TEF and TCF Canada Passing Score: The French Minimum for Each Program

The TEF Canada and TCF Canada measure your French. They do not decide whether you "pass". Your results show a score for each of the four skills: reading, listening, writing and speaking.

IRCC converts each of those scores to a level on the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC), the French version of the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB). Each program then says which NCLC level you need, and in which skills. The same result can be enough for one program and not enough for another.

• Each skill is checked on its own. For Express Entry, IRCC asks for a minimum level "for all 4 abilities". A high score in reading does not make up for a low score in speaking.
• Your lowest skill decides. If three skills are at NCLC 7 and one is at NCLC 6, you do not meet an NCLC 7 minimum.
• Meeting the minimum is not the same as being invited. The minimum only makes you eligible. Express Entry then ranks candidates by CRS score.

These are the minimums IRCC publishes for the main federal programs. We checked each one on canada.ca on 2 November 2026.

IRCC pages: Express Entry language test results (Page details 2026-10-16), Francophone Mobility eligibility (2026-04-20) and language proof for citizenship (2025-09-11).

Rules change. Check the IRCC page for your program again before you book a test or apply. This page covers federal programs only. Quebec's immigration programs and each province's nominee programs set their own language rules.

IRCC's Express Entry language page (Page details 2026-10-16, checked 2 November 2026) gives one minimum per program:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program: NCLC 7 in all four skills in your first official language. If French is your second official language, IRCC gives 4 extra selection points when you reach NCLC 5 or higher in all four skills.
• Canadian Experience Class: it depends on the job. For a job classified in TEER 0 or 1 of the National Occupational Classification, you need NCLC 7 in all four skills. For TEER 2 or 3, you need NCLC 5 in all four skills.
• Federal Skilled Trades Program: NCLC 5 in speaking and listening, and NCLC 4 in reading and writing.

Your results must also be less than 2 years old when you complete your profile and again when you submit your permanent residence application. See how long TEF and TCF Canada results are valid.

Being eligible gets you into the pool. It does not decide whether you are invited. French can add CRS points, and IRCC's CRS criteria page (Page details 2026-10-16, checked 2 November 2026) gives 25 or 50 additional points only for NCLC 7 or higher in all four French skills. See how many CRS points French is worth and the Express Entry French draws.

The Francophone Mobility work permit is for French speakers with a job offer in a province or territory outside Quebec. It is a work permit, not permanent residence.

For applications on or after June 15, 2023, IRCC's eligibility page (Page details 2026-04-20, checked 2 November 2026) asks you to show speaking and listening at an "intermediate level", which it says is equivalent to NCLC 5 or higher. Reading and writing are not part of this requirement.

IRCC's how-to-apply page (Page details 2026-04-21) says proof can include TEF or TCF speaking and listening results, or a written confirmation from a college or university for a program in French, or other documents that show education in French. You also need a job offer that meets the other conditions on IRCC's page.

If you are 18 to 54 years old, IRCC asks for proof that you can speak and listen at CLB level 4 or higher in English or French (language proof page, Page details 2025-09-11, checked 2 November 2026).

If you use TEF Canada or TCF Canada results, IRCC's step-by-step page (Page details 2025-09-26) asks for B1 or higher. For a TEF Canada taken on or after July 1, 2012, that means B1 or higher in listening and speaking. IRCC says you can send these results even if they have expired. Results are not the only proof IRCC accepts: a secondary or post-secondary program in French can also count. Check IRCC's page for the full list. For modules, expired results and centre options, see our TEF Canada citizenship guide.

This table gives the lowest score IRCC converts to each level, from its Express Entry conversion tables (Page details 2026-10-16). TEF Canada reading is out of 300, listening out of 360, and writing and speaking out of 450. TCF Canada reading and listening run from 100 to 699, and writing and speaking are out of 20.

• TEF Canada: IRCC uses the scores in the "Équivalence ancien score" column. Do not enter the "Score / 699" column in your Express Entry profile.
• Full charts: see the TEF Canada scores to NCLC chart and the TCF Canada scores to NCLC chart for every level.
• Your own scores: the NCLC calculator converts all four at once and shows which skill is lowest.

Frenchly's practice scores are estimates. Only your official TEF Canada or TCF Canada result counts for IRCC.

1. 1Find your program's minimum in the table above, then open the IRCC page and check it again on the day you plan.
2. 2Write down the level for each skill. Some programs ask for the same level in all four skills; others ask for less in reading and writing, or only check speaking and listening.
3. 3Find your weakest skill. Take a free TEF Canada practice test or free TCF Canada practice test and convert the result with the NCLC calculator. Treat it as an estimate.
4. 4Choose your test. IRCC accepts both. Our TEF vs TCF Canada comparison explains the differences in format and scoring.