Filipinos in Canada are complaining over the new requirement set by the Federal Immigration Department. The new rule that was set in July 2012 mandates all who want to come to Canada including those in semi- and low-skilled occupations through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) to undergo an English or French language test. The PNP is said to be better than the Temporary Foreign Worker program because under the PNP, a local employer is allowed to nominate a foreign worker for permanent residency In Canada once their contract ends.

Filipinos who have become local employers in Canada by setting up small businesses are also having a difficult time bringing or sponsoring a family member there because of the new requirement which is viewed to be too tough.

Before the language test becomes mandatory, local employers can test their workers proficiency in the English language simply by conducting an interview or by letting them take English language courses.

In an article in ABS-CBN new site, Ailene Gayangos, owner of Asian Central Store said, "Yung isang category lang ang maibagsak mo sa IELTS apektado na lahat. You have to retake the exam. Ang laki ng pagbabago. Compared nung previous, walang ganung set up."

Canadian employers and other foreign employers are also affected by the rule.

Rick Karp, president of the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce, does not approved the standardized tests too where workers have to achieve a certain score on each section of the test.

He said, “My understanding of this is even if you are a professor of English language at Oxford University in England and you want to immigrate to Canada through the nominee program, you have to do the test. Now that to me doesn’t make sense.”

However, the government of Canada insists that the implementation of the English language test is necessary to ensure that a foreign worker will not have a hard time adjusting to their country.