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The ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements
How have the language requirements for pilots and air traffic controllers changed?
In September 2003 the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a division within the United Nations, announced changes to provisions strengthening language proficiency requirements. These requirements will come into effect from March 2008. These changes mean that for the first time, all pilots operating on international routes and all air traffic controllers who communicate with foreign pilots will need to have their English language proficiency formally assessed. The ICAO language proficiency requirement requires that pilots and air traffic controllers be able to communicate proficiently using both ICAO phraseology (ICAO Doc. 9832) and plain English (ICAO Doc. 9835).

ICAO has established six levels of language proficiency:

ICAO Level 6: Expert
ICAO Level 5: Extended
ICAO Level 4: Operational
ICAO Level 3: Pre-Operational
ICAO Level 2: Elementary
ICAO Level 1: Pre-Elementary

The minimum language level for licensing purposes is ICAO Level 4. To be assessed at ICAO Level 4 or above, a pilot or air traffic controller must achieve Level 4 in all six of the ICAO skill areas: Pronunciation, Structure, Vocabulary, Fluency, Comprehension and Interactions. In other words, if a test candidate is assessed as ICAO Level 4 in five of the six skill areas, but ICAO Level 3 in one area, then, according to the ICAO requirement, they are assessed as ICAO Level 3.

From March 2008 all 189 ICAO member States will need to demonstrate that personnel in their air traffic control organisations and international airlines have been assessed according to the new ICAO requirements. The standard is applicable to personnel from both native-speaking and non-native speaking countries.

ICAO requires that all member State regulatory authorities put in place regulations that are aligned to the ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements, including the endorsement of an appropriate proficiency test to satisfy licensing requirements.

International airlines and air traffic control providers will need to demonstrate that processes have been established to facilitate ICAO compliance for their staff.

Airlines and air traffic control authorities can prepare for the ICAO requirement by considering the following questions:

What are the proficiency levels of our staff in relation to the ICAO requirement now?
What can be done now to understand how the ICAO requirements will impact on our organisation?
What proportion of our pilots/air traffic controllers are likely to achieve ICAO Levels 4, 5 or 6 by March 2008?
What be done to help those staff who are likely be below ICAO Level 4?
What does language training in aviation English involve to achieve higher rates of ICAO compliance?
How can language training be done effectively and efficiently to minimise the impact on our organisation?

Further information

Addressing the ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements

https://www.rmitenglishworldwide.com/icao.html