Two tests, one purpose. TCF Canada and TEF Canada are the French tests Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) accepts for economic immigration and citizenship, and both are converted to the same NCLC levels. They test the same four skills, but the number of questions, the timing and the way the speaking and writing are built are different. This page sets the two side by side.
Tests
TCF Canada and TEF Canada
Sections
4 in each test
Score scale
0-699 (TCF writing and speaking: /20)
Valid for
2 years
Both tests have four compulsory sections: listening, reading, writing and speaking. Speaking is always face to face with an examiner and is recorded so that a second marker can assess it. TCF Canada is set by France Éducation international (FEI); TEF Canada by CCI Paris Île-de-France, under its "Le français des affaires" brand.
The tests on this site are the Canada versions. TCF Canada has no grammar ("structures de la langue") paper: that section belongs to TCF Tout Public only.
| TCF Canada | TEF Canada | |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | France Éducation international (FEI) | CCI Paris Île-de-France (Le français des affaires) |
| Listening | 39 questions, 35 min | 40 questions, 40 min |
| Reading | 39 questions, 60 min | 40 questions, 60 min |
| Writing | 3 tasks, 60 min shared | 2 sections: 25 min + 35 min, timed separately |
| Speaking | 3 tasks, 12 min including 2 min preparation | 2 sections: 5 min + 10 min |
| Total time | 2 h 47 | about 2 h 55 (60 + 40 + 60 + 15 min) |
| Delivery | Paper or computer, depending on the centre; speaking face to face | Computer in a test centre; speaking face to face |
| Scores | Listening and reading 100-699; writing and speaking /20 | 0-699 per section, plus an "Équivalence ancien score" column for IRCC |
| Results | Within 15 working days | Within 1-10 working days, as a digital attestation |
| Valid for | 2 years | 2 years |
| Retakes | Unlimited, at least 20 days apart | Unlimited, 20-day waiting period |
TCF: 39 multiple-choice questions in 35 minutes, from A1 to C2, each recording played once. TEF: 40 questions in 40 minutes, in four parts, with a few seconds to read before each recording and a set time to answer after it.
TCF: 39 questions in 60 minutes, one document and one question at a time, getting harder as you go. TEF: 40 questions in 60 minutes in five parts, from everyday documents to press articles.
TCF: three tasks in 60 minutes (60-120, 120-150 and 120-180 words). TEF: continue a news story (25 min, at least 80 words) and argue a point of view (35 min, at least 200 words).
TCF: a 2-minute interview, a 3 min 30 role-play after 2 minutes of preparation, and 4 min 30 defending a point of view. TEF: a 5-minute phone call to get information and a 10-minute conversation to convince a friend.
TCF Canada. Listening and reading are scored from 100 to 699. A wrong or blank answer scores 0, and the correct answers are weighted by difficulty, so the score is not a simple count. Writing and speaking are marked out of 20: two markers each give every task a CEFR level, and the six levels are combined into the mark.
TEF Canada. Each section is reported on a 0-699 scale, with the CEFR level and the NCLC level. For IRCC you must enter the scores from the "Équivalence ancien score" column of the attestation, not the /699 column, which IRCC says is not compatible with its system at this time.
The full conversion tables are on the listening, reading, writing and speaking scoring pages.
| Programme | French requirement |
|---|---|
| Federal Skilled Worker (first official language) | NCLC 7 in all four skills. Points per skill: NCLC 7 = 4, NCLC 8 = 5, NCLC 9 or higher = 6 (24 at most). |
| Federal Skilled Worker (second official language) | 4 extra points with at least NCLC 5 in all four skills. |
| Canadian Experience Class | NCLC 7 in all four skills for TEER 0 and 1 jobs; NCLC 5 for TEER 2 and 3 jobs. |
| Federal Skilled Trades | NCLC 5 in speaking and listening; NCLC 4 in reading and writing. |
| Canadian citizenship (ages 18-54) | NCLC 4 or higher in speaking and listening. |
Results must be less than two years old both when you create your Express Entry profile and when you submit your permanent residence application.
The TCF Canada score ranges that give each NCLC level:
| NCLC | Speaking (/20) | Listening (/699) | Reading (/699) | Writing (/20) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 and above | 16-20 | 549-699 | 549-699 | 16-20 |
| 9 | 14-15 | 523-548 | 524-548 | 14-15 |
| 8 | 12-13 | 503-522 | 499-523 | 12-13 |
| 7 | 10-11 | 458-502 | 453-498 | 10-11 |
| 6 | 7-9 | 398-457 | 406-452 | 7-9 |
| 5 | 6 | 369-397 | 375-405 | 6 |
| 4 | 4-5 | 331-368 | 342-374 | 4-5 |
| When | Test | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Dec 2023 | TEF Canada | Listening and reading were redesigned: listening went from 60 to 40 questions and reading from 50 to 40, with the same durations. Writing and speaking did not change. |
| 2023-2024 | TEF Canada | The attestation now gives a 0-699 score per section, the CEFR level and the NCLC level. IRCC still asks you to enter the "Équivalence ancien score" column. |
| 26 Aug 2025 (tutorial date) | TEF Canada | The official listening tutorial shows vox-pop items with three options instead of four, and radio interviews played twice. Every other recording is still played once. |
| Sessions from 1 Sep 2026 | TCF Canada | Requests to re-mark writing and speaking are not accepted for about a year; FEI plans to resume the service in autumn 2027. |
| Announced June 2024 | TCF Canada | Writing taken on computer may get its first marking from FEI's automated correction-assistance system; the second marking stays human. Candidates who refuse take the paper version. |
Some websites announce sweeping "2026 reforms" to TCF Canada (adaptive listening, new rubrics, lower NCLC thresholds). FEI's September 2026 candidate manual and IRCC's tables do not support them: the format and the NCLC tables above are current.
Worked examples for every task type are on the listening, reading, writing and speaking samples pages, and you can practise every section in TCF / TEF practice or sit full mock tests.
Neither is officially easier: IRCC converts both to the same NCLC levels. The formats differ, though. TCF Canada has shorter listening (35 min) and a 12-minute speaking test with a short interview at the start; TEF Canada has a 15-minute speaking test built on two role-plays and separately timed writing sections. Choose the format you are more comfortable with.
No. TCF Canada has four compulsory sections: listening, reading, writing and speaking. The "maîtrise des structures de la langue" paper exists only in TCF Tout Public.
Both attestations are valid for two years. IRCC also requires the results to be under two years old when you create your Express Entry profile and when you apply for permanent residence.
As often as you like. TCF Canada requires at least 20 days between two sittings, and TEF Canada has a 20-day waiting period.
For citizenship IRCC asks for NCLC 4 in speaking and listening only, and CCI offers TEF Canada for citizenship with those two sections. For Express Entry you need all four, and for TEF Canada all four must be taken on the same day.
It depends on the centre: listening, reading and writing are on paper or on computer. The computer version is an application on the centre's computers, not an online test. Speaking is always face to face with an examiner.
TCF Canada results are published in your candidate space within 15 working days. TEF Canada attestations arrive within 1 to 10 working days in a digital vault.
Practise TCF / TEF online
Every section of TCF Canada and TEF Canada is in the TestSucceed app. The tasks are timed like the real exam and marked instantly, and your writing and speaking are assessed by AI trained by our French exam experts. Start with TCF / TEF practice or sit a full TCF / TEF mock test.
Written by Kirill O'Nayd
French test expert and educator at TestSucceed. He prepares candidates for TCF Canada and TEF Canada and follows how each section is timed and marked. See all TestSucceed preparation materials.