What the TCF Canada is
The TCF Canada (Test de connaissance du français pour le Canada) is the French test by France Éducation international (FEI) accepted by IRCC, Canada's immigration department. You use it to prove your French for permanent residence, including Express Entry, and for citizenship.
Unlike the TCF Québec, which is modular, the TCF Canada has four mandatory sections taken on the same day. There is no pass or fail: you get a score for each skill, and IRCC converts each score into a CLB level.
The four sections
Two sections test comprehension with multiple-choice questions, and two test expression and are graded by FEI examiners. The comprehension questions get harder as the test goes on.
| Section | What it tests | Format | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compréhension orale (CO) | Understanding spoken French | 39 questions, 4 options, one correct | 35 min |
| Compréhension écrite (CE) | Understanding written texts | 39 questions, 4 options, one correct | 60 min |
| Expression écrite (EE) | Writing in French | 3 tâches, done in order | 60 min |
| Expression orale (EO) | Speaking in French | 3 tâches, face to face with an examiner | 12 min |
Expression écrite: three texts in 60 minutes
The EE asks for three texts of different lengths: a message (60 to 120 words), a text telling an experience (120 to 150) and a text that compares two points of view and gives your opinion (120 to 180). If a tâche falls outside the word count, it can be graded «A1 non atteint». All of this is covered in detail, with examples, in the Expression écrite guide.
Expression orale: 12 minutes with the examiner
The EO is a one-on-one conversation, recorded for a second assessment. The only 2 minutes of preparation in the whole section belong to Tâche 2.
| Tâche | What it is | Preparation | Speaking | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tâche 1 | Guided interview: you introduce yourself and answer the examiner | none | 2 min | 2 min |
| Tâche 2 | Interaction: you ask the questions to get information in an everyday situation | 2 min | 3 min 30 | 5 min 30 |
| Tâche 3 | You defend a point of view on a topic, with no preparation | none | 4 min 30 | 4 min 30 |
In Tâche 2 you get a sheet with the situation and you can jot down your questions during the 2 minutes of preparation. Use that time: candidates who walk in with their questions organized lead the conversation instead of freezing.
How your score becomes a CLB
CO and CE are scored from 100 to 699. EE and EO are scored from 0 to 20. IRCC converts each one separately into a CLB level (Canadian Language Benchmarks), using the official chart below.
| CLB | CO | CE | EE | EO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 and above | 549 to 699 | 549 to 699 | 16 to 20 | 16 to 20 |
| 9 | 523 to 548 | 524 to 548 | 14 to 15 | 14 to 15 |
| 8 | 503 to 522 | 499 to 523 | 12 to 13 | 12 to 13 |
| 7 | 458 to 502 | 453 to 498 | 10 to 11 | 10 to 11 |
To qualify for the French-language proficiency category in Express Entry, IRCC asks for CLB 7 in all four skills. A high score in one does not make up for another: 600 in CE will not save a 9 in EO. That is why your preparation has to cover all four, and the expression sections are usually where people get stuck.
Booking, results and validity
- Where to take it: at an FEI-approved test center. There are hundreds around the world, including in Canada. Each center sets its own dates and fee.
- Results: within 15 working days after the session materials reach FEI, in your candidate account.
- Validity: the certificate is valid for 2 years from the date the results are issued.
- Retaking: you can take it as many times as you want, but you must wait at least 20 days between two sittings, and pay the fee again.
- Re-marking: according to FEI, for sessions from September 1, 2026, requests to re-mark the EE and the EO are suspended for about a year. In practice, if your score comes in lower than expected, the way out is to retake the test.
With up to 15 working days for results and a 20-day wait to retake, a second attempt takes weeks. If you have an immigration deadline, book your test with room to spare.
How to prepare
The TCF Canada does not follow a course syllabus, it measures your general French. But knowing the format makes a big difference: people who already speak well often lose points because they do not know what each tâche asks for, not because their French is weak.
- Take a CO and a CE practice testFind out where you stand today on the 100 to 699 scale. You can start with the free practice test.
- Practice the expression sections with feedbackWrite the three EE tâches and record the EO ones against the clock. Without someone grading you, it is hard to tell a 9 from an 11.
- Go after your weakest skillSince CLB 7 is required in all four, your lowest score is the one that decides.
- Book the test when the numbers say soFollow the trend over several attempts, not a single result.
At Atelier du TCF you do all of this in one place: 40 CO and CE tests in the exam format, writing and speaking feedback based on the official criteria, and live classes every week with Naliel Paixão and Mayara Torres.