What NCLC level do you actually need? By immigration program
NCLC 7 is not the single answer, however often it is quoted. What level each federal program, provincial stream and Quebec asks for, so you can target it.
Adèle Sason
Founder, Français Prep
NCLC 7 is the number everyone quotes, and for a lot of candidates it is the right one. But it is not the answer to what French level you need, because there is no single answer. The level required for the TCF Canada or the TEF Canada is set by the immigration program you are applying under, and Federal Skilled Worker, the Canadian Experience Class, the trades program, provincial nominee streams and Quebec each ask for something different.
So the useful first move is not to memorise a number. It is to identify your program, because the program picks the level, and the level picks your target score. Get that order wrong and you can over-prepare for a threshold you did not need, or aim at NCLC 7 when your route actually asks for more, or less.
Why isn't it one-size NCLC 7?
Because the programs are built for different purposes and weigh language differently. Some set a single flat threshold across all four abilities. Others set different levels for different occupation categories. At least one sets uneven levels within the exam, asking more of speaking and listening than of reading and writing. A single number cannot describe that spread, which is why quoting NCLC 7 as the universal answer quietly misleads a good share of the people who hear it.
What level does each federal program ask for?
Here is the shape of it. These reflect the levels the programs have used, but requirements change and vary by occupation category, so treat this as orientation and verify your exact route against canada.ca before you plan a score around it.
| Program | Typical level (French, all four abilities unless noted) |
|---|---|
| Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) | NCLC 7 as the eligibility minimum when French is your first official language |
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | NCLC 7 for TEER 0 or 1 occupations; NCLC 5 for TEER 2 or 3 |
| Federal Skilled Trades (FSTP) | Uneven: higher in speaking and listening, lower in reading and writing |
| Provincial Nominee (PNP) francophone streams | Several start at NCLC 7, but streams differ by province |
| Quebec (Arrima, and its own procedures) | Set by Quebec, not IRCC; often assessed differently again |
The uneven trades requirement is the one that catches people out, because it breaks the habit of aiming at a single flat level. If your route is the trades program, your speaking and listening targets are higher than your reading and writing targets, which changes where you spend your preparation entirely.
What about the French-language points category?
Separate from program eligibility, French can add points to your Comprehensive Ranking System score, and it can put you in the running for category-based invitation rounds aimed at French-language proficiency. Both of those start at NCLC 7 in all four abilities. NCLC 7 or higher is worth 25 additional CRS points with little or no English, or 50 with CLB 5 or higher in all four English abilities, and the bonus is capped at 50.
You can estimate what that is worth for your own file with the French CRS points tool. Note the distinction: eligibility is a floor you must clear to apply, while these points are a bonus on top. A program might let you in at NCLC 5, but the additional French points do not begin until NCLC 7.
How is your level decided once you have a score?
Ability by ability, off the weakest of the four. Each section of the TCF Canada or TEF Canada converts to an NCLC level on its own, and your file is read off the lowest one. There is no averaging. This is the rule that should drive your preparation: whatever your program requires, you have to reach it in your worst section, not on balance.
To turn a practice result into a level, use the score converter, and to see the full band tables for each exam, they are laid out with NCLC 5 and NCLC 9 alongside for comparison.
What should you do before you set a target?
Confirm three things in order. Identify your immigration program and stream. Read the exact French level it currently requires from canada.ca, or from your province for a PNP stream, or from Quebec for a Quebec procedure. Then convert that level into a target score in each ability. Only the last step is one we can help with; the first two belong with IRCC, your province, or a licensed immigration consultant.
A final caution, because these are exactly the facts that move. Program thresholds, TEER categories, category-based selection rules and CRS point values are all set on the Canadian side and revised regularly, so verify your route against canada.ca rather than against any figure on this page. Français Prep is an independent preparation service and is not affiliated with IRCC or with the exam boards; what we prepare you for is reaching the level, once you know which one your program demands.
Frequently asked questions
What NCLC level do I need for Canadian immigration?
It depends on your program, not on a universal number. Federal Skilled Worker typically asks NCLC 7 when French is your first official language; the Canadian Experience Class asks NCLC 7 for TEER 0 or 1 jobs and NCLC 5 for TEER 2 or 3; the Federal Skilled Trades Program uses uneven levels. Verify your exact route against canada.ca.
What level of French is required for the TCF Canada or TEF Canada?
The exams themselves require no particular level; they simply report where you are on a scale from A1 to C2. The level you need is set by your immigration program and converted from your score afterwards. For the main French federal routes that level is NCLC 7 in all four abilities, but lighter requirements can accept NCLC 5.
Is NCLC 7 required for every program?
No, and treating it as universal misleads a lot of candidates. Some routes accept NCLC 5, the trades program sets uneven levels across the four abilities, and provincial nominee and Quebec streams set their own thresholds. NCLC 7 is, however, where the additional French CRS points and French-language category rounds begin.
What NCLC level does Quebec require?
Quebec runs its own immigration procedures and sets its own French requirements, assessed separately from IRCC's federal programs. If you are applying through a Quebec route such as Arrima, take the required level from Quebec's own guidance rather than from federal figures, because they are not the same system.
How is my NCLC level worked out from my exam score?
Each ability converts to an NCLC level on its own against the published equivalency, and your file is read off the lowest of the four. There is no averaging, so whatever your program requires, you must reach it in your weakest section. The score converter and the NCLC 7 page show the full band tables for both exams.