Which French test?
For federal immigration (Express Entry, most pilots) and for citizenship, IRCC accepts two French tests: TCF Canada and TEF Canada. Both test the four skills, and results are valid for 2 years. For Québec’s own programs, Québec also accepts other tests such as TCF Québec, TEFAQ, DELF and DALF.
| Test | Accepted for | Writing and speaking scored | Run by |
|---|---|---|---|
| TCF Canada | Federal programs, citizenship | out of 20 | France Éducation international |
| TEF Canada | Federal programs, citizenship | points (Express Entry uses the “Équivalence ancien score”) | CCI Paris Île-de-France |
| TCF Québec · TEFAQ | Québec programs only | same scales | FEI · CCI Paris |
Which one to choose? The one with a date near you and a format that suits you. Many candidates prefer the TCF Canada’s clear /20 scale for writing and speaking: 10/20 is NCLC 7.
TCF Canada: format and scores
The TCF Canada has 4 compulsory parts, about 2 hours 47 minutes in total:
| Part | Format | Time | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening (CO) | 39 multiple-choice questions | 35 min | 100–699 |
| Reading (CE) | 39 multiple-choice questions | 60 min | 100–699 |
| Writing (EE) | 3 tasks | 60 min | 0–20 |
| Speaking (EO) | 3 tasks, face to face | 12 min (incl. 2 min preparation) | 0–20 |
The 3 writing tasks
| Task | What you write | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A short message: invite, describe, inform (friendly or practical) | 60–120 |
| 2 | An article, letter or blog post telling an experience or giving information | 120–150 |
| 3 | A text comparing two points of view from two short documents, then your opinion | 120–180 |
A writing paper can be marked “A1 non atteint” if a task is missing, off-topic, illegible or outside the required word count. Questions in listening and reading get harder as you go, and harder questions are worth more points.
- You can retake it as often as you want, waiting at least 20 days between two sittings.
- Results are usually available within about 15 working days after the centre’s material reaches France Éducation international.
- Results must be less than 2 years old when you create your Express Entry profile and when you apply for permanent residence.
- Candidates must be 16 or older. There is no upper age limit.
Sources: France Éducation international, IRCC.
From scores to NCLC levels
IRCC converts each of your four scores into an NCLC level (the French equivalent of the CLB). Your lowest skill often decides what you qualify for, so every skill counts.
TCF Canada → NCLC
| NCLC | Speaking /20 | Listening | Reading | Writing /20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10+ | 16–20 | 549–699 | 549–699 | 16–20 |
| 9 | 14–15 | 523–548 | 524–548 | 14–15 |
| 8 | 12–13 | 503–522 | 499–523 | 12–13 |
| 7 | 10–11 | 458–502 | 453–498 | 10–11 |
| 6 | 7–9 | 398–457 | 406–452 | 7–9 |
| 5 | 6 | 369–397 | 375–405 | 6 |
| 4 | 4–5 | 331–368 | 342–374 | 4–5 |
TEF Canada → NCLC (“Équivalence ancien score” column)
| NCLC | Speaking | Listening | Reading | Writing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9+ | 371+ | 298+ | 248+ | 371+ |
| 8 | 349–370 | 280–297 | 233–247 | 349–370 |
| 7 | 310–348 | 249–279 | 207–232 | 310–348 |
| 6 | 271–309 | 217–248 | 181–206 | 271–309 |
| 5 | 226–270 | 181–216 | 151–180 | 226–270 |
| 4 | 181–225 | 145–180 | 121–150 | 181–225 |
Source: IRCC, Express Entry: language test results (page modified 16 October 2026).
Express Entry and CRS points
Express Entry manages three federal programs (Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Trades). Candidates in the pool get a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score out of 1,200, and IRCC invites the best-ranked in regular draws. French can add points in three places:
| Where | Points (single applicant) | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| First official language | up to 34 per skill (136 total) | If French is your stronger language: NCLC 7 = 17 per skill, NCLC 9 = 31, NCLC 10+ = 34 |
| Second official language | up to 6 per skill (24 total) | NCLC 5–6 = 1, NCLC 7–8 = 3, NCLC 9+ = 6 per skill |
| Additional points for French | 25 or 50 | NCLC 7+ in all four French skills: 50 if your English is CLB 5+ in all four, 25 if not (or no English test) |
Age: there is no maximum age for Express Entry, but age points go down from 30 and reach zero at 45. French points help make up for that.
Change announced for 3 November 2026: IRCC is replacing Canadian work experience points with a new “labour market integration” factor and bringing back job-offer points for high-wage occupations. The French points above are not part of this change. Check the CRS page for the current grid. Sources: IRCC CRS criteria, official CRS calculator.
French-language draws
Since 2023, IRCC also holds category-based draws for candidates with strong French: NCLC 7 or higher in all four skills, whatever their English. These draws have had much lower cutoffs than other rounds.
Figures as reported for IRCC rounds; cutoffs change with every draw. Latest rounds: IRCC rounds of invitations. Last checked 1 November 2026.
Other French pathways
| Pathway | French level | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Express Entry, French category | NCLC 7, all 4 skills | Permanent residence; you still need to qualify for an Express Entry program. |
| Francophone Mobility (work permit, code C16) | NCLC 5, speaking and listening | Work permit without an LMIA, with a job offer outside Québec. The job does not have to be in French. |
| Francophone Community Immigration Pilot | NCLC 5, all 4 skills | Permanent residence with a job offer from a designated employer in a participating francophone community outside Québec. |
| Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot | NCLC 5, all 4 skills | Study permit pathway for French speakers from eligible countries at participating schools outside Québec. |
| Provincial Nominee Programs | varies | Several provinces have streams or priorities for French speakers. A nomination adds 600 CRS points. |
| Québec (PSTQ, via Arrima) | Québec scale, depends on the stream | Québec selects its own skilled workers; French is central. Québec uses its own 12-level scale, not NCLC. |
Sources: IRCC, francophone immigration outside Québec, IRCC, Francophone Mobility (C16), Québec.ca.
Citizenship
To become a Canadian citizen, applicants aged 18 to 54 must prove speaking and listening at CLB/NCLC 4 or higher, in English or French. TCF Canada and TEF Canada results are accepted. Source: IRCC.
Your step-by-step plan
- Check your levelTake our free quiz and a timed practice test. Aim for NCLC 7 in every skill if Express Entry is your goal.
- Prepare the weakest skill firstWriting and speaking are where most points are lost. Get your texts corrected and practise speaking.
- Book the test earlySessions fill up. Find an approved centre on the France Éducation international website and book 1 to 3 months ahead.
- Get your resultsConvert each score with the NCLC table above. If one skill is short, you can retake after 20 days.
- Create your Express Entry profileEnter your results exactly as on your certificate (for TEF, the “Équivalence ancien score”). Check your score with the official CRS tool.
- Prepare for the invitationIf invited, you usually have 60 days to submit a complete application. Get your documents ready early, and a Canadian-format CV for the job search.
Official links
- IRCC: Express Entry
- IRCC: language test results and NCLC tables
- IRCC: CRS criteria
- IRCC: CRS calculator
- IRCC: rounds of invitations
- IRCC: francophone immigration outside Québec
- France Éducation international: TCF Canada
- Québec immigration
- Job Bank (jobs and CV advice)
- CICC: find a licensed immigration consultant
A correction tells you exactly what stands between you and NCLC 7 in writing.