The TEF Canada is the only TEF that counts for Express Entry and other federal permanent residence programs. The TEFAQ (TEF Québec) is built for Québec's immigration ministry, and the TEF IRN is built for French residence permits and French nationality. All three are accepted for Canadian citizenship, at B1 or higher in listening and speaking.
So the quick answer: book the TEF Canada if federal PR is anywhere in your plans, because Québec accepts it too. Book the TEFAQ only if you're sure you need Québec selection alone and want to take just the parts your program requires. The TEF IRN is rarely the right choice for Canada, unless you already hold one for France and need it for Canadian citizenship.
- TEF version accepted for Express Entry: the TEF Canada
- 1
- TEF versions IRCC accepts for citizenship
- 3
- level IRCC asks for citizenship, listening and speaking
- B1
- validity of each TEF attestation, per the test owner
- 2 years
The three TEFs side by side
All three are run by Le français des affaires, part of the Paris Île-de-France chamber of commerce (CCI Paris Île-de-France). They share a name and some task types, but they answer different questions for different governments.
Why three? Because three governments ask for proof of French in different ways. IRCC, the federal immigration department, measures French with the NCLC scale and wants all four skills for economic immigration. Québec chooses its own economic immigrants under its agreement with Ottawa, and it measures French on its own scale, skill by skill, asking only for the skills each program needs. France's residence and nationality rules set a single CEFR level for each permit. Each TEF is cut to fit one of those systems, which is why the same score can be perfect for one goal and useless for another.
| TEF Canada | TEFAQ (TEF Québec) | TEF IRN | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Made for | Canadian immigration and citizenship | Québec immigration and Canadian citizenship | French residence permits and nationality |
| Recognised by | IRCC (since 2002); Québec also lists it | Québec's immigration ministry, MIFI (since 2006) | France's Interior Ministry |
| Express Entry | Yes | No | No |
| Canadian citizenship | Yes (listening + speaking) | Yes (listening + speaking) | Yes |
| Québec skilled worker selection | Yes | Yes | Not named on Québec's list |
| Tests you take | 4 for immigration, 2 for citizenship, same day | 1 to 4, depending on your Québec program | 4, same day |
| Total time (4 tests) | 60 + 40 + 60 + 15 min | Same formats as TEF Canada | 30 + 20 + 30 + 10 min (1 h 30) |
| Levels measured | Full range; NCLC printed per test | Full range; converted to Québec's 12-level scale | A1 to B2 only |
| Attestation valid | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years |
TEF Canada: the federal test
The TEF Canada is the TEF that IRCC uses for economic immigration. IRCC's Express Entry page lists exactly two French tests: the TEF Canada and the TCF Canada.
- Four tests for immigration, taken on the same day: reading (60 min), listening (40 min), writing (two sections, 25 + 35 min) and speaking (two sections, 5 + 10 min).
- Two tests for citizenship: listening and speaking only.
- Two score columns. The attestation shows a /699 score and an "Équivalence ancien score". For Express Entry, IRCC uses only the ancien column, and warns that entering the wrong one can lead to refusal. Other IRCC programs, such as the post-graduation work permit, publish tables for the /699 score.
Not sure which column applies to you? Pick your purpose:
Which TEF Canada score do I use?
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Based on IRCC's Express Entry, PGWP and citizenship language pages. Not legal advice: confirm on canada.ca before you submit.
The NCLC 7 thresholds on the ancien scale are 249 in listening, 207 in reading and 310 in writing and speaking:
TEF Canada → NCLC for Express Entry (Équivalence ancien score)
| NCLC | Listeningout of 360 | Readingout of 300 | Writingout of 450 | Speakingout of 450 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10+ | 316–360 | 263–300 | 393–450 | 393–450 |
| 9 | 298–315 | 248–262 | 371–392 | 371–392 |
| 8 | 280–297 | 233–247 | 349–370 | 349–370 |
| 7 | 249–279 | 207–232 | 310–348 | 310–348 |
| 6 | 217–248 | 181–206 | 271–309 | 271–309 |
| 5 | 181–216 | 151–180 | 226–270 | 226–270 |
| 4 | 145–180 | 121–150 | 181–225 | 181–225 |
Our TEF Canada score chart explains both columns, and the TEF Canada practice test hub covers every section.
TEFAQ: the Québec test
The TEFAQ (Test d'évaluation du français adapté au Québec) has been recognised by Québec's Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI) since 2006. Le français des affaires says plainly that it is not recognised by IRCC for immigration to Canada.
What makes it different:
- It's modular. For Québec immigration, you take one to four tests depending on your program, and each can be taken separately. Le français des affaires sends you to MIFI's site for the tests and levels your program requires.
- The tasks are the same as the TEF Canada. Reading has 40 questions in 60 minutes, listening 40 questions in 40 minutes, writing sections A and B in 25 and 35 minutes, speaking sections A and B in 5 and 10 minutes. Preparation for one is preparation for the other.
- Québec uses its own scale. Québec doesn't use NCLC for its own selection. It converts results to the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français, a 12-level scale, using its official correspondence tables.
- It counts for citizenship. Listening and speaking are the two compulsory tests for that purpose.
Québec's skilled worker page lists the TEFAQ, the TEF Canada and the TEF among accepted tests, and asks for results that are two years old or less on the date you apply. Our guide to Québec immigration French requirements shows the level each stream asks for.
TEF IRN: the test for France
The TEF IRN (Intégration, Résidence et Nationalité) was designed for France's immigration rules. It certifies French from A1 to B2 for everyday situations, and its owner lists these uses in France: a multi-year residence permit (A2), a resident card (B1), French nationality (B2) and private security jobs (B1).
Its format was shortened on 1 April 2025:
| Test | TEF IRN | TEF Canada, for comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 20 questions, 30 min | 40 questions, 60 min |
| Listening | 20 questions, 20 min | 40 questions, 40 min |
| Writing | A: message, 40+ words, 10 min. B: convince, 100+ words, 20 min | A: continue a news story, 80+ words, 25 min. B: argue a view, 200+ words, 35 min |
| Speaking | A: phone for information, 5 min. B: help a friend decide, 5 min | A: phone for information, 5 min. B: convince a friend, 10 min |
Two details matter if you're thinking of using it for Canada. In the IRN, part of each comprehension test adapts to your level, and the test stops at B2. And for the levels, it uses combined thresholds: B1 means at least 300 on three tests and at least 267 on the weakest. IRCC accepts it for citizenship, where it asks for B1 or higher in listening and speaking, so check that your attestation shows that for both skills before you apply.
It is not on IRCC's Express Entry list, and Québec's list doesn't name it.
Which TEF for which goal?
| Your goal | Book | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Express Entry (FSW, CEC, FST) | TEF Canada | The only TEF IRCC accepts for Express Entry |
| Other federal PR programs and pilots | TEF Canada | IRCC publishes NCLC tables for the TEF Canada |
| Québec skilled worker selection only | TEFAQ or TEF Canada | Both on Québec's list; TEFAQ lets you take only the tests you need |
| Québec now, maybe federal later | TEF Canada | Accepted by both governments |
| Canadian citizenship only | TEF Canada or TEFAQ (listening + speaking) | Two tests, B1 needed in each |
| You already hold a recent TEF IRN | Keep it for citizenship | Accepted for citizenship at B1 in listening and speaking |
Citizenship: the shortest route
For Canadian citizenship, if you're 18 to 54, IRCC asks for proof of listening and speaking at CLB/NCLC 4 or higher. For the TEF family, its accepted-tests page states the bar as B1 or higher (B2, C1 or C2) in listening and speaking. You don't need reading or writing.
Check a TEF Canada or TCF Canada result against the rule:
Citizenship language checker
Enter your listening and speaking scores. These are the two skills IRCC checks for citizenship.
Needs 300 or more
Needs 6 or more
Enter both scores to see your result.
Applicants aged 18 to 54 need proof of language. Expired TCF Canada or TEF Canada results are accepted.
Last verified Oct 5, 2026Sources:IRCC: proof of language for citizenship(opens in a new tab)
Independent tool, not affiliated with IRCC. Confirm on canada.ca before you apply.
A result you already submitted for permanent residence is also accepted for citizenship, even if it has expired. Our French test for Canadian citizenship guide and the French for Canadian citizenship page walk through it with examples.
Worked examples
These are illustrations, not real candidates.
Priya, 31, software developer in Pune, Express Entry. She wants French-category draws, which need NCLC 7 in all four skills. Only the TEF Canada or TCF Canada can give her that, so she books the TEF Canada with all four tests on one day, and enters the ancien scores in her profile.
Julien, 38, working in Montréal, Québec skilled worker selection. His stream asks for an oral level only. He's certain he'll stay in Québec, so he takes a modular TEFAQ with listening and speaking, after confirming on MIFI's site that those are the tests his program needs.
Fatou, 34, nurse in Québec City, unsure about her plans. She may move to Ontario in two years. She books the TEF Canada: Québec accepts it today, and the same attestation works for Express Entry while it's valid.
Ana, 46, permanent resident in Calgary, citizenship. She took a TEF IRN in France 18 months ago for a residence card. IRCC lists the TEF IRN for citizenship, so she checks her attestation: it shows B1 or higher in both listening and speaking, and she uses it rather than booking a new test.
Preparing: what carries over
The good news is that preparation transfers well inside the TEF family.
- TEF Canada and TEFAQ share the same tasks, timings and question types. Any TEF Canada practice, including our free mock tests, is TEFAQ practice too.
- TEF IRN shares the idea of each section, a phone call for information in speaking and short written messages, but its tests are shorter and capped at B2. If you've prepared for the IRN, you'll find the TEF Canada's 40-question papers and 200-word opinion text a real step up. Plan extra weeks for reading stamina and longer writing.
- Speaking Section B differs. In the TEF Canada and TEFAQ you must convince a friend who never agrees, for 10 minutes. In the IRN you help a friend make a decision, for 5 minutes. Our TEF Canada speaking examples show what the longer version demands.
Whichever TEF you book, the fees are set by each test centre, not by Le français des affaires. Compare prices on our TEF Canada fees page and find sessions on the TEF Canada exam dates page.
Booking mistakes to avoid
- Booking "the TEF" without the version. Centres often run several TEFs. For federal PR, your registration and convocation must say TEF Canada.
- Taking a modular TEFAQ, then needing Express Entry. A TEFAQ attestation can't be used for Express Entry, even with excellent scores. You'll need a new TEF Canada or TCF Canada.
- Splitting the TEF Canada across days. Le français des affaires requires all tests on the same day for Canadian authorities to accept the attestation.
- Forgetting validity. Two years goes fast. For Express Entry, results must be less than 2 years old both when you create your profile and when you apply for PR.
Weighing the TEF against the TCF? Our TCF Canada vs TEF Canada comparison covers format and scoring, and TCF Canada vs TCF Québec vs DELF does the same job for the TCF family.
Your next step
Check your level in five minutes
Start with our free 10-question French level check.
Rehearse the real format
Sit a free TEF Canada mock test. The TEFAQ uses the same tasks, so it prepares you for both.
Plan your preparation
Our 30-day TEF Canada plan turns the format into a daily schedule, and our plans add feedback on writing and speaking.
Accepted tests and levels can change. This article reflects IRCC, Québec and Le français des affaires pages as checked on the date shown above; confirm on canada.ca or quebec.ca before you book. We're an independent prep site, not affiliated with IRCC, Québec's immigration ministry, France Éducation international or Le français des affaires.