What TEF Canada Is
TEF Canada is the Canadian variant of the Test d'Évaluation de Français, issued by the Paris Île-de-France Chamber of Commerce. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) accepts it as proof of French for Express Entry and several other economic immigration programmes.
You are tested on four abilities — speaking, listening, reading and writing — and each produces its own score. Those scores are then converted to Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC), the French equivalent of the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB).
Verify against IRCC before you rely on this
Score bands and programme requirements are updated periodically. Always confirm your result against the official IRCC equivalency charts and your programme's requirements before submitting an application.
CLB vs NCLC: Same Scale, Two Languages
The CLB is the English benchmark scale; the NCLC is its French counterpart. They run on the same 1–12 level structure and are treated as equivalent for immigration purposes. A French result at NCLC 7 is the mirror of an English result at CLB 7.
Most economic programmes set a minimum of NCLC 7 across all four abilities for the first official language, so that is the number most candidates aim for.
Listening and Reading Bands
The table below shows the score ranges IRCC uses for TEF Canada (the "ancien score" equivalency) for listening and reading. Each ability is scored separately, so a strong reading score does not lift a weak listening score.
Writing and Speaking Bands
Writing and speaking use the same NCLC bands but different score ranges. Note that for both, reaching NCLC 7 requires a higher raw score than reading does — productive skills are graded more strictly.
Two score scales exist
TEF results are sometimes reported on a newer scale (scores up to 699) and sometimes on the older scale (scores up to 450). IRCC asks you to enter the scores from the "Équivalence ancien score" column on your result form. Check your certificate carefully before entering scores into your profile.
How TEF Scores Translate to CRS Points
For the Comprehensive Ranking System, each ability earns points according to its NCLC level. For a first official language the per-ability points are:
As a second official language, you can earn an additional 4 points if you meet NCLC 5 or higher in all four French abilities. There are also additional points for strong French under the French-language skills bonus — 25 or 50 points depending on your level in both official languages.
Why NCLC 9 matters
Points per ability stop increasing at NCLC 9 for CRS purposes, so there is a ceiling to chase. Getting all four abilities to NCLC 7 is the baseline; pushing to 9 maximises the first-language points. NCLC 9 is also often the threshold for category-based French draws.
How to Read Your Result
- Find each ability's raw score on your TEF Canada result form.
- Locate the NCLC band that contains that score in the tables above.
- Convert each of the four abilities separately — they are not averaged.
- Check each band against your programme's minimum requirement.
- Enter the "ancien score" figures into your Express Entry profile as instructed by IRCC.
Because each ability is converted separately, a single low ability can block a programme even if your other three scores are excellent. This is why candidates targeting Express Entry usually push the weakest skill hardest.
Check your writing
If writing is your weakest ability, paste practice answers into the Lingaso writing analyser to see where accuracy and range are costing you points before test day.FAQ
What NCLC level do I need for Express Entry?
For the Federal Skilled Worker Program the minimum is NCLC 7 in all four abilities for your first official language. The Canadian Experience Class requires NCLC 7 for TEER 0/1 jobs and NCLC 5 for TEER 2/3. Always confirm against the current IRCC requirements for your programme.
What is the difference between the old and new TEF scores?
TEF results can be reported on an older scale (maximum 450 per section) and a newer scale (maximum 699). IRCC asks candidates to use the "Équivalence ancien score" column on their result form, so make sure you copy the correct figures when completing your profile.
How long is a TEF Canada result valid?
IRCC requires your test results to be less than two years old both when you complete your Express Entry profile and when you submit your application for permanent residence. If your results would expire before you apply, you may need to retake the test.
Sources
Figures reflect IRCC's published equivalency charts at the time of writing and are subject to change. Verify before applying.