TEF Canada: format, scoring and the NCLC level you need
The TEF Canada is the French exam Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada accepts for economic immigration. Four sections, four separate scores, one NCLC level per ability. This page explains what each section asks of you, how the marking works, and how registration is handled by CCI Paris Île-de-France test centres rather than by us.
- Four sections, each scored separately
- Scores converted to NCLC for Express Entry
- Independent preparation, taught by Adèle
What the TEF Canada is
The TEF Canada (Test d’évaluation de français) is a French-language exam produced by CCI Paris Île-de-France and accepted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada as evidence of French ability. It tests four abilities separately, listening, reading, speaking and writing, and reports each one as its own score, which is then converted to a level on the Canadian Language Benchmarks scale. That scale is called NCLC in French.
There is no overall pass mark and no single total. What counts is the level each of your four scores converts to, because that is what an Express Entry profile or a provincial stream reads. Most candidates aim for NCLC 7 in all four abilities, and any result you submit has to be less than two years old on the day IRCC receives your application.
- Who runs it
- CCI Paris Île-de-France. Dates, prices and registration belong to its approved test centres. Français Prep has no part in any of them.
- What it is used for
- Proof of French for Canadian economic immigration, including Express Entry. Check the current list of IRCC and provincial programs that accept TEF Canada results.
- The four sections
- Compréhension orale, compréhension écrite, expression orale and expression écrite. An economic immigration application needs all four.
- How it is delivered
- On computer or on paper depending on the centre, with the speaking section conducted by a human examiner. Check which delivery formats each region currently offers.
- What a result looks like
- One score per section, on a scale that differs from section to section, plus the NCLC level each score converts to under the IRCC table.
- How long it lasts
- IRCC requires a language result less than two years old when it receives your application, so the clock starts on test day, not on the day you apply.
What each TEF Canada section looks like
The order of the sections and whether they all fall on one day is set by your test centre. What does not change is what each section asks of you.
| What to expect | TEF Canada sections | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | Reading | Speaking | Writing | |
| French name | Compréhension orale | Compréhension écrite | Expression orale | Expression écrite |
| What you do | Answer multiple choice | Answer multiple choice | Talk to an examiner | Produce two texts |
| Time allowedCheck every duration in this row | 40 minutes | 60 minutes | 15 minutes | 60 minutes |
| Questions or tasksCheck every count in this row | 60 questions | 50 questions | 2 tasks | 2 tasks |
| Reported out ofCheck each maximum in this row | 360 points | 300 points | 450 points | 450 points |
| Marked by | An answer key | An answer key | A trained examiner | A trained examiner |
Scroll the table sideways to see all four sections.
How the TEF Canada is scored
Each section has its own point scale, and the scales are not the same size. That trips up candidates who read about the TCF Canada first, where listening and reading share one scale. On the TEF Canada you walk away with four numbers, and each number is read against its own conversion band.
Listening and reading are multiple choice, marked against an answer key. Writing and speaking are marked by trained examiners against published criteria, which is why those two take longer to come back, and why having someone read your writing and listen to your recordings before test day changes your result more there than anywhere else.
IRCC then converts each score to an NCLC level. That conversion is a table lookup rather than a calculation you can estimate: one point can be the difference between NCLC 6 and NCLC 7, and NCLC 7 is where the French points in Express Entry start to matter.
One step comes before any of that. Your attestation reports each ability twice, as a Score / 699 figure and as an equivalence under Equivalence ancien score, and Express Entry reads the second of the two. Which column to enter, and why it depends on the programme.
TEF Canada scores and the NCLC level they convert to
Read each ability against its own column. A score is only meaningful next to the section it came from.
| NCLC level | TEF Canada score ranges | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | Reading | Speaking | Writing | |
| NCLC 10 | 316-360 | 263-300 | 393-450 | 393-450 |
| NCLC 9 | 298-315 | 248-262 | 371-392 | 371-392 |
| NCLC 8 | 280-297 | 233-247 | 349-370 | 349-370 |
| NCLC 7 Level highlighted on this pageThe level most Express Entry candidates target, in all four abilities | 262-279 | 218-232 | 328-348 | 328-348 |
| NCLC 6 | 244-261 | 204-217 | 306-327 | 306-327 |
| NCLC 5 | 217-243 | 181-203 | 268-305 | 268-305 |
| NCLC 4 | 181-216 | 151-180 | 230-267 | 230-267 |
Scroll the table sideways to see all four abilities.
What NCLC 7 is worth
NCLC 7 in all four abilities is the level to plan for. It is the entry point for the French-language stream of category-based Express Entry selection, and the threshold at which French starts adding points to a Comprehensive Ranking System score.
Check the exact number of additional CRS points French currently earns, and Check the current category-based selection rules. Both have been revised more than once, and a stale number here would cost a candidate real decisions.
How the TEF Canada differs from the TCF Canada
Both exams are accepted by IRCC and both convert to NCLC levels, so the choice is not about credibility. It is about the shape of the paper, and you pay a test centre before you find out how that shape suits you.
| What differs | TEF Canada | TCF Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Awarding body | CCI Paris Île-de-France | France Éducation International |
| Listening and readingCheck the current item counts for both exams | Multiple choice, marked automatically, with a separate point scale for each of the two sections. | Multiple choice, marked automatically, with both sections reported on one scale that maps to a CEFR level. |
| WritingCheck task counts and word requirements for both exams | Two written tasks in one sitting. | Three written tasks in one sitting. |
| SpeakingCheck the length of each interview | Two tasks inside a single interview with an examiner. | Three tasks inside a single interview with an examiner. |
| How a result reads | Four scores on four different scales. The scale alone tells you nothing until you look up the band. | A score plus a stated level per section, which is easier to read at a glance. |
| How IRCC reads it | Converted to NCLC with the IRCC TEF Canada table. | Converted to NCLC with the IRCC TCF Canada table. |
| Finding a seatCheck availability claims per country before publishing | Approved centres are listed by CCI Paris Île-de-France. | Approved centres are listed by France Éducation International. |
Scroll the table sideways to see both columns.
Registering and finding a test centre
You register with an approved test centre, never through a preparation service. The centre owns the calendar, the fee, the payment method and the room you sit in. CCI Paris Île-de-France approves those centres and publishes the list; we prepare you for what happens once you are in the room.
Start from the official centre list
CCI Paris Île-de-France publishes the centres approved to run the TEF Canada, country by country. Only a centre on that list produces a result IRCC will accept, so check the list before you pay anyone.
Check which sessions are open
Sessions are scheduled per centre rather than nationally. In high-demand cities they fill well ahead of the date, which is the part candidates underestimate when they plan an application timeline. Check typical booking lead times by region.
Confirm the delivery format
Ask whether the centre runs the exam on computer or on paper, and whether all four sections happen on one day or across two. Both patterns exist and they change how you should rehearse. Check which formats are currently offered where.
Register and pay the centre directly
Payment goes to the centre, in its currency, under its terms. Keep the confirmation: it carries the candidate details and the identification you must bring with you.
Match your identification exactly
The name and document you present on test day must match your registration and, later, your immigration file. A mismatch is the most avoidable way to end up with a result you cannot use.
Wait for the official attestation
Your result arrives as an attestation issued by the awarding body, and that document is what you upload. Check the current turnaround time and how the attestation is delivered.
Dates, fees and results
Everything in this section is set by test centres and by IRCC, not by us, and it is the part of the exam that moves most often. Where a figure would have to be exact to be useful, it is flagged for verification rather than guessed.
- Exam dates
- Published by each centre, not on one national calendar. Large centres run sessions regularly; smaller ones only a few times a year. Check typical session frequency per region.
- Fees
- Set by each test centre and quoted in local currency, so there is no single worldwide price and two centres in one city can differ. Check the current fee range and whether sections can be paid for separately.
- Results
- Check how long results currently take from test day, and whether an online result is published before the official attestation is issued.
- Validity
- A language result must be less than two years old when IRCC receives your application. Sit the exam late enough that the result still has room to spare while the rest of your file is assembled.
- Retaking
- You may sit the exam again. Check any waiting period between attempts, and Check the rule that all four abilities must come from a single sitting rather than the best of several.
- Changes and cancellations
- Rescheduling and refund rules belong to the centre and are agreed when you register. Check the terms that centres typically apply.
A French exam built for a Canadian file
The TEF Canada is the Canada-specific version of the TEF, and that is the whole reason it matters here. Its results are reported in the form the Canadian equivalency chart expects, so they read across to an NCLC level without an extra conversion step in between.
Practically, that means the exam is not measuring your French in the abstract. It is producing four numbers that each have to clear a threshold on their own, and preparation that has not identified which of your four abilities is weakest is preparation aimed at the wrong target.
TEF Canada questions candidates actually ask
Answers are kept to what can be stated honestly. Where a figure changes with the awarding body or with IRCC, it is flagged for verification instead of guessed.
What is the TEF Canada?
Is there a pass mark for the TEF Canada?
What TEF Canada score do I need for NCLC 7?
Is the TEF Canada harder than the TCF Canada?
How long are TEF Canada results valid for immigration?
Do I have to take all four sections?
How much does the TEF Canada cost?
How is the TEF Canada different from the other TEF exams?
Can Français Prep register me for the exam?
Prepare for the TEF Canada with a teacher who marks your work
Every tier covers all four TEF Canada sections and tracks you against a target NCLC level. Exam registration is paid to your test centre and is never included.
Self-paced
The full lesson library plus timed practice tests for all four sections, worked on your own schedule.
Start self-pacedCA$149one-timeOne payment, no subscription. Lifetime access to the library.
- Lesson library for all four exam sections
- Timed full-length practice tests
- Model answers for every writing and speaking task
- NCLC score tracker
- Most popular
Small-group live
Weekly live classes with Adèle, in groups small enough that everyone speaks, plus marked writing and speaking.
Join a small groupCA$449per 8-week blockCovers all eight weeks, about CA$56 a class.
- Everything in self-paced
- Weekly live class with Adèle
- Marked writing submissions every week
- Marked speaking recordings every week
One-to-one tutoring
Private sessions scheduled around your test date, with a study plan built from your diagnostic results.
Book one-to-oneCA$950per 10 sessionsCA$95 a session, booked around your test date.
- Everything in small-group live
- Private sessions scheduled around your test date
- Study plan built from your diagnostic test
- Unlimited marked writing and speaking during your block
Not sure which tier fits? Book a free 15-minute video call.
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.
Preparation shaped by the TEF Canada, not a general French course
The same four things come with every tier, whether you study alone or sit in a live class each week.
A native French teacher marks your work
Adèle reads every writing task and listens to every recording, then tells you which specific 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.
Every result mapped to an NCLC level
Practice results are converted to NCLC levels using the published conversion tables, so you always know how far you are from the level your profile needs.
Study from anywhere, in your timezone
Lessons run online for candidates in Morocco, Algeria, Cameroon, Senegal, France and Canada. If you cannot attend live, the recording and the correction still reach you.
What we promise, and what we will never claim
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
- Every writing and speaking task you submit is marked by Adèle herself.
- 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.
Know your TEF Canada level before you pay a test centre
Book a short assessment with Adèle: one writing task, one speaking task, and an honest view of where your French stands against NCLC 7 today.
Prices are in Canadian dollars and include any tax that applies. The exam fee is separate and is always paid to your test centre.
Keep reading
The pages below go deeper into the parts of the TEF Canada that decide your score and your points.
TEF Canada score chart: results to NCLC levels
The full TEF Canada score-to-NCLC conversion table for reading, writing, listening and speaking, with the CRS points each level is worth.
TEF vs TCF Canada: which exam should you take?
TEF Canada and TCF Canada compared on format, scoring, difficulty, fees and availability, so you can pick the exam that gets you the most CRS points.
NCLC 7: the TCF and TEF scores you need
What NCLC 7 means, the exact TCF Canada and TEF Canada results that reach it, and the CRS points it unlocks in Express Entry.
TCF Canada: format, scoring and NCLC levels
What the TCF Canada is, how the four sections are timed and marked, how results convert to NCLC levels for Express Entry, plus fees, dates and test centres.