The EALT Test Report and score validity

In the standards and recommended practices contained in ICAO Doc 9835 (1), ICAO recommends that applicants for air traffic controller or pilot licences or licence-holders involved in international civil aviation, whose English language proficiency level is at Operational Level 4 or Extended Level 5 on the ICAO Language Proficiency Rating Scale, shall be evaluated for continued competence in the English language at regular intervals.

ICAO recommends that, for licence-holders who demonstrate language proficiency at Operational Level 4, the evaluation shall be carried out at intervals not greater than 3 years and for licence-holders who demonstrate competence at Extended Level 5, the evaluation shall be carried out at intervals not greater than 6 years. 1

ICAO recommends that for licence-holders whose English language proficiency has been assessed at Expert Level 6, no further re-evaluation is required. 2

In support of the above recommendations, an EALTS Overall Rating of Operational Level 4 is to be considered valid for up to 3 years, an Overall Rating of Extended Level 5 is to be considered valid for up to 6 years, and an Overall Rating of Expert Level 6 is to be considered as having a life-time validity.

The EALTS test partners cannot verify results beyond the validation periods stated above.

Given the number of variables affecting non-native language proficiency, the recommendations of ICAO and the above EALT score validation periods assume that the EALT Report Form holder has actively maintained or tried to improve their proficiency in English language for the purposes of their professional communications.

If regulatory/licensing authorities, employers, or training institutions have reason to question the language proficiency of a pilot or air traffic controller despite the presentation of an apparently valid EALTS Report Form, it is recommended that the appropriate authority require a re-evaluation of the English language proficiency of the pilot or air traffic controller concerned in order to ensure the accuracy of the reported assessment as a measure of actual language proficiency. 3

ICAO provides for aircraft operator and service provider oversight of on-going personnel compliance with the standards it establishes. It is the responsibility of regulatory/licensing authorities and employers to maintain oversight of licence holder language proficiency prior to and between formal assessments.

1 c.f. ICAO Doc 9835 Ch.2 ICAO SARPs concerning Language Proficiency Requirements 2.5.8-2.5.10. A Standard in Annex 1 of the Chicago Convention stipulates recurrent testing for pilots and air traffic controllers who demonstrate language proficiency below Expert Level 6. Although ICAO stipulates the requirement for retesting, at present the schedule for re-testing remains an ICAO recommended practice.

2 c.f. ICAO Doc 9835 Ch.2 ICAO SARPs concerning Language Proficiency Requirements 2.5.8-2.5.10 A Standard in Annex 1 stipulates recurrent testing for pilots and air traffic controllers who demonstrate language proficiency below Expert Level 6.

3 Annexes 6 and 11 of the Chicago Convention stipulate service provider or aircraft operator oversight of personnel language proficiency.