--- title: "TCF Canada score chart 2026: NCLC 7 = 453 CE, 458 CO" description: "NCLC 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." canonical: https://francaisprep.com/tcf-canada/score-chart last-updated: 2026-10-25 --- TCF Canada scoring # TCF Canada score chart: what each result is worth in NCLC TCF Canada does not tell you whether you passed. It gives you four separate results, and Canadian immigration converts each one into an NCLC level. This page holds the conversion table for all four abilities, explains how to read the band your result falls into, and shows where a single point moves you from one level to the next. [Get your practice results marked](/book)[See the conversion table](#nclc-conversion) - Every ability converted, not just listening and reading - Uncertain figures flagged for verification, never guessed - Marked by Adèle, a native French teacher ![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 25 October 2026 In short Your TCF score is really four scores, one per ability, and Canadian immigration converts each into an NCLC level using a published equivalency chart. There is no pass mark and no overall score, so what matters is which NCLC band each of your four results falls into, and specifically your **lowest** band, because that is the one an Express Entry profile is read against. Most French-language routes are built around NCLC 7 in all four abilities. ![Adèle, the native French teacher who runs Français Prep](/_next/image?url=%2Fadele.png&w=3840&q=75) Not sure which of this you actually need? A 15-minute video call works out which of your four abilities is furthest from the level your application needs. It is free, and some candidates leave with a plan and no purchase. Adèle Sason · Native French teacher - every class, every correction [Book the free call](/book) ## Convert your TCF Canada scores to NCLC Which exam did you sit? French, for the Express Entry French bonus TCF 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. The calculator reads the same IRCC-published table as the chart on this page, one ability at a time. It shows your lowest level because the Express Entry minimums and the French-language bonus need that level in all four abilities; CRS points themselves are awarded ability by ability. ## What is actually on your attestation Scores you receive Four separate results, one for each ability. TCF Canada publishes no combined or average mark. Comprehension scale Compréhension orale and compréhension écrite are reported on a 0 to 699 point scale with a CEFR level attached. Expression scale Expression écrite and expression orale are marked by examiners. Check whether your session reports these out of 20 or on the 0 to 699 scale, because the reporting scale has changed at least once. What decides your points Your weakest ability. Express Entry reads all four NCLC levels and the lowest one sets what you can claim. Exam format ## How each of the four tests is scored The two comprehension tests and the two expression tests are scored in different ways, and that is the single most common source of confusion about TCF Canada results. Read this before you read the conversion table. | Test | Format and length | What you are given back | | --- | --- | --- | | Compréhension oraleListening | 39 multiple-choice questions, four options each with one correct answer, in 35 minutes. | One score on the 0 to 699 scale, plus the CEFR level that score falls into. | | Compréhension écriteReading | 39 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes. | One score on the 0 to 699 scale, plus the CEFR level that score falls into. | | Expression écriteWriting | Three written exercises in 60 minutes. | One examiner-awarded result per candidate, covering all three tasks together. Check the scale in force for your session. | | Expression oraleSpeaking | Three spoken exercises one-to-one with an examiner, 12 minutes including 2 minutes of preparation. | One examiner-awarded result covering all three tasks together. Check the scale in force for your session. | Check every question count and every duration in this table against the current official session description. The TCF family has several variants and the figures published for one variant are regularly quoted for another. At a glance ## The whole scale in four bars Each bar is one ability, drawn to scale across the range the chart covers, with the NCLC 7 band picked out. Read the width of a band as the room you have inside that level. - Listening458 to 502 331699 - Reading453 to 498 342699 - Speaking10 to 11 420 - Writing10 to 11 420 - Below NCLC 7 - NCLC 7 on the TCF Canada - Above NCLC 7 Listening is the least even of the four: NCLC 6 spans 60 points while NCLC 8 spans 20. Two candidates both sitting at NCLC 6 in listening can be 59 points apart, one of them a single point short of NCLC 7 and the other most of a level away. Score conversion ## TCF Canada to NCLC, ability by ability Find the row for the level you need, then read across. The four figures on that row are your four targets, and you have to reach all four, not the average of them. NCLC 7 is highlighted because it is the level most French-language immigration routes are built around. | NCLC level (same scale as CLB) | TCF Canada result | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Listening | Reading | Speaking | Writing | | | NCLC 10 and aboveExpress Entry stops awarding extra language points above this band. | 549 to 699 | 549 to 699 | 16 to 20 | 16 to 20 | | NCLC 9 | 523 to 548 | 524 to 548 | 14 to 15 | 14 to 15 | | NCLC 8 | 503 to 522 | 499 to 523 | 12 to 13 | 12 to 13 | | NCLC 7 Level highlighted on this pageThe level the French-language routes into Express Entry are built around. Check the current requirement before you plan around it. | 458 to 502 | 453 to 498 | 10 to 11 | 10 to 11 | | NCLC 6 | 398 to 457 | 406 to 452 | 7 to 9 | 7 to 9 | | NCLC 5 | 369 to 397 | 375 to 405 | 6 | 6 | | NCLC 4The lowest level the published conversion chart covers. | 331 to 368 | 342 to 374 | 4 to 5 | 4 to 5 | **Checked band by band against IRCC.** Every range in this table matched IRCC's language test equivalency chart for the TCF Canada when we last compared them on 30 September 2026, including the out-of-20 scale for expression écrite and expression orale. IRCC has reissued these boundaries before, so if its chart and this table ever disagree, the official chart is right and this table is wrong. The other scale on your attestation ## CEFR levels on the 0 to 699 scale Your attestation also carries a CEFR level for each ability. It is useful for understanding your French in general terms, and it is not what an immigration officer converts into points. | CEFR level | Score on the 0 to 699 scale | How to read it | | --- | --- | --- | | C2 | 600 to 699 | Mastery. Well above anything Express Entry asks for. | | C1 | 500 to 599 | Advanced. This band spans the top NCLC levels, so a few points inside it can still move your level. | | B2 | 400 to 499 | Upper intermediate. Most candidates who reach NCLC 7 sit inside this band. | | B1 | 300 to 399 | Intermediate. Usually maps to the lower NCLC levels. | | A2 | 200 to 299 | Elementary. Below the range the immigration chart covers. | | A1 | 100 to 199 | Beginner. Below the range the immigration chart covers. | Check these band boundaries. The 0 to 699 scale carries a CEFR level, but CEFR is not the scale Canadian immigration reads, so use this table to interpret your attestation and use the NCLC table above to work out what your result is worth. A CEFR level is not an NCLC level and the two do not line up band for band. Reading the chart correctly ## What your NCLC level is actually worth A conversion table on its own does not tell you whether to book the exam. These four points are what candidates most often get wrong once they have their practice results in hand. - ### Why the lowest ability is the only one that matters Express Entry does not average your four TCF Canada results. It reads each ability as its own NCLC level and then works from the weakest one. A candidate at NCLC 9 in listening, reading and speaking but NCLC 6 in writing is treated as a candidate below the NCLC 7 threshold. - ### French as an additional-points claim The Comprehensive Ranking System awards a separate block of points for strong French, up to a maximum of 50. NCLC 7 or higher in all four French abilities earns 25 points if your English is CLB 4 or lower, or if you did not take an English test at all. The same French level earns 50 points if you also score CLB 5 or higher in all four English abilities. NCLC 7 is the entry point for both, which is why it is the number this site is built around. Those point values are set by IRCC and have been revised before, so confirm them on canada.ca against the CRS criteria in force on the day you submit. - ### Category-based draws IRCC has run rounds of invitations reserved for candidates with strong French. Check the current category rules and the minimum level, because the categories are reviewed and republished each year and a category that existed last year may not exist now. - ### One band is not one point The bands are wide. Moving from 452 to 458 in listening can change your NCLC level, while moving from 460 to 500 changes nothing at all. Knowing where your practice results sit inside a band tells you whether more work will actually pay. Sitting the exam ## Registration, dates, fees and validity Everything in this block is set by the test centre and by the immigration program, not by us. Where a figure changes from one centre or one year to the next, we tell you where to confirm it instead of printing a number that could already be out of date. Registration and test centres You register for TCF Canada directly with an approved test centre, not through a preparation service. Centres set their own session calendar, their own fee and their own registration deadline, and the list of approved centres changes. Check the centre nearest you and its current fee on the official test-centre list before you budget for the exam. Session dates Most centres run TCF Canada sessions on a regular cycle and many run at least one a month, but the calendar is the centre's, not a national one. Check the exact dates and the cut-off for registration with your centre. Fees Check the fee. It is set per centre and per country and we will not publish a figure we cannot stand behind. Ask your centre for the all-in price, including any fee for a paper copy of your attestation. Results and validity Your attestation shows a score and a level for each of the four abilities. Check the turnaround time with your centre. For an immigration application the result must be recent enough on the day you apply, and the window we know of is under two years, so check that against the current IRCC requirement rather than assuming it. Retakes Check the waiting period between two TCF Canada attempts, and check whether your centre lets you re-sit a single ability or requires the whole exam again. Both rules have varied, and the answer changes how you should spend the weeks before your next attempt. FAQ ## TCF Canada scoring, question by question The questions candidates send us most often once they are staring at a score they do not know how to interpret. ### What is a TCF score? A TCF Canada score is four separate results, one per ability. Listening and reading are machine-scored out of 699, while writing and speaking are marked by examiners out of 20. Canadian immigration then converts each result into an NCLC level with the equivalency chart on this page, and it is those four levels, not the raw numbers, that an Express Entry profile is read against. ### What does the TCF listening score chart look like? Listening (compréhension orale) is reported out of 699 and converts to NCLC like this: NCLC 10 is 549 to 699, NCLC 9 is 523 to 548, NCLC 8 is 503 to 522, NCLC 7 is 458 to 502, NCLC 6 is 398 to 457, NCLC 5 is 369 to 397, NCLC 4 is 331 to 368. The listening column sits beside the other three in the full conversion table above, and each ability converts on its own. ### What is a good TCF Canada score? There is no single good score, because TCF Canada reports four separate results and immigration programs read them as NCLC levels rather than as raw numbers. Work backwards instead: decide the NCLC level your application needs, find that row in the conversion table above, and treat the four figures on that row as your four targets. For most French-language routes into Express Entry that row is NCLC 7. ### Does TCF Canada give an overall score? No. You receive a result for compréhension orale, compréhension écrite, expression écrite and expression orale, and nothing that combines them. Any overall number you see quoted is somebody else's arithmetic, not something on your attestation, and immigration officers do not use it. ### What TCF Canada score do I need for NCLC 7? On the conversion chart we are working from, NCLC 7 is 458 to 502 in listening, 453 to 498 in reading, and 10 to 11 in each of writing and speaking. Check these four ranges against the official equivalency chart before you rely on them, because the chart is periodically reissued. ### Is NCLC the same thing as CLB? They are the same scale under two names. NCLC, Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens, is the French-language version of the Canadian Language Benchmarks. NCLC 7 and CLB 7 describe the same benchmark, which is why a French test result and an English test result can be compared directly in an immigration profile. ### How long is a TCF Canada result valid? Long enough to plan around, but not indefinitely. Immigration applications require a recent result, and the limit we know of is under two years on the day you apply. Check the current validity period with IRCC, and note that a test centre's own idea of validity and an immigration program's requirement are not always the same thing. ### Can I retake only expression écrite or expression orale? Check this with your test centre. Whether a single ability can be re-sat, and how long you must wait between attempts, has changed and is not uniform across centres. Do not build a study plan around a partial retake until your centre has confirmed in writing that it is available to you. ### Why do my writing and speaking results look like they are on a different scale? Because they may be. The two comprehension tests are machine-scored on the 0 to 699 scale, while expression écrite and expression orale are marked by examiners against published criteria. Check which scale your session reports for the two expression tests, since a result out of 20 and a result out of 699 convert to NCLC levels through different columns of the chart. ### Is a score above NCLC 10 worth more points? Not for language points. The conversion chart's top row is NCLC 10 and above, and the ranking system treats everything in that band the same way. Once every ability is comfortably inside it, extra practice buys you confidence and a safety margin against a bad day, not extra points. Knowing the row you need is half the job; getting your four results onto it is the other half. The [TCF Canada preparation course](/tcf-canada-course) works on whichever ability is holding your level down, and our [listening section guide](/tcf-canada/comprehension-orale) covers the format behind the listening column. To start from a marked diagnostic, [book an assessment with Adèle](/book). Get to the row you need ## Preparation aimed at a specific NCLC level Every tier starts from a diagnostic test, converts your result with the table above, and works on the ability holding your level down. Exam registration is paid to your test centre and is never included. - ### Weekly plan The whole practice platform: every TCF and TEF Canada series, unlimited AI corrections, timed mock tests and the course lessons. CA$9.99per week Canadian dollars (CAD) Billed weekly, cancel any time. Access runs to the end of the week you paid for. [Start the weekly plan](/dashboard/premium) - Every practice series in all four exam sections - Unlimited AI writing and speaking corrections - Timed mock tests in the real exam format - Course lessons and a weekly study plan - ### 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 Canadian dollars (CAD) 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) Full refund within 14 days of purchase if you have not taken a session. - Everything in the weekly plan - 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 Canadian dollars (CAD) CA$80 an hour, booked around your test date: ten 60-minute sessions. [Book one-to-one](https://buy.stripe.com/dRm8wOfXZdL07IralA6Vq0a) Full refund within 14 days of purchase if you have not taken a session. - 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. WHY PREPARE HERE ## Preparation built around the exam you are actually sitting Four things every tier includes, whether you study on your own or work with Adèle every week. - ### Marked against the real criteria Every writing and speaking task comes with a model answer and the marking grid, so you can see exactly what an examiner rewards. On the live tiers, Adèle marks your own work by hand and tells you which mistakes are costing you the most points. - ### Timed practice in the real exam format You practise each section under the clock, in the order and the length you will meet on test day, so the paper itself is never the surprise. - ### The NCLC threshold always in view Every section is worked against the NCLC thresholds IRCC publishes. A practice result is not an NCLC level; only your attestation gives one. Practice shows you where you lose marks. - ### Study from anywhere, in your timezone Everything is online, for candidates in Morocco, Algeria, Cameroon, India, France and Canada. The free plan and the weekly plan run entirely on your own clock. On the live tiers, if you miss a class the recording and the correction still reach you. OUR COMMITMENT ## What we promise, and what we will never claim ![](/lander/seal-badge.svg) Your result is decided by official examiners we have no contact with, so no honest preparation service can promise you a score. What we can commit to is the work: the corrections, the practice papers and the teaching hours you paid for. ### What we do not claim - We do not guarantee a TCF Canada or TEF Canada score, an NCLC level, or a number of CRS points. - We do not register you for the exam, and we have no influence over marking, exam dates or seat availability. - We are an independent preparation service, not an examiner and not an official test centre. ### Our commitment, in writing - On the live tiers, every writing and speaking task you submit is marked by Adèle herself, never by software. The weekly plan gives unlimited AI corrections instead, and the free plan includes three. - Prices are in Canadian dollars and include any tax that applies. Exam registration is never included: that fee goes to your test centre. - We will never invent a testimonial, a statistic or a pass rate. Next step ## Find out which band your French is actually in Sit a timed practice paper, have Adèle mark the writing and speaking herself, and get your four results converted into NCLC levels so you know exactly which ability to work on. [Book an assessment](/book)[See the course tiers](#tiers) Practice results are an estimate produced by a preparation service. They are not an official TCF Canada result and carry no weight with any test centre or immigration authority. ## Keep reading - [TCF Canada 2026: NCLC 7 needs 453 reading, 458 listeningFour tests in 2 h 47: listening 39 questions in 35 min, reading 39 in 60, writing 3 tasks in 60, speaking 3 in 12. Scored to 699 and out of 20.](/tcf-canada) - [NCLC 7 on the TCF Canada 2026: 458 listening, 453 readingCLB 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) - [French Express Entry points: turn a TCF/TEF score into CRSHow a TCF or TEF Canada result becomes CRS points: the NCLC 7 thresholds per exam, the 25 versus 50 French bonus, and worked examples.](/french-express-entry-points) - [TEF Canada score chart 2026: NCLC 7 = 207 CE, 249 CONCLC 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) - [How to pass the TCF Canada in 2026: there is no pass markNo pass mark exists. You need your programme's NCLC level in every section, usually NCLC 7: 453 reading, 458 listening, 10 out of 20 in production.](/how-to-pass-tcf-canada) - [NCLC 5 / CLB 5 on the TCF Canada 2026: 369 CO, 375 CECLB 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.](/nclc-5) Where these facts come from The raw score ranges are the exam board's; the conversion from those scores to NCLC levels is IRCC's. They are different documents maintained by different bodies, and only the second one decides an Express Entry file. - [France Éducation International: TCF Canada](https://www.france-education-international.fr/test/tcf-canada) - [France Éducation International: TCF reference site](https://www.france-education-international.fr/sites-ressources/tcf) - [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) 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. --- 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).