In the Philippines, the TEF Canada is run by Alliance Française de Manille in Bel-Air, Makati. On 22 October 2026 its exams calendar listed TEF Canada sessions on Fridays, twice a month, with the remaining 2026 dates on 6 and 20 November and 4 and 18 December. At our 27 September check, the online booking showed PHP 14,935 for sessions up to 20 November and PHP 16,000 for December; the public pages no longer show a price, so confirm it before you pay.
The TCF Canada isn't offered in Manila. That's less of a problem than it sounds: IRCC accepts both tests equally, and your NCLC level, not the test's name, decides your points. For most Filipino candidates the plan is the TEF Canada in Makati, plus a study plan that gets you to the level your pathway needs. This guide covers booking, results, which Canadian pathways reward French (including for nurses and caregivers), and how to prepare as an English and Filipino speaker.
Where to take the TEF Canada in the Philippines
| Centre | Test | Fee | Dates | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliance Française de Manille, Makati | TEF Canada (no TCF) | PHP 14,935 to 20 Nov 2026; PHP 16,000 for December (our 27 Sep 2026 check) | Fridays, twice a month | Online, through the centre's exams calendar |
| Alliance Française de Cebu, Cebu City | TEF Canada, per Le français des affaires' finder | Not published | On request from the centre | Contact the centre |
Checked on the centre's site and Le français des affaires' centre finder on 22 October 2026, except where dated. We haven't verified Cebu's sessions ourselves.
Our Alliance Française de Manille page has the address, contacts and live dates, and the TEF Canada exam dates calendar shows every upcoming session we track. To compare Manila's fee with other countries, see TEF Canada fees by centre.
If you need the TCF Canada, or you work abroad
We track no TCF Canada centre in the Philippines, and France Éducation international's official centre list is the place to check for new ones. If you're working overseas, our directory lists centres that run both tests in the UAE: Alliance Française Dubai and Alliance Française Abu Dhabi, each at AED 1,800 for the four tests at our 27 September 2026 check. Every centre is on the test centre finder, and TCF Canada fees by centre compares prices.
How booking works in Manila
Pick a Friday
Open the centre's exams calendar and choose a TEF Canada date. Sessions are small (5 places each at our September check), so book as soon as one suits your timeline.Add it to your cart and pay online
Create an account or sign in, then pay. At our September check, booking and payment went through the calendar's "Add to cart" button; if you don't see it, contact the centre.Ask if anything is unclear
Email [email protected] or call +63 939 902 4688. The centre answered calls Monday to Saturday, morning and afternoon, at our last check.Bring the ID you registered with
Use the same passport on the day. All four tests must be taken on the same day for IRCC to recognise the certificate.
Our TEF Canada booking guide explains the steps in more detail, and the exam day checklist covers what to bring.
Results, retakes and validity
Le français des affaires says TEF Canada results arrive 1 to 10 business days after the test, as a digital certificate. You must wait 20 days before sitting the test again, and results are valid for two years. For Express Entry they must be less than two years old when you create your profile and when you submit your permanent residence application, so time your test carefully if your profile could take a while.
Exam date planner
Pick your test and date to see your countdown, when to sit full mock tests, and the key dates after the exam.
Choose a test date to build your timeline.
Results delays and retake rules come from the test owners; your centre may differ. Mock-test dates are our suggestion.
For Express Entry, enter the scores from the "Équivalence ancien score" column of your certificate, not the score out of 699. The TEF Canada NCLC converter shows what each score means.
Why French matters for Filipino applicants
Most Filipino candidates already have strong English. French adds options that English alone can't.
Express Entry: bonus points and French draws
- Additional points: NCLC 7 or higher in all four French skills earns 25 points, or 50 if you also have CLB 5 or higher in all four English skills.
- Second official language: French adds up to 24 more points (22 with a spouse or partner).
- French-language category: IRCC invites candidates with NCLC 7 in all four abilities in French-only rounds. In 2026, up to round #450 on 16 October, the 11 French rounds cut off between 382 and 435, against 467 to 475 for the three healthcare rounds and 507 to 523 for Canadian Experience Class rounds (IRCC round data).
French bonus CRS points calculator
Choose your NCLC level in each French skill, then say whether you also have CLB 5+ in all four English skills.
+25 25 points
25 additional points: NCLC 7+ in all four French skills (with CLB 4 or lower in English, or no English test).
Your lowest French skill: NCLC 7
This shows only the additional French-language points. Second-official-language and skill-transferability points are separate. Check your full score with IRCC's CRS tool.
See your full CRS score with these levelsFrom 3 November 2026 IRCC changes how Canadian work experience and job offers are scored; our CRS score breakdown explains it, and the CRS calculator gives your full score.
Nurses and health workers
IRCC's healthcare and social services category includes registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and nurse aides, among other jobs. A nurse can be eligible for both categories at once. French doesn't replace the healthcare category, but it adds the 25 or 50 bonus points and opens the French draws, which have had the lowest cut-offs of any category this year. Our French-language category guide explains how the two interact.
The Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP) asks for NCLC 5 in all four skills and a job offer from a designated employer in one of six communities outside Québec. IRCC has a rule worth knowing: if your experience is as a registered nurse, your job offer can be as a nurse aide or a home support worker. See our FCIP guide.
Caregivers
The Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots accept TEF Canada and TCF Canada results, with a minimum of CLB/NCLC 4 in all four skills. But IRCC paused intake in December 2025, said it wouldn't reopen in March 2026, and says the pilots are closed while it processes existing applications. Don't plan around them until IRCC announces a reopening.
Working in Canada first
Mobilité francophone is an LMIA-exempt work permit for jobs outside Québec. IRCC asks for speaking and listening at NCLC 5 or higher, and it covers most occupations. Our Mobilité francophone guide has the details.
See what each level unlocks:
What does your French level unlock?
Pick your lowest level in speaking and listening, and in reading and writing.
You meet 5 of 9 French-language minimums.
- Canadian citizenship language proof (ages 18–54): metNeeds NCLC 4 in speaking and listening
- Mobilité francophone work permit (outside Quebec): metNeeds NCLC 5 in speaking and listening
- Federal Skilled Trades (French as first language): metNeeds NCLC 5 in speaking and listening, 4 in reading and writing
- Canadian Experience Class, TEER 2 or 3 jobs: metNeeds NCLC 5 in all four skills
- FSW: 4 selection points for French as second language: metNeeds NCLC 5 in all four skills
- Federal Skilled Worker (French as first language): not yetNeeds NCLC 7 in all four skills
- Canadian Experience Class, TEER 0 or 1 jobs: not yetNeeds NCLC 7 in all four skills
- Express Entry French-language category draws: not yetNeeds NCLC 7 in all four skills
- French bonus: 25 or 50 additional CRS points: not yetNeeds NCLC 7 in all four skills
Minimums from canada.ca (Express Entry language requirements, CRS criteria, category-based selection, Francophone mobility, citizenship). Each program has other requirements too.
Learning French in the Philippines
Alliance Française de Manille runs adult classes, online courses from A1 to B2 and one-to-one coaching. For TEF preparation, it points candidates to the PrepMyFuture online platform. Check the centre's site for timetables and prices.
Your advantage as an English and Filipino speaker
- Vocabulary. English shares thousands of words with French (information, condition, important), and Tagalog has many Spanish loanwords (days, months, numbers used for time and money) that are cousins of French ones.
- Reading usually moves fastest, thanks to that shared vocabulary.
What to watch
- Sounds. Many speakers of Philippine languages mix up p/f and b/v, and French needs both pairs: pain / faim, bain / vin. The vowel in tu and the nasal vowels in vin, vent, vont are new for everyone. Our guide to French pronunciation for TCF and TEF speaking has drills for each.
- Gender and agreement. Every French noun is masculine or feminine, and adjectives agree. Learn nouns with their article from day one.
- Listening speed. Words run together in spoken French, and each TEF recording plays only once. Daily listening is the cure: see our TEF Canada listening tips.
How long will it take?
This planner uses Alliance Française de Lyon's estimate of course hours per CEFR level. It's one school's figure for learners in general, not an official rule.
How long until your target NCLC?
Choose your current level, your target and how many hours a week you can study.
Hours of study to reach about B2 (the TCF Canada band that contains NCLC 7):
450–600 hours
About 57–75 weeks
- A1 → A2: 100–150 h
- A2 → B1: 150–200 h
- B1 → B2: 200–250 h
- Take your first full timed mock test around week 43, then book the exam when it shows your target in all four skills.
Hours per level are Alliance Française de Lyon's course-hour estimates (2026), one school's figures, not an official standard. Self-study usually needs more hours than guided classes. NCLC ≈ CEFR matching is approximate.
Our zero to NCLC 7 timeline breaks the journey into stages. If you're weighing French against another English test, read TCF/TEF vs IELTS for Express Entry.
Prepare for the TEF Canada
- Baseline first. Take the free French level test, then a timed TEF Canada practice test or the free TEF Canada mock test 1.
- Learn the formats. The TEF Canada has two speaking role-plays: our guide to TEF Section A questions covers the phone call, and the TEF speaking examples cover both sections.
- Type in French. Reading, listening and writing are on computer, with a virtual keyboard for accents. Practise typing é, è, ç, à before the day.
- Mock tests six, three and one week before your session.
If you could choose either test, TCF vs TEF: which is easier? compares every section, and TCF Canada vs TEF Canada lays out the formats.
A sample timeline
This is an illustration, not a promise: your starting level and weekly hours decide everything.
| Stage | What you do | Typical length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Baseline | Level test and one full mock | 1 week |
| 2. Foundations | Classes or self-study to a solid B1 | Depends on your start: see the planner above |
| 3. Exam prep | Format practice, weekly mocks, speaking role-plays | 8–12 weeks |
| 4. Book the test | Pick a Friday session in Makati, at least a month ahead | 1 day |
| 5. Results | Digital certificate | 1–10 business days |
| 6. Retake if needed | Target your weakest skill | 20 days minimum |
Book your session once your mock scores reach your target in every skill, not before: a failed attempt costs the fee and at least 20 days.
Costs beyond the exam fee
Budget for preparation (courses or an online platform), travel to Makati if you live outside Metro Manila (plus a night's stay, since sessions start in the morning), and a possible second attempt: many candidates need a retake to reach their target in every skill. Leave room in your timeline for the 20-day wait.
Other country guides
We have the same guide for India, Nigeria, Latin America, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia and francophone Africa.
Our take
For Filipinos, French is the lever that sets a profile apart from thousands of strong English-speaking ones. With one TEF Canada centre in Makati and small sessions, book early, prepare for the format rather than just the language, and aim for NCLC 7 if Express Entry is your route, or NCLC 5 for the FCIP and Mobilité francophone.