TEF or TCF vs IELTS for Express Entry: Which Test Pays More?

For Express Entry, you don't have to choose: IRCC scores English and French separately, and having both pays the most. A strong English result (CLB 9) maximises your first-language and skill-transferability points. A French result of NCLC 7 in all four abilities adds up to 62 more points and makes you eligible for French-language rounds, which in 2026 have had cut-offs between 382 and 435.

If you can only take one test right now, the answer depends on where you start. This guide compares the TCF Canada and TEF Canada with IELTS, CELPIP and PTE Core: how each is scored in the CRS, what each level is worth, and which to prioritise for your profile.

Accepted tests: the official list

IRCC accepts five tests for Express Entry, three in English and two in French:

Every result is converted to the same scale: CLB for English and NCLC for French, from 1 to 12. CLB 7 and NCLC 7 represent the same level of ability, in different languages. Our guide to NCLC vs CLB vs CEFR shows how both scales line up with the European levels.

First vs second official language

The CRS asks which language is your first official language. Usually it's the one in which you score higher. The other becomes your second official language. The difference is large:

Two more rules make the first language even more important:

• Skill transferability uses your first official language. CLB 9 in all four abilities can double the points you get for your education and foreign work experience.
• The French bonus sits outside both columns: 25 points for NCLC 7 in all four French abilities, 50 if you also have CLB 5 or higher in all four English abilities.

So for most English-speaking candidates the structure is simple: English earns your base, French earns the bonus and the category.

What each test result is worth: six scenarios

An illustrative candidate (our example, not a real person): age 30, no spouse, a bachelor's degree, three years of skilled work abroad, no Canadian experience. Same skill level in all four abilities. If you're applying with a partner, the numbers change: see how a spouse's French counts in the CRS.

What the table shows:

• Raising English from CLB 7 to CLB 9 is worth 93 points for this profile: 56 in first-language points and 37 in transferability.
• Adding French NCLC 7 is worth 62 points on top of either English level: 12 second-language points and the 50-point bonus.
• English CLB 9 alone (424) outscores CLB 7 plus French (393), but only the second one can enter French rounds.

That last point is the key. In 2026, IRCC has held no general (all-program) rounds. A candidate abroad without Canadian experience or a category occupation has mainly two routes: a provincial nomination, or the French category. With 424 points and no French, this candidate has no round to be invited in. With 393 and NCLC 7, they would have cleared the cut-off in three French rounds this year (382, 391 and 393), and every extra point widens that window.

Try your own combination:

The embed doesn't include foreign work, so its total will be lower than the table above. The full CRS calculator includes every factor, and our point-by-point CRS breakdown explains each one.

Score equivalents: IELTS, CELPIP, PTE Core, TCF and TEF

Here are the minimums for the two levels that matter most, from IRCC's tables:

For your own results, the NCLC score converter converts TCF Canada and TEF Canada scores ability by ability. For the French side in detail, see NCLC 9 on the TCF and TEF.

Time and cost: what each target asks of you

There's no official figure for how long it takes to reach a CLB or NCLC level, and exam fees are set by each test centre, so we won't quote a single price. But the trade-off is usually clear:

• If English is already strong, moving from CLB 7 or 8 to CLB 9 can be a matter of weeks of exam technique: learning the format, timing and scoring of your test. It's usually the cheapest points you can buy.
• French from scratch is a long project. One school's estimate, from Alliance Française de Lyon, puts A1 to B2 at roughly 450 to 600 course hours, and B2 is the band that contains NCLC 7 on the TCF Canada. That's about a year at 10 hours a week. Our zero to NCLC 7 timeline lets you plan yours.
• If you already have school French or speak a Romance language, the French path can be much shorter, and the return (62 points plus a category) is larger than most English upgrades.

Budget for at least two sittings of whichever test you're aiming at: one diagnostic or first attempt, and a retake for a stubborn ability. Both French tests require a 20-day wait between sittings.

Should you take both?

For most English-speaking candidates, yes, in this order:

1. Lock in your English first

   Get to the highest CLB you can reach quickly, ideally CLB 9 in all four abilities. It sets your base score and your transferability points, and CLB 5 is all you need to double the French bonus.

2. Start French in parallel

   French takes longer, so start early. Check your level with the free French level check, then plan your weekly hours.

3. Choose TCF Canada or TEF Canada

   Both count the same for IRCC. Our TCF vs TEF comparison explains the format differences, or see TCF Canada vs TEF Canada side by side.

4. Test when your mocks show NCLC 7 in all four

   Book the French test when timed mock tests show NCLC 7 in every ability, then update your profile straight away.

Watch the expiry dates. Both results must be less than two years old when you create your profile and when you submit your application. If you take English early and French a year later, your English result may expire first.

When French should come first

Some candidates should flip the order:

• French is already your strongest language. Make it your first official language. You can enter French rounds with French alone, and a modest English result at CLB 5 later doubles your bonus from 25 to 50.
• You're one ability away from NCLC 7. If a TCF or TEF result shows NCLC 7 in three skills, the last one unlocks the 25 or 50-point bonus and the category at once, more than most English upgrades can add.
• Your English is capped below CLB 9. If several attempts haven't moved your English, French is the bigger lever.

What the French tests look like next to an English test

If you've already taken IELTS, CELPIP or PTE Core, the French tests will feel familiar in structure: four abilities, timed sections, a speaking test, and a score converted to a level. A few differences are worth knowing before you book:

• Length. The TCF Canada lasts 2 h 47 of testing time (listening 35 minutes, reading 60, writing 60, speaking 12). The TEF Canada is about 2 h 55 (reading 60, listening 40, writing 60, speaking 15). Plan for most of a day with check-in and breaks.
• Speaking is face to face. On both French tests you speak with an examiner, and the tasks include asking questions, not just answering them. Our TCF Canada speaking practice and TEF Canada speaking practice pages use the official timings.
• Writing rules differ. The TCF Canada sets word ranges per task and penalises texts outside them; the TEF Canada sets minimum word counts. Writing is often one of the last skills to reach NCLC 7.
• Listening plays once. Both French tests play each recording a single time, so daily listening practice matters more than cramming.
• Seats can be scarce. In some cities, TCF and TEF sessions fill weeks or months ahead. Check TCF Canada exam dates and TEF Canada exam dates before you set a deadline.

Myths about French vs English tests

"French points only matter if I'm a native speaker." No. The bonus is designed for candidates whose first official language is English too: it doubles to 50 points when you also have CLB 5 in English. NCLC 7 is an upper-intermediate level, not fluency.

"A great English score makes French pointless." It makes French more valuable, not less. CLB 5 in English is the condition for the full 50-point bonus, and English points don't help you in a French round, where everyone already has NCLC 7.

"I can use IELTS Academic or a DELF certificate." Not for Express Entry. IRCC lists exactly five tests: IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General, PTE Core, TCF Canada and TEF Canada.

"French is a shortcut that's about to close." IRCC has consulted on changing the French bonus, but that's a proposal, not in force. The French-language proficiency category remains the first category IRCC lists for 2026. Our news item on the French bonus reform tracks it.

Our take

IELTS, CELPIP or PTE Core sets your foundation. TCF Canada or TEF Canada opens a separate, less crowded competition. If your CRS score is in the 380 to 450 range and you have no Canadian experience, French is very likely the difference between waiting and being invited. See our French for Express Entry guide for the full plan, and try a free mock test to see where your French stands today.