What Is TCF Canada? Format, Levels and Validity Explained
TCF Canada (Test de connaissance du français pour le Canada) is the French exam Canada accepts as proof of French for permanent residence and citizenship. It is run by France Éducation international (FEI), it tests all four skills in one sitting of 2 hours 47 minutes, and its scores convert into the NCLC / CLB levels that IRCC actually scores you on. Results are valid for two years.
This page is the overview: what the exam contains, what the numbers mean, what it costs and how it differs from the other tests called “TCF”. Each section links to the detailed guide if you need to go deeper.
What TCF Canada is
Who runs TCF Canada and who accepts it?
The exam is designed and marked by France Éducation international, a French public body, and delivered in Canada by authorised centres: in most cities the local Alliance Française. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) accepts it as proof of French for permanent-residence programs and for citizenship. The centre sells you the seat and runs the exam day; FEI owns the test and issues the result.
Who needs to take TCF Canada?
Anyone who wants French to count toward a Canadian immigration application. That includes Express Entry candidates claiming French points, applicants to French-language provincial streams, and citizenship applicants who prove language ability in French. You do not need to be a French native speaker or hold any qualification; the exam is open, and only the level you reach matters. For how French converts into Express Entry points, see TCF Canada and Express Entry French points.
What the exam looks like
What sections does TCF Canada have?
Four compulsory papers: listening, reading, writing and speaking. You cannot sit only some of them; the fee buys the whole set.
| Paper | Items & time | Scale | NCLC 7 line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening (compréhension orale) | 39 multiple-choice items, 35 min; each recording plays once | 100–699 | 458 |
| Reading (compréhension écrite) | 39 multiple-choice items, 60 min | 100–699 | 453 |
| Writing (expression écrite) | 3 tasks sharing 60 min | 0–20 | 10 |
| Speaking (expression orale) | 3 tasks in about 12 min, one-to-one with an examiner | 0–20 | 10 |
Two details catch people out. Listening recordings play only once, with no replay. And the speaking test is recorded and sent back to FEI for a second, independent assessment; the examiner in the room is not the only person marking you. A question-by-question walkthrough is in TCF Canada question types.
How long does TCF Canada take?
2 hours 47 minutes of exam time in total. Listening, reading and writing run back-to-back as one group session in that order; speaking is scheduled separately, one-to-one with an examiner. Canadian centres normally put everything on the same day (Vancouver, for example, runs 9:00 to 16:00), with your speaking slot confirmed in your booking. What the day is actually like is covered in TCF Canada exam day.
Scores and levels
How do TCF Canada scores convert to NCLC / CLB?
Your four raw scores each convert into a level, and IRCC only ever looks at the levels. Listening and reading are marked 100–699; speaking and writing are marked 0–20. Those numbers map onto the NCLC scale (Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens), which is simply the French name for the CLB scale: same levels, identical numbers, so NCLC 7 and CLB 7 are the same thing. IRCC reports French results as NCLC and English as CLB. The full conversion table is in the TCF Canada score chart.
What TCF Canada score do I need for NCLC 7?
458 in listening, 453 in reading, 10 in speaking and 10 in writing, and you must clear the line in all four. One skill below the bar drops your overall level to that skill, which is why a strong reader with weak speaking still counts as the lower level. NCLC 7 is the threshold most commonly cited for French immigration paths. Note the small asymmetry: reading's bar (453) sits slightly below listening's (458).
If you prefer CEFR as a reference point, the rough correspondence is A2 ≈ NCLC 4, B1 ≈ NCLC 5–6, B2 ≈ NCLC 7–8, C1 ≈ NCLC 9. This is for orientation only; immigration scoring recognises NCLC / CLB, never CEFR.
How long are TCF Canada results valid?
Two years from the test date. The result must still be inside that window when you submit your application, not merely when you started preparing it; a certificate that expires mid-process will not carry the application. Plan the exam date against your expected submission date, and confirm current rules with IRCC.
When will I get my TCF Canada results?
FEI's own commitment is 15 working days from receiving the centre's materials, or 10 working days where the multiple-choice papers were taken on computer. In practice Canadian centres publish anything from one or two weeks to six. The clock starts when FEI receives the papers, not on your exam day, which is why the same centre can quote different waits at different times of year. Per-centre figures are in TCF Canada results.
Cost, booking and the other TCF tests
How much does TCF Canada cost?
CAD $390 to $410 depending on the centre: $390 in Vancouver (AF) and Victoria; $400 in Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg; $410 at Ashton Testing in Vancouver. There is no national price: FEI directs candidates to their nearest centre, and each centre sets its own fee. The price covers all four papers plus the attestation, and most centres do not refund or reschedule once you have paid. Full per-centre pricing and refund terms are in TCF Canada exam fees.
How is TCF Canada different from the other TCF tests?
“TCF” is a family of exams, and booking the wrong one wastes both the fee and the wait. TCF Canada is the version for federal Canadian immigration and citizenship. TCF Québec is generally the one for Quebec immigration programs. TCF tout public is the general version used for study and other purposes. The question styles are similar, but the accepting body differs, so confirm you are booking TCF Canada specifically. For how the versions and TEFAQ compare, see TCF Québec vs TCF Canada vs TEFAQ. If you are still choosing between exam families, TCF vs TEF Canada covers the other IRCC-recognised option.
How do I actually book a seat?
You register directly with the centre, not with FEI: create an account on that centre's booking system, choose a date, and pay online. The step-by-step version is in how to register for TCF Canada. The practical difficulty is not the form; it is that seats in busy cities are taken within minutes of appearing, and they reappear unpredictably as other candidates cancel. See which cities we monitor if you want an email the moment one opens.