TCF Canada is one of the two French tests IRCC accepts for Express Entry, and it also counts for citizenship. It’s run by France Éducation international (FEI) and has four sections: listening and reading are scored out of 699, writing and speaking out of 20. Results are valid for two years from the test date.
What is TCF Canada?
TCF Canada stands for Test de connaissance du français pour le Canada. It checks your French in listening, reading, writing and speaking.
IRCC accepts it for Express Entry, other federal immigration programs and citizenship. The other accepted French test is TEF Canada. IRCC treats them the same, so NCLC 7 on one is worth exactly the same as NCLC 7 on the other.
Official information: France Éducation international — TCF Canada
What’s in the TCF Canada exam?
There are four sections. Listening and reading are sets of questions. Writing and speaking are tasks.
| Section | What you do | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | 39 questions | 35 min |
| Reading | 39 questions | 60 min |
| Writing | 3 tasks | 60 min |
| Speaking | 3 tasks: an interview, a role-play, and arguing a point of view | About 12 min |
For tips on each task and how to pace yourself, read the TCF Canada exam format guide.
The writing and speaking tasks have their own guides: TCF Canada writing tasks and TCF Canada speaking tasks. Rehearse under real timing with the writing practice timer and the speaking practice timer, get fresh prompts from the writing topic generator and speaking topic generator, and try a short free TCF Canada mock test.
How is TCF Canada scored?
Listening and reading are scored out of 699. Writing and speaking are scored out of 20.
Each skill converts to an NCLC level on its own. There’s no averaging, so one weak skill sets your lowest level. The table below is IRCC’s official chart.
Not sure where you stand yet? The French level self-assessment gives a rough estimate, CEFR vs NCLC vs CLB explains how the scales line up, and the study hours calculator shows how long reaching CLB 7 might take.
| NCLC | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 549–699 | 549–699 | 16–20 | 16–20 |
| 9 | 523–548 | 524–548 | 14–15 | 14–15 |
| 8 | 503–522 | 499–523 | 12–13 | 12–13 |
| 7bonus line | 458–502 | 453–498 | 10–11 | 10–11 |
| 6 | 398–457 | 406–452 | 7–9 | 7–9 |
| 5 | 369–397 | 375–405 | 6 | 6 |
| 4 | 331–368 | 342–374 | 4–5 | 4–5 |
Source: IRCC language test equivalency charts.
How much does TCF Canada cost?
Each centre sets its own fee, so prices change from place to place. Here’s what we’ve seen in 2026:
| Where | Approximate fee |
|---|---|
| Canada | Roughly CA$390–436 for all four sections |
| India | About ₹26,000 incl. GST (e.g. AF Delhi) |
| Elsewhere | Check the centre’s own page |
Fees are usually non-refundable once you register, so pick your date carefully.
How long are TCF Canada results valid?
TCF Canada results are valid for two years from your test date. They must still be valid on the day you create your Express Entry profile and on the day you submit your PR application.
If there’s a long gap between those two steps, you may need to sit the test again. The result validity checker shows your exact expiry date.
How do you book TCF Canada?
You book directly with a test centre, usually an Alliance Française or an Institut français. Each centre runs its own calendar and its own sign-up process.
- 1Pick a few centresChoose every centre you could realistically travel to. More centres means more chances at a seat.
- 2Set up your account earlyMany centres, like AF Delhi, ask you to create an online account before you can book. Do it days before.
- 3Have your passport readySome centres need your passport at registration and on exam day. AF Delhi has asked for both since January 2026.
- 4Book on the official pagePay only on the centre’s own website. Fees are usually non-refundable.
Popular centres sell out fast, and each one releases seats in its own way. A few examples from our directory:
- AF Delhi publishes a full-year calendar. Seats are first-come, first-served and fill in minutes, online and at reception.
- AF Vancouver warns that opening several tabs or refreshing repeatedly can cancel your reservation.
- AF Toronto releases TEF and TCF sessions quarterly at 10:00 a.m. ET, about a month ahead, with no waitlist.
- AF Accra opens registration several weeks before each TCF session, through its online portal.
Some centres also set a minimum gap between attempts (20 days at AF Delhi as of June 2026). For a full plan when every date is full, read the sold-out strategy guide.
To see what’s coming up, the TCF Canada exam dates page lists every session we know of, soonest first, with what’s open now. Popular ones: TCF Canada dates in India, in Canada and in the UAE. City guides explain how booking works in Delhi, Bangalore and Vancouver.
- Live seat count. Publishes each session with a seats-left counter. Returned or unpaid places can reappear.
- Registration window. Announces the date and time registration opens, then fills first-come, first-served.
- Email waitlist. Collects names by email and offers seats in order.
- Unannounced drops. Posts new sessions without warning.
Where can you take TCF Canada?
We monitor 32 centres that run TCF Canada in 18 countries. Pick a country to see each centre’s dates and how it releases seats.
Looking for the next free date anywhere? See every upcoming TCF Canada session, try the earliest seat finder or browse all centres.
Questions people ask
Yes. IRCC accepts TCF Canada and TEF Canada for Express Entry and other federal programs. TCF Québec and TCF Tout Public are not accepted for those. Citizenship has a wider list, which includes TCF Québec.
Listening 458, reading 453, writing 10 and speaking 10. You need NCLC 7 in every skill for the French bonus points.
Listening takes 35 minutes, reading 60 minutes, writing 60 minutes and speaking about 12 minutes, plus check-in time at the centre.
Not right now. FEI stopped accepting re-marking requests for sessions from September 1, 2026, and expects to resume around fall 2027. Report any problem with exam conditions to the centre on the day.
Often, yes. Some centres, such as AF Delhi, require your passport when you register and on exam day. Check your centre’s rules before booking.
Two years from the test date. They must be valid when you create your Express Entry profile and when you submit your PR application.
IRCC treats them the same, and neither is officially easier. The formats differ, so pick the one that suits you, or the one with a seat first. The TEF or TCF quiz can help.