--- title: "CLB 9 TEF Canada score: L 298, R 248, S 371, W 371" description: "CLB 9 (NCLC 9) on the TEF Canada: L 298, R 248, S 371, W 371. What CLB 8 and CLB 10 take, and 31 CRS points per ability." canonical: https://francaisprep.com/clb/9/tef-canada last-updated: 2026-10-14 --- [CLB 9](/clb/9) # What TEF Canada score is CLB 9? CLB 9 (NCLC 9) on the TEF Canada takes 298 to 315 in listening, 248 to 262 in reading, 371 to 392 in speaking and 371 to 392 in writing. Each ability is converted on its own, so all four have to reach their figure before the result reads as CLB 9 overall. Updated 14 October 2026 | Level | Listening (out of 360) | Reading (out of 300) | Speaking (out of 450) | Writing (out of 450) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | CLB 8 | 280 to 297 | 233 to 247 | 349 to 370 | 349 to 370 | | CLB 9 | 298 to 315 | 248 to 262 | 371 to 392 | 371 to 392 | | CLB 10 | 316 to 360 | 263 to 300 | 393 to 450 | 393 to 450 | | Level | Per ability, single | Per ability, with spouse | All four, single | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | CLB 8 | 23 | 22 | 92 | | CLB 9 | 31 | 29 | 124 | | CLB 10 | 34 | 32 | 136 | Scores from IRCC's [French equivalency charts](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/language-test.html) and points from its [Comprehensive Ranking System criteria](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/check-score/crs-criteria.html), checked against canada.ca on 14 October 2026. IRCC revises these pages, so confirm the current values there before you plan around a number. ## The TEF Canada scores for CLB 9 (NCLC 9) IRCC's equivalency chart sets CLB 9 (NCLC 9) on the TEF Canada at 298 to 315 in listening, 248 to 262 in reading, 371 to 392 in speaking and 371 to 392 in writing. IRCC reads the TEF Canada attestation's Equivalence ancien score column, not the Score / 699 figure printed beside it: listening out of 360, reading out of 300, writing and speaking out of 450. On the TEF Canada the NCLC 9 band spans 18 possible listening scores and 15 reading scores; in writing and speaking it covers 22 points. ## CLB 8, CLB 9 and CLB 10 on TEF Canada, side by side One level down, CLB 8 on the TEF Canada needs 280 in listening, 233 in reading, 349 in speaking and 349 in writing. One level up, CLB 10 needs 316 in listening, 263 in reading, 393 in speaking and 393 in writing. Moving from CLB 9 to CLB 10 takes 18 points in listening, 15 points in reading, 22 points in speaking and 22 points in writing. The sections use different scales, so set each step against its own maximum: 18 of 360, 15 of 300, 22 of 450 and 22 of 450. ## How many CRS points is CLB 9 worth? As your first official language, each TEF Canada ability at CLB 9 earns 31 CRS points without a spouse or common-law partner and 29 with one: 124 or 116 across the four, in a block that tops out at 136 and 128. Each ability you lift to CLB 10 (316 listening, 263 reading, 393 speaking and writing) is worth 3 more points without a spouse and 3 with one, 12 if all four make the jump. A speaking result just under 371 reads as CLB 8 and earns 23 instead of 31, which is why the weakest ability matters as much as the strongest. ## What CLB 9 buys above the programme minimums Every programme minimum IRCC publishes is met at CLB 7, which on the TEF Canada is 249 listening, 207 reading, 310 speaking and writing. Going on to CLB 9 buys points rather than eligibility: 56 more first-language points for a single applicant with all four abilities at CLB 9. ## NCLC 9 on the TEF Canada and the additional French points NCLC 9 in all four abilities clears the NCLC 7 threshold, so it earns 25 additional CRS points on its own, or 50 with English at CLB 5 or above in all four. On the TEF Canada that is a margin of 49 points in listening, 41 points in reading, 61 points in speaking and 61 points in writing over the NCLC 7 minimums, room that protects the bonus if one section comes in lower than planned. French can also be your first official language. When it is, the per-ability CRS points above apply to these TEF Canada results exactly as they would to an English test. ## TEF Canada at the other CLB levels - [TEF Canada at CLB 4](/clb/4/tef-canada) - [TEF Canada at CLB 5](/nclc-5) - [TEF Canada at CLB 6](/clb/6/tef-canada) - [TEF Canada at CLB 7](/nclc-7) - [TEF Canada at CLB 8](/clb/8/tef-canada) - [TEF Canada at CLB 10](/clb/10/tef-canada) ## CLB 9 on the other tests - [CLB 9 on every test](/clb/9) - [CLB 9 on IELTS General Training](/clb/9/ielts) - [CLB 9 on CELPIP-General](/clb/9/celpip) - [CLB 9 on PTE Core](/clb/9/pte-core) - [CLB 9 on TCF Canada](/clb/9/tcf-canada) ## Check your own result - [CLB calculator for all five tests](/tools/clb-calculator) - [TCF and TEF score converter](/tools/score-converter) - [French CRS points calculator](/tools/french-crs-points) Questions ## TEF Canada, CLB 9: common questions ### What TEF Canada score is CLB 9? CLB 9 on the TEF Canada is 298 to 315 in listening, 248 to 262 in reading, 371 to 392 in speaking and 371 to 392 in writing, according to IRCC's equivalency chart. Every ability has to reach its own figure; a strong section does not make up for a weak one. ### Is NCLC 9 on the TEF Canada the same as CLB 9? Yes. NCLC and CLB are the same twelve-level framework under two names. NCLC is the French-language scale and CLB the English-language one, so a French result reported as NCLC 9 is the level English speakers write as CLB 9. IRCC reports French test results in NCLC. ### What TEF Canada score do I need for CLB 10? CLB 10 on the TEF Canada needs 316 in listening, 263 in reading, 393 in speaking and 393 in writing. From CLB 9, that is 18 points in listening, 15 points in reading, 22 points in speaking and 22 points in writing. ### How many CRS points is a CLB 9 TEF Canada result worth? With 298 listening, 248 reading, 371 speaking and writing on the TEF Canada as your first official language, you earn 31 points per ability without a spouse and 29 with one: 124 or 116 across the four. That is one block of the CRS, not your full score. ### Does NCLC 9 on the TEF Canada earn the French bonus points? Yes, if all four abilities are at NCLC 9 or higher: 25 additional points, or 50 with English at CLB 5 or above in all four. ### Which TEF Canada score column does IRCC read? The Equivalence ancien score column. The attestation also prints a Score / 699 figure, but the NCLC 9 bands on this page apply to the Equivalence ancien score values. ### How do I turn my own TEF Canada result into a CLB level? Enter the four Equivalence ancien score values from your TEF Canada attestation in the free CLB calculator. It applies the same IRCC chart as this page, shows the level of each ability and the lowest one, and the CRS points that level earns. NEXT STEP ## Find out where your French actually stands Book a short assessment with Adèle: one writing task, one speaking task, and an honest plan for the weeks you have left before the exam. [Book an assessment](/book)[See the course tiers](/pricing) --- For agents: site index https://francaisprep.com/llms.txt, developer access https://francaisprep.com/developers, and TCF or TEF to NCLC conversion over a plain GET at https://api.francaisprep.com/v1/score/convert?exam=tcf_canada&listening=512&reading=470&writing=12&speaking=11 (exam is tcf_canada or tef_canada).