In Ottawa, Alliance Française d’Ottawa runs both TEF Canada and TCF Canada and sells places online on its student portal. New dates have gone on sale on Mondays about ten weeks ahead, registration closes two to three weeks before the test, and sessions sell out, so it pays to be alerted. If Ottawa is full, McGill and UQAM in Montréal (about two hours away) both run TEF Canada.
Key takeaways
- AF Ottawa runs both TEF Canada and TCF Canada.
- New dates have gone on sale on Mondays, about ten weeks ahead; registration closes 2–3 weeks before.
- Montréal (McGill, UQAM) is about two hours away and runs TEF Canada.
- Budget roughly CA$390–436 for the full test; usually non-refundable.
- Only TEF Canada or TCF Canada count for IRCC, wherever you test.
Alliance Française d’Ottawa runs TEF Canada and TCF Canada. Places are sold on its online student portal, which tracks places per date. New dates have gone on sale on Mondays about ten weeks ahead, and the centre does not give dates by email or phone. Ottawa candidates have a big advantage, though: Montréal is about two hours away and has two TEF Canada centres.
- 2
- Exams at AF Ottawa: TEF + TCF
- ~2 h
- Drive or train to Montréal
- CA$390–436
- Typical full-test fee in Canada
How does AF Ottawa release seats?
#AF Ottawa sells places on its online student portal, which shows the places left per date. New dates have gone on sale on Mondays about ten weeks ahead, and registration for each date closes two to three weeks before the test. Because sessions can fill quickly, checking once a week is not enough. See the AF Ottawa centre page for the latest status we’ve read.
Ottawa is full. What are your backups?
#| Centre | Exams | Distance from Ottawa | How seats are released |
|---|---|---|---|
| McGill, Montréal | TEF Canada | ~2 h | Opens ~3 weeks before each date |
| UQAM, Montréal | TEF Canada | ~2 h | Online shop shows places left |
| AF Toronto | TEF + TCF | ~4–5 h | Quarterly release at 10:00 a.m. ET |
If you want TCF Canada specifically, Toronto is the nearest option in our directory. If you just need NCLC 7 for IRCC, TEF Canada in Montréal is worth exactly the same; compare all TEF Canada dates in Canada. More: TEF Canada in Montréal, Toronto. For the bigger picture, see how to book a test in Canada.
How do you book?
#- 1Decide: TEF, TCF, or eitherEither widens your options. TEF vs TCF Canada explains the differences.
- 2Create accounts at Ottawa and one Montréal centreName exactly as on your passport. The registration-day checklist helps you prepare.
- 3Book the first date that fitsPay immediately. The seat is yours only when payment completes. See the registration day playbook.
- 4Check the retake rulesMost centres require a gap between attempts (20 days at AF Toronto and AF Delhi in 2026).
A realistic Ottawa timeline
- Seat appearsBook and pay the same minuteThen block your study calendar around the date.
- Myth
TEF Canada taken in Québec is only valid for Québec.
FactTEF Canada counts for IRCC wherever you take it, including in Montréal.
- Myth
Ottawa only posts dates once a year.
FactSessions and returned seats appear at different times, for TCF Canada dates in Canada as for TEF. That’s why alerts help.
Ontario's French PNP stream closed in 2026. See what Ontario offers French speakers now.
If Ottawa is full, TEF and TCF Canada in Halifax is another option on the East Coast.
Questions people ask
Yes. Alliance Française d’Ottawa runs both TEF Canada and TCF Canada.
Canadian centres generally charge about CA$390–436 for all four modules. Check AF Ottawa’s site for the current fee; the fee guide compares centres.
Yes. Any candidate can book any centre, and a TEF Canada result from Montréal counts the same for IRCC.
Watch for returned places, add McGill and UQAM in Montréal, and consider Toronto. Book the first seat you can and keep looking for an earlier one.
Terms in this guide
Each one is defined in plain English in the TEF & TCF Canada glossary.
Sources
- IRCC: Language testing for Express Entry
- McGill Language Test Centre: TEF Canada
- Le français des affaires: TEF Canada
Rules and fees change. Always confirm with IRCC and your test centre before you pay.
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