TEF Score Calculator: Convert TEF and TCF Scores to CLB

Our TEF score calculator and TCF score calculator below converts your French test results into the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC), the French equivalent of the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB).

Simply select your test, enter your four scores, and you’ll see the NCLC level for each skill, your overall level, and an estimate of your Express Entry points.

IRCC accepts two French tests for Express Entry: the TEF Canada and the TCF Canada.

For the TEF Canada, you can type either the “Score / 699” or the “Équivalence ancien score” from your attestation into the calculator; just tell it which one. Both will give you the same NCLC level, but only the “Équivalence ancien score” column should be entered into your Express Entry profile.

For the TCF Canada, the listening and reading scores are out of 699, while the writing and speaking are out of 20.

Remember, IRCC converts each of the four abilities separately and never averages them; the lowest of your four skills is the level that counts.

Further down, you’ll find the full conversion tables with their official sources, how to read your attestation, what each level is worth in points, and how our students typically move a weak skill up one level.

TEF Score Calculator: Key Points

• Both TEF columns give the same NCLC level; only the Équivalence ancien score goes into your Express Entry profile.
• IRCC never averages: your profile level is the lowest of your four abilities.
• NCLC 7 on the TEF Canada (ancien score) is reading 207, listening 249, writing 310 and speaking 310; on the TCF Canada it is reading 453, listening 458 and 10 out of 20 in writing and speaking.
• NCLC 7 in all four abilities adds 25 or 50 CRS points on top of the core language points, and opens the French-language category draws.
• Results are valid for two years from the date they are issued, when you complete your profile and when you apply.

On this page

1. Key points
2. The calculator
3. How to use it
4. TEF to CLB table
5. TCF to CLB table
6. Reading your attestation
7. Your lowest skill counts
8. Express Entry points
9. Moving up one level
10. TEF vs TCF scores
11. Quick answers
12. French classes at TFA

TEF and TCF score calculator

How to use the TEF score calculator and TCF score calculator

Where your four TEF Canada scores are

Your TEF Canada attestation has four lines, one for each test: compréhension écrite (reading), compréhension orale (listening), expression écrite (writing) and expression orale (speaking). Each line has two numbers: a “Score / 699” and an “Équivalence ancien score”.

You can type either column into the TEF score calculator; just tell the calculator which one you are using. The NCLC level it estimates will be the same.

However, for your Express Entry profile, you must use only the numbers in the “Équivalence ancien score” column. According to IRCC, the “Score / 699” results “aren’t compatible with our system at this time.”

Where your four TCF Canada scores are

The TCF Canada attestation is more direct. It gives your listening and reading scores out of 699 and your writing and speaking scores out of 20. The attestation also reports the NCLC level for each test.

There is no second column of scores to choose from. Simply type the numbers as they are printed on your attestation into the TCF score calculator.

What the points estimate includes and leaves out

To estimate your points, the calculator also needs to know if French is your first or second official language in your profile, if a spouse or partner is coming with you, and if your English is at a CLB 5 or higher in all four abilities.

The estimate includes:

• The core language points of the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)
• The extra 25 or 50 CRS points for French
• The language points of the Federal Skilled Worker 67-point grid

The estimate does not include points for English, age, education, work experience, skill transferability, a job offer, a provincial nomination, or a sibling in Canada.

Pro tip: type the Score / 699 if that is the number you remember, but copy the Équivalence ancien score column into your Express Entry profile; the level is the same, only the profile is particular.

TEF to CLB: the full conversion table

TEF Canada Score / 699 to NCLC (tests taken since 11 December 2023)

Source: IRCC’s level-finder page and the test issuer’s correspondence chart agree line for line; the issuer’s chart also splits the top row into NCLC 10, 11 and 12.

TEF Équivalence ancien score to NCLC (what Express Entry reads)

Source: IRCC, “Express Entry: Language test results”.

Why there are two TEF tables, and which one matters

Every TEF Canada attestation still valid today shows both columns because there are two different scoring scales for the same performance.

The test issuer now uses the Score / 699 scale, which is the one printed in large font on the attestation. The Équivalence ancien score is printed alongside it so that IRCC’s Express Entry system, which is configured to read the old scale, can process the result.

You may see older charts where NCLC 7 is a score of 450 to 499 in every skill. These charts describe tests taken between 1 October 2019 and 10 December 2023. As Express Entry results must be less than two years old, every one of those tests has now expired and cannot be used.

Under the current Score / 699 scale, reading and listening share one set of score bands, while writing and speaking each have their own. To achieve the benchmark of NCLC 7, you need a score of at least 434 in reading and listening, 428 in writing, and 456 in speaking.

TCF to CLB: the full conversion table

TCF Canada score to NCLC

Source: IRCC, “Express Entry: Language test results” (updated 22 June 2026)

Two scales on one attestation

Your TCF Canada attestation shows two different scoring scales. The listening and reading sections are multiple-choice and scored out of 699 points. The writing and speaking sections are marked by examiners on a scale of 0 to 20.

The score out of 20 is not a percentage. A score of 10 out of 20 is NCLC 7, 12 is NCLC 8, and 16 is NCLC 10 and above. At Toronto French Academy, our students often read 12/20 as a weak result when it is NCLC 8, one band above the NCLC 7 threshold.

When you enter your TCF score into your Express Entry profile, you use the numbers as printed on your attestation.

How to read your TEF or TCF score report

The TEF Canada attestation de résultats

The TEF Canada attestation lists each of the four tests on its own line. For each test, you will see a Score / 699, an “Équivalence ancien score”, a CEFR level (A1 to C2), and an NCLC level. This NCLC column is your TEF CLB level and is the one that matters for Canadian immigration. The CEFR letter is a European standard used for other purposes.

Your results will arrive by email as a digital certificate; there are no paper copies. The certificate is valid for two years from the date of issue.

Note: Tests taken between 11 December 2023 and 6 May 2024 had their NCLC levels temporarily changed by the issuer and corrected afterwards. As of October 2026, every one of those certificates has expired, which is one reason older charts and forum posts may disagree with current scoring.

The TCF Canada attestation

The TCF Canada digital certificate shows your score for Listening and Reading out of 699, and your score for Writing and Speaking out of 20. Each skill also has a CEFR level and the corresponding NCLC level, which is your TCF CLB score. The attestation includes a QR code and is valid for two years from the date the results were issued.

The five misreadings we see most often

When our students bring us their results, these are the five misreadings we correct most often.

1. On the TEF, typing the “Score / 699” into the Express Entry profile instead of the “Équivalence ancien score” that IRCC asks for.
2. Reading the CEFR letter instead of the NCLC number. A B2 on one line does not mean you have NCLC 7 on every line; IRCC converts each ability separately.
3. Averaging the four skills. The French bonus or a program minimum requires a specific NCLC level in all four abilities, not an average.
4. Counting the two-year validity from the test day. Your results are valid for two years from the date they are issued.
5. On the TCF, treating a writing or speaking score of 12/20 as a weak mark. It is not; 12–13 out of 20 is a strong NCLC 8.

Pro tip: check the issue date before you plan; a TEF taken in late November with results issued in December expires in December two years on, not in November.

Your lowest skill is your CLB: the one weak section problem

IRCC never averages

IRCC converts each of your four abilities separately and does not average them. If your attestation shows an NCLC 9 in reading but an NCLC 6 in speaking, your profile is considered NCLC 6 for every rule that requires a minimum level in “all four abilities.”

This includes the Federal Skilled Worker minimum of NCLC 7, entry into the Express Entry French-language proficiency category (NCLC 7 in all four), and the 25 or 50 additional CRS points for French (NCLC 7 or higher in all four).

Which section usually drags the result down

In our experience at Toronto French Academy, speaking is the lowest section for about two in three of our first-time TEF Canada candidates. On TCF Canada, writing is the most common lowest section, with speaking as the second.

Roughly seven in ten of our students who miss NCLC 7 on a first attempt miss it in exactly one section, and most of them land at NCLC 6. First-attempt scores that are just a few points under a band line—5 to 15 points on the 699 scale, or one mark on the 20-point scale—are common in the reports we see.

What you can do about it

There is no single-section retake that IRCC accepts for French. TEF Canada requires you to take all four tests in the same session on the same day, and TCF Canada is made up of four mandatory tests. You must sit everything again.

The good news is that both tests can be taken as many times as you like, with a 20-day waiting period between two sittings. Our students who retake after 6 to 10 weeks of preparation focused on their weakest skill typically gain one NCLC level in that skill, while their other three skills hold steady or rise.

Pro tip: if your weakest skill is within one band of your target, book the retake six to eight weeks out and give that skill most of your study hours; the other three only need to be kept warm.

What your CLB means for Express Entry points

Core CRS points for French, per ability

Once you have your TEF CLB or TCF CLB results, they are used to calculate your core CRS points. French can be either your first or second official language. The points are awarded separately for each of the four abilities: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

This means if you score NCLC 7 in three abilities but NCLC 6 in the fourth, you only lose points for that one ability in the core CRS calculation.

The extra 25 or 50 points for French

In addition to the core points, you can earn a significant bonus for strong French skills.

• You get 25 extra points if you score NCLC 7 or higher in all four French abilities AND your English score is CLB 4 or lower (or you have no English test results).
• You get 50 extra points if you score NCLC 7 or higher in all four French abilities AND your English score is CLB 5 or higher in all four abilities.

This bonus is all-or-nothing. If your TEF or TCF results show NCLC 7 in three abilities and NCLC 6 in the fourth, you get zero extra points.

The French-language category

Express Entry holds category-based draws for candidates with strong French skills. To be eligible for this category, you must have French test results showing a minimum of NCLC 7 in all four language abilities.

The Federal Skilled Worker grid

If you are applying through the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program, your language skills are also assessed on a separate 67-point grid.

• If French is your first official language, you earn 4 points per ability at NCLC 7, 5 points at NCLC 8, and 6 points at NCLC 9 and above, for a maximum of 24 points. The minimum to qualify for FSW is NCLC 7 in all four abilities.
• If French is your second official language, you earn 4 points if you score NCLC 5 or above in all four abilities.

A worked example: one band in speaking

Let’s see how much one band can be worth. Consider a candidate with no spouse, who has designated French as their second official language and has English scores of CLB 5 or higher.

• Scenario 1: French scores are NCLC 7, 7, 7, and 6 (speaking).

  • Second-language points: 3 + 3 + 3 + 1 = 10
  • French bonus: 0 (because speaking is below NCLC 7)
  • Total CRS points for French: 10

• Scenario 2: The candidate improves their speaking to NCLC 7.

  • Second-language points: 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12
  • French bonus: 50 (now meets the NCLC 7+ requirement)
  • Total CRS points for French: 62

In this case, improving one skill by a single band is worth 52 CRS points.

How to move up one CLB level in your weakest skill

Measure the gap in points

The calculator shows the points you need to reach the next band in each skill. From our experience, a gap of under 10 points on the 699 scale, or one mark out of 20, is a gap you can close with focused work before a retake. A gap of a whole band or more is a programme gap, meaning you need a structured learning plan over a longer period.

How long one level takes

Based on our students’ progress, here is the typical time it takes to gain one NCLC level in a single skill, with focused work of 5 or more hours per week.

Receptive skills (listening and reading) tend to improve faster than productive skills (writing and speaking). To go from NCLC 5 in all four skills to NCLC 7 in all four, most of our students need 4 to 6 months of consistent work.

Listening and reading

The key is daily, timed practice using the real question types. It is crucial to score every practice set on the official NCLC bands, not as a percentage of correct answers. The scores on the TEF and TCF are calibrated; they are not the raw number of questions you get right.

Writing

Most writing scores below NCLC 7 that we see come from the task format, not from grammar. You must know the exact tasks.

• For the TEF, Section A is continuing a news item in 80 words or more, and Section B is arguing a point of view in 200 words or more.
• For the TCF, there are three tasks with word limits of 60 to 120, 120 to 150, and 120 to 180 words.

Speaking

Practice with timed role plays. The person you practice with should act as a corrector who can score you on the same criteria the examiners use.

• For the TEF, Section A is 5 minutes of asking questions to get information, and Section B is 10 minutes of trying to convince someone.
• The TCF has three tasks in 12 minutes, which includes 2 minutes of preparation time.

How we prepare a student for the next band

Our TEF and TCF preparation uses mock tests scored on the official NCLC bands, one-on-one speaking practice with C1/C2 instructors, written tasks corrected against the examiners’ criteria, and a study plan that puts most hours on the weakest skill.

Pro tip: aim one full band above the level you need in your practice tests; test-day nerves cost most of our students a few points, and a band of margin absorbs them.

TEF CLB vs TCF CLB: are the scores comparable?

Same NCLC, different scales

There is no conversion formula between a TEF score and a TCF score. While a TEF score of 440 in listening and a TCF score of 460 in listening are both equivalent to NCLC 7, the scoring scales are distinct.

Both tests map to the same NCLC levels for Canadian immigration, but their raw scores do not convert into one another.

Is TCF harder than TEF?

In our experience at Toronto French Academy, our students’ pass rates for NCLC 7 in all four skills are similar on both the TEF Canada and the TCF Canada.

The main difference is not the difficulty of the test, but how well its format fits your personal style.

• For example, students who tend to freeze when asked to speak at length often do better with the TCF’s three short, structured speaking tasks.
• Conversely, students who enjoy developing and arguing a position may feel more comfortable with the TEF’s 10-minute Section B in the speaking test.

Switching tests after a near miss rarely changes the result on its own. The most effective strategy is always to identify your weakest skill and focus your preparation there, regardless of which test you choose to retake.

TEF and TCF score calculator: quick answers

What score is CLB 7 in TEF?

A score of NCLC 7 in the TEF Canada test requires: reading 207–232, listening 249–279, writing 310–348, and speaking 310–348 in the Équivalence ancien score column. This corresponds to reading 434–461, listening 434–461, writing 428–471, and speaking 456–493 in the Score / 699 column.

What score is CLB 7 in TCF?

A score of NCLC 7 in the TCF Canada test requires: listening 458–502, reading 453–498, writing 10–11 out of 20, and speaking 10–11 out of 20.

What is CLB 5 in TEF and TCF?

An NCLC 5 score in TEF requires: reading and listening 352–392, writing 330–378, and speaking 387–421 in the Score / 699 column. In TCF, an NCLC 5 requires: listening 369–397, reading 375–405, and a score of 6 out of 20 in both writing and speaking.

What score is B2 in TEF or TCF?

The Canadian benchmark equivalent of B2 is NCLC 8 and 9. Although your test attestation prints a CEFR level like B2, Canadian immigration rules use the NCLC number, not the letter grade.

How do I calculate my CLB from TEF or TCF scores?

Convert each of the four scores separately using the tables above or a dedicated calculator. Your final, usable benchmark level is the lowest of the four individual results.

Can I average my four scores?

No, you cannot average your scores. IRCC reads each language ability on its own, and any rule that requires a level in “all four abilities” means exactly that.

Which TEF score column do I enter in Express Entry?

You must enter the “Équivalence ancien score” in your Express Entry profile. IRCC states that the “Score / 699” column is not compatible with its system.

How long are TEF and TCF results valid?

Two years from the date they are issued. For immigration purposes, your results must be less than two years old both when you complete your profile and when you submit your application.

Can I retake only the section I failed?

No, you must retake the entire test. Both the TEF and TCF must be sat in full each time, with a required waiting period of at least 20 days between sittings.

Raise your weakest section with Toronto French Academy

After using a TEF score calculator, bring us your attestation. We build a custom study plan that focuses the most hours on your weakest skill, and every mock exam is scored against the NCLC bands so you can see your improvement. Toronto French Academy has helped over 1,200 students with our team of 280+ tutors, earning a 4.8-star Google rating from more than 400 reviews.

Start with a 60-minute demo class where a C1/C2 instructor will assess your current level and read your attestation with you to plan your next steps.