score, CEFR level or ICAO proficiency level for all applicants. These cannot be inferred from private practice websites. Follow your personal email, official Workday candidate messages and the provider’s invitation where applicable.

Free, original language practice (not an employer assessment)

You do not need to purchase a commercial language course to work on clear, accurate communication. These two original written-comprehension mini-exercises are for self-study; they are not listening tests, official NAV CANADA questions, a language-certification exam or a prediction of hiring success.

Example 1 - English: read the schedule accurately

A training briefing originally scheduled for 09:10 is moved to 09:35. The team should arrive 15 minutes before the new start. What is the new arrival time? Explain in one short English sentence.

Show the English example answer

09:20. A clear answer would be: “The briefing now starts at 09:35, so the team should arrive at 09:20.” This checks written instruction comprehension and arithmetic, not pronunciation or professional aviation phraseology.

Exemple 2 - Français : reformuler une consigne simple

Une réunion initialement prévue à 14 h 20 est reportée à 14 h 50. Les participants doivent arriver dix minutes avant. À quelle heure doivent-ils arriver ? Répondez en une phrase française claire.

Afficher un exemple de réponse

14 h 40. Exemple : « La réunion commence maintenant à 14 h 50 ; les participants doivent arriver à 14 h 40. » Cet exercice écrit ne mesure ni l'aisance à l'oral ni le niveau officiellement requis pour un poste bilingue.

For realistic general practice, speak with a fluent partner, summarise everyday spoken messages in English (and French for bilingual positions), and ask for feedback on meaning, accuracy and natural delivery. Avoid rehearsing supposed leaked employer scripts. Our free-first NAV CANADA preparation guide and interview orientation cover other skills but are not substitutes for language evaluation.

Can you apply now, and how will you be notified?

At this page’s November 7, 2026 review, the directly retrieved NAV CANADA Careers in Aviation page linked to Workday but did not establish a currently open ATC recruiting round in its public text. Older search results may still display past recruitment campaigns. Neither a public careers page nor an outdated search snippet is evidence that a particular vacancy is open or closed. Check the current Workday postings for your role and region before applying.

The employer communicates individual selection and possible language-testing steps through Workday, its careers portal and the personal email used in your application. No independent page can confirm your invitation, result or personal deadline.

Official sources checked November 7, 2026

NAV CANADA - Air Traffic Control Selection and Training: English all regions, English/French for Quebec or Ottawa, conditional third-party phone assessment and bilingual Montreal FIR assessment-centre session.
NAV CANADA - Flight Service Selection and Training: comparable general regional language framework for flight services.
NAV CANADA - Air Traffic Controller Careers: bilingual eligibility in the Montreal FIR, including the National Capital Region, and English for other regions.
NAV CANADA - Careers in Aviation: employer Workday portal and eligibility information. The public page does not by itself confirm an active vacancy.
NAV CANADA - Sélection et formation en contrôle de la circulation aérienne: official French-language selection explanation.

Editorial independence: ATCPracticeTest.com is not NAV CANADA, does not set language thresholds, administer employer telephone tests or receive candidate results. This page contains no direct commercial or affiliate links.

Frequently asked questions

Is English mandatory for NAV CANADA air traffic services applicants?

NAV CANADA’s current air traffic control and flight service selection pages say applicants must be fluent in English for all regions. Read your particular job posting for any additional requirements.

When must NAV CANADA applicants speak both English and French?

The employer’s selection page says English and French fluency is required to work in Quebec or Ottawa. Its air traffic controller eligibility page separately describes bilingual requirements for the Montreal Flight Information Region, including the National Capital Region.

Is every air traffic controller job across Canada bilingual?

No. NAV CANADA’s general eligibility information says English for regions other than the specified bilingual positions. Do not interpret this as a guarantee that a particular vacancy will never have additional language requirements.

Does the bilingual Montreal FIR include the National Capital Region?

NAV CANADA’s air traffic controller careers eligibility information explicitly describes the Montreal Flight Information Region, including the National Capital Region. The current role posting and invitation are decisive for the position.

Do applicants need French for Ottawa even though Ottawa is in Ontario?

NAV CANADA’s dedicated selection information explicitly names Ottawa alongside Quebec for English and French fluency. Do not apply the general other-regions rule without checking the job’s language designation.

How is NAV CANADA language proficiency tested?

NAV CANADA says candidates may be asked to take a language assessment administered by a third-party company over the phone. It does not publish a universal call duration or score cutoff in its selection-stage overview.

Does everyone have to complete a third-party telephone language test?

The published selection-page wording says candidates may need language testing. This is a conditional requirement, not evidence that every candidate receives the same telephone exam.

Is the bilingual assessment-centre session the telephone language test?

No. Candidates for bilingual positions in the Montreal FIR complete a bilingual assessment-centre session, while NAV CANADA describes separate possible third-party phone language testing.

Does NAV CANADA require a specific IELTS, TOEFL, CEFR or ICAO level?

The public employer selection pages cited here do not establish a universal IELTS, TOEFL, CEFR or ICAO-level cutoff for every applicant. Do not infer one from a commercial course or a different aviation licensing process.

Can I prepare for NAV CANADA language testing for free?

Yes. Clear everyday English and, for bilingual roles, French communication can be practised without buying a course. The original written examples on this page are informal learning exercises, not NAV CANADA tests or validated fluency assessments.

Do controller and flight service specialist applicants use similar regional language rules?

NAV CANADA publishes the same general English-all-regions and Quebec/Ottawa bilingual language wording on its air traffic control and flight service selection pages. Each current job posting determines additional role-specific requirements.

Are NAV CANADA applications currently open?

NAV CANADA links to its Workday careers listings. Its general careers page and older search snippets cannot confirm whether a specific vacancy is currently open, so check the live Workday posting.