You can take TEF Canada or TCF Canada in dozens of countries, and the result counts exactly the same for IRCC as one taken in Canada. You book directly with a local Alliance Française or Institut français, and each centre sets its own dates, fee and seat-release method. Check which exam your centre runs first: Delhi and Accra run TCF Canada only, Islamabad runs TEF Canada only, and Dubai and Abu Dhabi run both.
Key takeaways
- A TEF Canada or TCF Canada result from abroad is worth exactly the same for IRCC.
- Many centres run only one of the two exams, so check before you plan around it.
- Lagos and Abuja are often booked 2–3 months ahead; Ibadan and Port Harcourt are the usual escape hatches.
- Every centre releases seats differently: windows, live counts, waitlists or surprise drops.
- Fees vary a lot by country and are usually non-refundable once registered.
On this page
- Is TEF or TCF Canada from abroad accepted by IRCC?
- Where can you take TEF or TCF Canada in Nigeria?
- What about Ghana and the rest of Africa?
- Can you take TCF Canada in Dubai or Abu Dhabi?
- Asia: Philippines, Pakistan and nearby
- Europe and the Americas
- How much does it cost outside Canada?
- How do you get a seat abroad?
- Check yourself
Yes, you can take TEF Canada or TCF Canada outside Canada and India, and IRCC treats the result exactly the same. You book directly with a local Alliance Française or Institut français. The test is the same everywhere, but the dates, fee, format (paper or computer) and the way seats are released depend on the centre.
Below is what we know about each region, from the centres French Exam Alert watches in 22 countries. Use it to pick a main centre and a backup.
Is TEF or TCF Canada from abroad accepted by IRCC?
#Yes. IRCC cares about the exam, not the country. What matters is that you book TEF Canada or TCF Canada specifically. TEF Québec, TCF Québec and TCF Tout Public don’t count for Express Entry or citizenship.
Your result is valid for 2 years from the test date. It must still be valid when you create your Express Entry profile and when you submit your PR application. The result validity checker will tell you your exact expiry.
Where can you take TEF or TCF Canada in Nigeria?
#Nigeria has four centres, and demand is heavy. Alliance Française de Lagos is the busiest. It runs computer-based E-TEF Canada and E-TCF Canada, and there is no postponement or refund once you register.
- Lagos: TEF Canada & TCF Canada, registration window, sells out in minutes.
- Abuja: TEF Canada, commonly fully booked 2–3 months ahead.
- Ibadan: TEF Canada, run on request. Lagos candidates often find earlier dates here. See AF Ibadan.
- Port Harcourt: TEF Canada & TCF Canada. TEF Canada was listed at ₦750,000 in 2026.
If you are in Lagos and your deadline is close, a bus to Ibadan may save you two months. Compare all four on the Nigeria page.
What about Ghana and the rest of Africa?
#| Country | City | Exams | How seats are released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ghana | Accra | TCF Canada | Registration window |
| Kenya | Nairobi | TEF Canada + TCF Canada | Email waitlist |
| Morocco | Casablanca | TEF Canada + TCF Canada | Registration window |
| Morocco | Rabat | TEF Canada + TCF Canada | Unannounced drops |
| Cameroon | Yaoundé | TEF Canada + TCF Canada | Email waitlist |
| Côte d’Ivoire | Abidjan | TEF Canada + TCF Canada | Registration window |
| Senegal | Dakar | TEF Canada + TCF Canada | Registration window |
| Egypt | Cairo | TEF Canada + TCF Canada | Unannounced drops |
In Ghana, Alliance Française d’Accra closes registration about a month before each exam. That means you need to be booked well ahead, not the week before. In Morocco, Casablanca and Rabat both see heavy demand.
Can you take TCF Canada in Dubai or Abu Dhabi?
#Yes. Both UAE centres run TCF Canada and TEF Canada, so you can take whichever has a seat first.
- Official exam centre for 40+ years
- TEF Canada and TCF Canada
- Sells seats online with a live count, so places can reappear
- The only centre in Abu Dhabi for Canadian-recognised French tests
- Also runs both exams, with a live seat count online
- A short drive that often has seats when Dubai doesn’t
Many Dubai residents do not think of driving to Abu Dhabi. It’s worth it if Dubai is full. See AF Dubai and AF Abu Dhabi.
Asia: Philippines, Pakistan and nearby
#- Philippines: Manila runs TEF Canada with live seat counts that move fast.
- Pakistan: none of the three centres publishes a calendar. Karachi and Islamabad run e-TEF on demand, booked by email; Lahore posts TEF and TCF news on its site without notice. See the Pakistan page.
- Bangladesh: Dhaka runs both exams and posts each session with its own registration dates.
- Nepal: Kathmandu runs both exams and posts sessions without notice.
- Sri Lanka: Colombo runs TEF Canada; registration opens about a month before each session.
- Lebanon: Beirut runs TCF Canada only, from a yearly calendar with a deadline per date.
Europe and the Americas
#London (the Institut français, TCF Canada only) and New York (L’Alliance New York, both exams) typically sell out within hours. Paris (TEF Canada) posts optional extra sessions when demand is high. São Paulo and Mexico City (TEF Canada) are quieter options if you can travel there.
How much does it cost outside Canada?
#There’s no single world price. Each centre sets its own fee in local currency. The numbers we could verify for 2026:
- ₦750,000
- TEF Canada at AF Port Harcourt
- ~₹26,000
- Full test in India, incl. GST
- CA$380–475
- Typical range in Canada
For every other country, check the fee on your centre’s own site before you pay. Fees are usually non-refundable once you register, and at AF Lagos there is no postponement either. So book the date you can really make.
Major cities worldwide. Pick the one nearest to you.
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Pick your city (or use your location) to see the nearest centres, what’s open there now, and set an alert.
How do you get a seat abroad?
#- 1Confirm the centre runs your examUse the official finders: France Éducation international for TCF Canada, Le français des affaires for TEF Canada. Then check the centre page on French Exam Alert.
- 2Pick a backup centreAnother city in your country, or a short flight away. One backup doubles your chances.
- 3Learn its release methodWindow, live seats, waitlist or surprise drop. Each needs a different plan. See every session sold out?.
- 4Check the time zoneIf you live in one country and test in another, convert the registration time with the registration time converter.
- 5Have documents and payment readyPassport, photo and a payment method that works on that centre’s site. If you pay from abroad, make sure your card works on that site before the day.
Still building your level before you book? See how long it takes to reach NCLC 7 and plan backwards from a seat date.
- Myth
A result from outside Canada counts for less.
FactIRCC cares about the exam, not the country. A TEF Canada or TCF Canada result is worth the same wherever you sit it.
- Myth
If my home city is sold out, I just have to wait.
FactOften a nearby city has earlier dates. Lagos candidates, for example, often find earlier seats in Ibadan.
- Myth
I can move my date later if something comes up.
FactFees are usually non-refundable once you register, and AF Lagos allows no postponement. Book a date you can really make.
Check yourself
#Check yourself
1 of 4.You take TCF Canada in Accra. How does IRCC treat the result?
2 of 4.About how far ahead does AF Accra close registration for each exam?
3 of 4.Abuja is fully booked for the next few months. What is a common fix?
4 of 4.Your centre's page shows both TCF Canada and TCF Québec. Which do you book for Express Entry?
Questions people ask
Yes. A TEF Canada or TCF Canada result counts the same wherever you take it. Just be sure you booked the Canada version, not a Québec or Tout Public test.
Yes. AF Dubai lists TEF Canada as well as TCF Canada and TCF Québec, and AF Abu Dhabi runs both Canadian tests too. IRCC treats TEF Canada and TCF Canada as equal, so book whichever has a seat first.
AF Port Harcourt listed TEF Canada at ₦750,000 in 2026. Fees vary by centre and are usually non-refundable, so check with your centre before paying.
Alliance Française de Karachi (through a waitlist) and Alliance Française de Lahore both list TCF Canada as well as TEF Canada. Islamabad runs TEF Canada only. None of them publishes a fixed calendar, so an alert is the easiest way to catch a date.
Yes. You book directly with any centre. Just plan for travel, the local time zone and bringing your passport on exam day.
Terms in this guide
- Unannounced drop
- Waitlist
- Live seat count
- Registration window
- Institut français
- E-TEF / E-TCF
- TCF Québec
- Alliance Française
Each one is defined in plain English in the TEF & TCF Canada glossary.
Sources
- Alliance Française de Lagos: E-TEF Canada
- Le français des affaires: TEF Canada
- IRCC: Language testing for Express Entry
Rules and fees change. Always confirm with IRCC and your test centre before you pay.