TCF Canada
All four sections are compulsory: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. For federal immigration with IRCC and for Canadian citizenship.
4 compulsory sectionsAbout the TCF tests for Canada
What are TCF Canada and TCF Québec?
TCF Canada and TCF Québec are French tests from France Éducation international. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) accepts TCF Canada for economic immigration and citizenship applications. Québec's immigration ministry (MIFI) accepts TCF Québec for immigration to Québec.
- Accepted by IRCC and MIFI
- Four sections
- Scores convert to NCLC or Québec levels
Two versions
France Éducation international runs two TCF tests for Canada. Take the one your application asks for.
TCF Québec
For immigration to Québec. You take only the sections that your Québec program asks for.
Choose your sectionsSee TCF Québec prepTest components
Four sections, each scored on its own.
39 questions · 35 min
Listening
Multiple-choice questions on recordings, from everyday exchanges to longer talks. The questions get harder as you go.
39 questions · 60 min
Reading
Multiple-choice questions on texts, from short notices to longer articles. The questions get harder as you go.
3 tasks · 60 min
Writing
Three tasks: a short message (60–120 words), an article or account (120–150 words), and a comparison of two viewpoints (120–180 words).
3 tasks · 12 min
Speaking
Three tasks, face to face with an examiner: a guided interview, an interaction exercise, and giving your point of view.
Scoring
Both tests use the same scores. Listening and Reading are scored from 100 to 699. Writing and Speaking are scored from 0 to 20. IRCC converts each TCF Canada score to an NCLC level, and accepts results for two years from the test date. Québec (MIFI) converts each TCF Québec score to a level on the Échelle québécoise.
| NCLC | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10+ | 549–699 | 549–699 | 16–20 | 16–20 |
| 9 | 523–548 | 524–548 | 14–15 | 14–15 |
| 8 | 503–522 | 499–523 | 12–13 | 12–13 |
| 7 | 458–502 | 453–498 | 10–11 | 10–11 |
| 6 | 398–457 | 406–452 | 7–9 | 7–9 |
| 5 | 369–397 | 375–405 | 6 | 6 |
| 4 | 331–368 | 342–374 | 4–5 | 4–5 |
Source: IRCC. Check IRCC for the NCLC level your immigration program requires.
| Québec level | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11–12 | 600–699 | 600–699 | 18–20 | 18–20 |
| 9–10 | 500–599 | 500–599 | 14–17 | 14–17 |
| 7–8 | 400–499 | 400–499 | 10–13 | 10–13 |
| 5–6 | 300–399 | 300–399 | 6–9 | 6–9 |
| 4 | 260–299 | 260–299 | 4–5 | 4–5 |
| 3 | 200–259 | 200–259 | 2–3 | 2–3 |
| 1–2 | 101–199 | 101–199 | 1 | 1 |
Source: MIFI conversion table, version of 29 November 2024. Check MIFI for the level your Québec program requires.
Who accepts each test?
IRCC accepts TCF Canada for federal immigration and citizenship. MIFI accepts TCF Québec for immigration to Québec.
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC): economic immigration programs such as Express Entry (TCF Canada)
- IRCC: Canadian citizenship applications (TCF Canada)
- Québec's Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI): immigration to Québec (TCF Québec)
Each program sets its own minimum level: an NCLC level for IRCC, a Québec level for MIFI. Check the requirement for your application before you start preparing.
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