Unlike an exam that leads to a diploma of permanent validity, the test is often valid temporarily . This last is recognized by the European Community of Reference for Languages (CEFR) which defines a scale of measure: A1 (discovery) - A2 (intermediate or survival) - B1 (threshold level) - B2 (advanced) - C1 (autonomous) - C2 (mastery).
TOEIC (Test of English For International Communication), TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language), BULATS (Business Language Testing Service), DELE (Diplôme d’Espagnol Comme Langue Étrangère), GFDS (Gesellschaft für Deutsche Sprache), IELTS (International English Language Testing System)...
Furthermore, a great deal of these certifications have a complex process following the result which are not totally free.
Fortunately, the requirements of quality and easiness by companies allow the emergence of a structure a lot simpler, innovative and effective, like Pipplet.