--- title: "NCLC 5 / CLB 5 on the TCF Canada: 369 listening, 375 reading" description: "CLB 5 in French is NCLC 5: TCF Canada 369 listening, 375 reading, 6/20 in production; TEF Canada 181 listening, 151 reading, 226 in production." canonical: https://francaisprep.com/nclc-5 last-updated: 2026-10-10 --- NCLC 5 and CLB 5 in French # CLB 5 in French (NCLC 5): the TCF Canada and TEF Canada scores you need CLB 5 in French is called NCLC 5 on Canadian documents: one level under two names. It is lower-intermediate French, two levels below the NCLC 7 the French-language Express Entry routes are built around, and some programs ask for it in particular abilities rather than all four. Here are the exact scores, read from IRCC's published equivalency table. [Book a placement assessment](/book)[Jump to the thresholds](#thresholds) - Thresholds taken from the published equivalency chart, never estimated - Every mock exam converted to an NCLC level the same day - Speaking and writing marked by Adèle herself ![Adèle, the native French teacher who runs Français Prep](/_next/image?url=%2Fadele.png&w=3840&q=75) Adèle SasonNative French teacher - every class, every correction By [Adèle Sason](/about), Français Prep · Updated 10 October 2026 The short answer ## Lower-intermediate French, converted one ability at a time CLB 5 in French is written NCLC 5 on every Canadian document. On the TCF Canada it means at least 369 in listening, 375 in reading, and 6 out of 20 in each of speaking and writing. On the TEF Canada it means at least 181 in listening, 151 in reading, 226 in speaking and 226 in writing. NCLC is short for Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens, the scale Canada uses for French, and it runs level for level with CLB (Canadian Language Benchmarks), the same scale for English. NCLC 5 and CLB 5 are one level under two names. It sits at the bottom of the intermediate range: you can handle familiar, predictable situations, follow the main thread of everyday speech and writing, and write a short connected text on a common topic. Every ability is converted on its own, so a level is never an average. A program that asks for NCLC 5 in speaking and listening is asking about those two results specifically. NCLC 5 is also two levels below NCLC 7, the level the French-language Express Entry routes are built around. ## NCLC calculator: enter your four TCF or TEF Canada scores Which exam did you sit? French, for the Express Entry French bonus TCF CanadaTEF Canada ListeningCompréhension orale \- out of 699. NCLC 7 starts at 458 (band 458 to 502). ReadingCompréhension écrite \- out of 699. NCLC 7 starts at 453 (band 453 to 498). SpeakingExpression orale \- out of 20. NCLC 7 starts at 10 (band 10 to 11). WritingExpression écrite \- out of 20. NCLC 7 starts at 10 (band 10 to 11). Enter at least one result above and the NCLC level appears next to it. Fill all four to see which ability decides your file. Thresholds by exam ## What you have to score to reach NCLC 5 Both exams lead to the same NCLC levels, but their marking scales have nothing in common. A raw score never compares across exams; only the converted level does. | Ability | TCF Canada | TEF Canada | | --- | --- | --- | | ListeningCompréhension orale | 369 minimum, on a band that runs 369 to 397 | 181 minimum, on a band that runs 181 to 216 | | ReadingCompréhension écrite | 375 minimum, on a band that runs 375 to 405 | 151 minimum, on a band that runs 151 to 180 | | SpeakingExpression orale | 6 minimum, out of 20. NCLC 5 is that single mark, and 7 is already NCLC 6 | 226 minimum, on a band that runs 226 to 270 | | WritingExpression écrite | 6 minimum, out of 20. NCLC 5 is that single mark, and 7 is already NCLC 6 | 226 minimum, on a band that runs 226 to 270 | Every threshold above is read from [IRCC's published test equivalency charts](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/language-test.html). TEF Canada figures are on the Equivalence ancien score scale, which is the column IRCC tells Express Entry candidates to use. Where a number decides whether you submit, check it against the official table rather than trusting any preparation site, including this one. TCF Canada ## TCF Canada score to NCLC level Read each of your four results against its own column. The level your file is read at is the lowest of the four abilities a program asks about. | NCLC / CLB | CLB | TCF Canada score | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Listening | Reading | Speaking | Writing | | | | NCLC 10 and above | 10 | 549 to 699 | 549 to 699 | 16 to 20 | 16 to 20 | | NCLC 9 | 9 | 523 to 548 | 524 to 548 | 14 to 15 | 14 to 15 | | NCLC 8 | 8 | 503 to 522 | 499 to 523 | 12 to 13 | 12 to 13 | | NCLC 7The level the French-language Express Entry routes ask for in all four abilities | 7 | 458 to 502 | 453 to 498 | 10 to 11 | 10 to 11 | | NCLC 6One level above NCLC 5, and one below NCLC 7 | 6 | 398 to 457 | 406 to 452 | 7 to 9 | 7 to 9 | | NCLC 5 Level highlighted on this pageThe level this page is about | 5 | 369 to 397 | 375 to 405 | 6 | 6 | | NCLC 4Lowest level the published equivalency chart covers | 4 | 331 to 368 | 342 to 374 | 4 to 5 | 4 to 5 | The full chart is on our [TCF Canada score chart](/tcf-canada/score-chart). Every boundary comes from IRCC's published equivalency table. The CLB column is the same number as NCLC, since the two scales run level for level. TEF Canada ## TEF Canada score to NCLC level The four TEF Canada sections are marked on four different maximums, so the same number means a different level depending on the ability. | NCLC / CLB | CLB | TEF Canada score | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Listening | Reading | Speaking | Writing | | | | NCLC 10 and above | 10 | 316 to 360 | 263 to 300 | 393 to 450 | 393 to 450 | | NCLC 9 | 9 | 298 to 315 | 248 to 262 | 371 to 392 | 371 to 392 | | NCLC 8 | 8 | 280 to 297 | 233 to 247 | 349 to 370 | 349 to 370 | | NCLC 7The level the French-language Express Entry routes ask for in all four abilities | 7 | 249 to 279 | 207 to 232 | 310 to 348 | 310 to 348 | | NCLC 6One level above NCLC 5, and one below NCLC 7 | 6 | 217 to 248 | 181 to 206 | 271 to 309 | 271 to 309 | | NCLC 5 Level highlighted on this pageThe level this page is about | 5 | 181 to 216 | 151 to 180 | 226 to 270 | 226 to 270 | | NCLC 4Lowest level the published equivalency chart covers | 4 | 145 to 180 | 121 to 150 | 181 to 225 | 181 to 225 | The full chart, and an explanation of the two score columns on a TEF Canada attestation, is on our [TEF Canada score chart](/tef-canada/score-chart). Every boundary comes from IRCC's published equivalency table. Why this level comes up ## Where NCLC 5 appears in Canadian requirements - The Federal Skilled Trades Program sets an uneven minimum: NCLC 5 in speaking and listening, and NCLC 4 in reading and writing. - The Canadian Experience Class asks for NCLC 5 when your qualifying work is in a TEER 2 or 3 occupation, and NCLC 7 for TEER 0 or 1. - If French is your second official language rather than your first, NCLC 5 is where the second-language points in the Comprehensive Ranking System start. - The additional French points in Express Entry, and the French-language proficiency draws, start at NCLC 7 in all four abilities. NCLC 5 does not reach either. CLB 5 in English is a different requirement: it is the English half of the larger French bonus, alongside NCLC 7 in French. - Canadian citizenship asks for less than NCLC 5. Applicants in the required age range show speaking and listening at about CLB or NCLC 4, in English or French, and IRCC accepts several kinds of proof besides a TCF Canada or TEF Canada result. - Provincial nominee streams set their own minimums and change them between intakes, so read the current criteria on your province's own site. We are a preparation service, not a test centre and not an immigration adviser, and none of this is advice on your own eligibility. Program minimums are set by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and change over time, so confirm the level your own program needs on [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/language-test.html) before you build a timeline around it. If your target is the French-language routes, the level to read about is [NCLC 7](/nclc-7). Where to start ## Find out which level you are at today 1. Confirm on canada.ca which abilities and which level your own program asks for. Some ask for NCLC 5 in two abilities, not four. 2. Sit one complete mock exam in the real timings and convert each result with the [score converter](/tools/score-converter). 3. Give most of your week to the ability furthest from the level you need, and book the sitting only once your practice results clear it. The guided options are on the [TCF Canada course](/tcf-canada-course) and the [TEF Canada course](/tef-canada-course), and the full band-by-band tables are on the [TCF Canada score chart](/tcf-canada/score-chart) and the [TEF Canada score chart](/tef-canada/score-chart). CLB 5 and NCLC 5 FAQ ## CLB 5 in French, question by question What candidates ask when NCLC 5 is the number in front of them. ### What is CLB 5 in French? CLB 5 in French is the same level as NCLC 5. English-language material uses CLB (Canadian Language Benchmarks); French attestations and IRCC's French equivalency chart use NCLC (Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens). They are one twelve-level scale under two names, so a requirement written as CLB 5 for French is asking for NCLC 5 on your TCF Canada or TEF Canada result. ### What TCF Canada score do I need for NCLC 5? At least 369 in listening, 375 in reading, and 6 out of 20 in each of speaking and writing. On the TCF Canada, speaking and writing at NCLC 5 is a single mark: 7 out of 20 is already NCLC 6. These thresholds come from IRCC's published equivalency table, which is worth checking directly before you rely on them. ### What TEF Canada score do I need for NCLC 5? At least 181 in listening, 151 in reading, 226 in speaking and 226 in writing, read from the Equivalence ancien score column of your attestation, which is the column IRCC tells Express Entry candidates to use. The four sections are marked on different maximums, so a raw TEF Canada number means nothing until it is converted. ### Is NCLC 5 enough for Express Entry? It depends on the program, and the program rules are IRCC's, not ours. NCLC 5 meets some published minimums, such as speaking and listening for the Federal Skilled Trades Program and the Canadian Experience Class for TEER 2 or 3 occupations. It does not reach NCLC 7, which the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the French-language draws and the additional French points all start from. Confirm your own program's minimum on canada.ca before you plan around a level. ### Do I need NCLC 5 for Canadian citizenship? No. Citizenship asks for about CLB or NCLC 4 in speaking and listening, in English or French, for applicants in the required age range, and it accepts several kinds of proof. NCLC 5 is one level above that in those two abilities. Check the current citizenship language requirements on canada.ca, because they are set by IRCC and can change. ### How far is NCLC 5 from NCLC 7? Two levels, and further than it looks. On the TCF Canada the minimum climbs by 89 points in listening, 78 in reading and 4 marks out of 20 in speaking and writing. On the TEF Canada it climbs by 68 in listening, 56 in reading and 84 in speaking and writing. Reaching 5 is mostly coverage; moving from 5 to 7 is control: structuring an argument, holding your tenses and reading fast enough for the clock. ### Is NCLC 5 the same as B1? Roughly, but not officially. B1 converts to around NCLC 4 to 5, and the TCF Canada prints a CEFR level next to your score. The two frameworks are built differently and there is no official one-to-one table between them, so for a Canadian application the NCLC number is the one that counts. ### How do I work out my own NCLC level? Convert each ability separately, never as an average. Read each raw result against its own column in the TCF Canada or TEF Canada table on this page and write down the four levels you get. Our free score converter does the same lookup if you would rather type the numbers in. [Open the CLB and NCLC score converter](/tools/score-converter). Preparation tiers ## Three ways to reach your target level Every tier starts the same way, with a mock exam converted into NCLC levels. What changes is how much of the work you do alone. - ### Self-paced The full lesson library plus timed practice tests for all four sections, worked on your own schedule. CA$97one-time One payment, no subscription. Lifetime access to the self-paced course. [Start self-paced](https://buy.stripe.com/bJe28qh23bCS9Qz1P46Vq09) - Lesson library for all four exam sections - Timed full-length practice tests - Model answers for every writing and speaking task - NCLC score tracker - ### Small-group live Weekly live classes with Adèle, in groups small enough that everyone speaks, plus marked writing and speaking. CA$449per 8-week block Eight weekly classes of 60 minutes: 8 hours of live teaching, CA$56 an hour, with your writing and speaking marked every week. [Join a small group](https://buy.stripe.com/fZu4gyfXZ9uK5Aj1P46Vq01) - Everything in self-paced - One 60-minute live class with Adèle every week - Marked writing submissions every week - Marked speaking recordings every week - Most popular ### One-to-one tutoring Private sessions scheduled around your test date, with a study plan built from your diagnostic results. CA$800per 10 sessions CA$80 an hour, booked around your test date: ten 60-minute sessions. [Book one-to-one](https://buy.stripe.com/dRm8wOfXZdL07IralA6Vq0a) - Everything in small-group live - Private 60-minute sessions scheduled around your test date - Study plan built from your diagnostic test - Unlimited marked writing and speaking during your block Not ready to commit to a block? Try a trial class. One 40-minute class with Adèle, one to one. The CA$30 comes off any block you book within 30 days. [Try one class for CA$30](https://buy.stripe.com/6oU4gy3bd9uK4wf0L06Vq0c) Not sure which tier fits? [Book a free 15-minute video call.](/book) Prices are in Canadian dollars and include any tax that applies. Exam registration fees are paid directly to your test centre and are not included in any tier. NEXT STEP ## Find out which level you are at today Book a short assessment with Adèle: one writing task, one speaking task, and an honest answer on where each ability sits against the level you need. [Book an assessment](/book)[See the course tiers](#tiers) Français Prep prepares candidates for the TCF Canada and the TEF Canada. It does not register you, mark your exam, or influence your result. Where these facts come from The NCLC 5 thresholds and both conversion tables on this page come from IRCC's published equivalency charts for the TCF Canada and the TEF Canada. Program minimums are IRCC's and change over time; confirm them on canada.ca. - [IRCC: Express Entry language test results and NCLC equivalencies](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/language-test.html) - [France Éducation International: TCF Canada](https://www.france-education-international.fr/test/tcf-canada) - [Le français des affaires: TEF Canada](https://www.lefrancaisdesaffaires.fr/candidat/test-evaluation-francais/tef-canada/presentation/) Exam boards reissue formats, fees and conversion tables without announcing it. Where a number here matters to a decision that costs money, check it against the source above rather than trusting any preparation site, including this one. Keep reading ## Pages that answer the next question - [NCLC 7 on the TCF Canada: 458 listening, 453 reading, 10/20CLB 7 in French is NCLC 7: TCF Canada 453 reading, 458 listening, 10/20 in production; TEF Canada 207, 249, 310, 310 in the Équivalence ancien score column.](/nclc-7) - [TCF Canada score chart: NCLC 7 = 453 reading, 458 listeningNCLC 7 is 453 to 498 reading, 458 to 502 listening and 10 to 11 out of 20 in writing and speaking. Full conversion table from NCLC 4 to NCLC 10.](/tcf-canada/score-chart) - [TEF Canada score chart: NCLC 7 = 207 reading, 249 listeningNCLC 7 is 207 reading, 249 listening, 310 writing and 310 speaking on the Équivalence ancien score column Express Entry reads. Full table, all levels.](/tef-canada/score-chart) - [TEF and TCF Canada score converter: NCLC and CLBFree NCLC and CLB calculator. Enter your four TCF or TEF Canada results, see each ability's level, and how far the weakest is from NCLC 7.](/tools/score-converter) - [TCF Canada preparation course: CA$97 self-paced, live CA$449Prepare with Adèle, a native French teacher. Self-paced CA$97 one-time, small-group live CA$449 per 8-week block, one-to-one CA$800 per 10 sessions.](/tcf-canada-course) - [TEF Canada preparation course: CA$97 self-paced, live CA$449Prepare for the TEF Canada with Adèle, a native French teacher. Self-paced CA$97 one-time, small-group live CA$449 per 8-week block, one-to-one CA$800 per 10 sessions.](/tef-canada-course) From the blog ## NCLC 5 guides from the blog - [ScoresNCLC 5 on the TCF Canada: what it is worth, and to whomNCLC 5 sits below the level the French Express Entry routes are built around. What a 5 on the TCF Canada represents, and how far two bands really is.](/blog/nclc-5-tcf-canada) - [ScoresWhat can you do with NCLC 5? Programs that accept itNCLC 5 sits below the Express Entry French floor but is not a dead end. The federal streams and provincial programs a lower score still unlocks.](/blog/what-programs-accept-nclc-5) - [ScoresWhat NCLC level do you actually need? By immigration programNCLC 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.](/blog/what-nclc-level-do-you-need) --- 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).