TCF vs TEF8 min read
TCF Canada vs TEF Canada: Which Is Easier for You? (Quiz)
TCF Canada and TEF Canada compared section by section: timings, writing and speaking tasks, scoring and who each suits. Take the quiz to choose.
Comparison · Verified with both test owners
TCF Canada vs TEF Canada
IRCC accepts both for Express Entry and citizenship, and both test the same four skills. The formats, scores and rules differ in ways that matter. Here they are side by side.
- accepted by IRCC
- Both
- questions per section
- 39 vs 40
- validity, both
- 2 years
Side by side
The differences that matter
| TCF Canada | TEF Canada | |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | France Éducation international | Le français des affaires (CCI Paris Île-de-France) |
| Order of tests | Listening, reading, writing, speaking | Reading, listening, writing, speaking |
| Listening | 39 questions · 35 min · each recording once | 40 questions · 40 min · each audio once · no going back |
| Reading | 39 questions · 60 min | 40 questions · 60 min · free navigation between questions |
| Writing | 3 tasks · 60 min shared · word ranges (60–120, 120–150, 120–180) | 2 sections · 25 + 35 min, timed separately · word minimums (80, 200) |
| Speaking | 3 tasks · 12 min · interview, role-play with 2 min prep, opinion | 2 sections · 5 + 10 min · phone call for information, convincing a friend |
| Total test time | 2 h 47 | About 2 h 55 |
| Delivery | Paper or computer, by centre · speaking face to face | Computer · speaking face to face |
| Scores | Listening and reading 0–699 · writing and speaking /20 | All four 0–699, plus an “ancien score” column (/360, /300, /450, /450) |
| What you enter in Express Entry | Your TCF scores | Only the Équivalence ancien score column |
| Results | 15 working days after the owner receives the session material | 1 to 10 working days, online only |
| Retake wait | 20 days | 20 days |
| All tests on the same day | Not stated by the owner or IRCC | Required |
| Citizenship | B1 or higher in listening and speaking | Listening and speaking only · B1 (IRCC) and NCLC 4 (owner) |
| Validity | 2 years from the date results are issued | 2 years from the date the attestation is issued |
Sources: France Éducation international, Le français des affaires and canada.ca, listed at the bottom of this page. Read the full TCF Canada format or the full TEF Canada format.
Scores
What NCLC 7 takes on each test
| Skill | TCF Canada | TEF Canada (ancien score) |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | 458 / 699 | 249 / 360 |
| Reading | 453 / 699 | 207 / 300 |
| Writing | 10 / 20 | 310 / 450 |
| Speaking | 10 / 20 | 310 / 450 |
Source: IRCC equivalency tables. The scales differ, so a number on one test means nothing on the other. Compare both tests’ NCLC charts.
TEF candidates
Enter the right TEF column in Express Entry
TEF results show a score out of 699 and an Équivalence ancien score. IRCC says not to enter the /699 scores in Express Entry, and warns: “If you don't enter the correct scores, we may refuse your application.”
How to choose
Which test suits you?
Neither test is officially easier. Pick the one whose format plays to your strengths, then check dates near you. Still unsure? Take the 1-minute quiz.
The TCF Canada may suit you if…
You like clear limits: writing has maximum word counts, and speaking is a short interview, one role-play and one opinion.
Free TCF Canada practice testThe TEF Canada may suit you if…
You want results fast (1 to 10 working days), like moving freely in reading, and are comfortable arguing at length in writing and speaking.
Free TEF Canada practice testEither way
Book the test with a date and centre that fit your deadline. Your results must still be valid when you apply.
French for Express Entry
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Sources
Last verified Oct 5, 2026 against canada.ca, France Éducation international (TCF Canada) and Le français des affaires (TEF Canada). How we check facts
- TCF CanadaFrance Éducation international (opens in a new tab)
- Understanding your TCF resultsFrance Éducation international (opens in a new tab)
- TEF CanadaLe français des affaires (opens in a new tab)
- TEF Canada: test day (passation)Le français des affaires (opens in a new tab)
- TEF Canada: resultsLe français des affaires (opens in a new tab)
- Express Entry: language test resultscanada.ca (IRCC) (opens in a new tab)
- Citizenship: accepted language testscanada.ca (IRCC) (opens in a new tab)
TCF vs TEF9 min read
TCF Canada vs TCF Québec vs DELF: Which French Test for Canada?
Only TCF Canada and TEF Canada count for federal PR. Québec and citizenship accept more. Pick the right French test for your goal in one minute.
Scores & NCLCTCF Canada7 min read
TCF Canada Score Chart 2026: NCLC & CLB for Every Skill
The official TCF Canada to NCLC chart for 2026, explained skill by skill, with a converter, the lowest-skill rule and the levels each program needs.
Your next step
Take the free TCF Canada mock test
All four skills, timed like the real exam, with an estimated NCLC level per skill. No account needed.