An applicant with a good overall IELTS score (6.5) but a weaker writing band (5.5) asked whether to proceed under non-SDS or retake the test.
What group members advised:- A visa officer at an IRCC webinar reportedly said applications with any band below 6 face a higher chance of refusal. This was shared as direct feedback from an embassy webinar, not just group opinion, and it applies regardless of a strong overall score.
- The practical recommendation was to retake IELTS and aim for at least 6 in each band, rather than filing non-SDS with a below-6 writing score and hoping the strong overall average offsets it.
The takeaway: a high overall band doesn't offset a single low band in the eyes of some visa officers — if any section is below 6, retaking the test is generally safer than filing as-is.