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TCF Québec: the modular test for Quebec immigration
The TCF Québec is modular: you choose to take 1, 2, 3 or 4 tests, instead of the four required by the TCF Canada. Since several Quebec programs require only oral skills, many candidates take just two tests — less preparation, less risk, and about half the price. Here is how it differs from the TCF Canada, the Quebec scale it is scored on, the level each program requires, and what it costs.
- Modular: from 12 minutes (one test) to 2 h 22 min (all four).
- Quebec doesn’t use CLB levels (NCLC in French) but the Quebec scale, graded from 1 to 12.
- ⚠️ Quebec level 7 ≠ CLB 7: 400 versus 458 in listening.
- ⚠️ The TCF Québec is not accepted by IRCC for Express Entry; the full TCF Canada, on the other hand, has been recognized by Quebec since 2022.
- No English requirement in the PSTQ.
- Pay per test: €65 per module in Montpellier, €60 per test in Aix-Marseille, $105 to $125 per test at UQTR — taking only the oral tests costs about half as much as a full TCF Canada.
- Results must be under 2 years old when you apply.
Contents
- What is the TCF Québec?
- Your path in 5 steps
- The modular format, test by test
- TCF Québec vs TCF Canada: which one?
- TCF Québec score chart: the Quebec scale
- The trap: Quebec level 7 ≠ CLB 7
- Which level for which program
- French points in the selection
- Fees, exemptions and alternatives
- Where to take and book the TCF Québec?
- Frequently asked questions
What is the TCF Québec?
The TCF Québec — « TCF pour le Québec », or TCF Q — is the version of the test de connaissance du français designed for Quebec’s immigration programs: those of Quebec’s immigration ministry (MIFI, ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration), including the skilled worker selection program (PSTQ). What sets it apart: it is modular. You register for one, two, three or four tests — listening, reading, speaking, writing — and you pay only for the ones you take.
Listening and reading are scored out of 699, writing and speaking out of 20, then converted onto the Quebec scale of French proficiency levels, graded from 1 to 12 — a framework separate from the federal CLB, with which it is often confused. The TCF Québec is not accepted by IRCC for Express Entry: for a federal application, you need the TCF Canada, which Quebec has also recognized since 2022.
Who it’s for
- Candidates for Quebec’s programs — the PSTQ, the PEQ (Quebec Experience Program) — and their spouses: several streams require only oral skills.
- Those who want to pay per test: two oral tests cost about half as much as a full TCF Canada.
- Not candidates for Express Entry, nor for Canadian citizenship.
Your path in 5 steps
- Check your programPSTQ, PEQ, spouse: each stream requires different tests and levels. Which level for which program.
- Choose your testsThe TCF Québec is modular: the two oral tests are often enough. Why it changes everything.
- Read the right scaleA Quebec level 7 isn’t CLB 7. The official conversion table.
- Test your levelA mock exam scored out of 699 and converted to the Quebec scale, test by test.
- RegisterThe same centres as the TCF Canada, in Quebec as in France; the TCF Québec costs €65 per module in Montpellier and $105 to $125 per test at UQTR. The centres.
The modular format, test by test
The TCF Québec is the only TCF where you choose your tests: 29 questions in listening in 25 minutes, 29 in reading in 45, three exercises in writing in 60 minutes, three in speaking in 12 — each one independent. It is the feature that really sets the TCF Québec apart, and candidates underuse it.
| Test | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | 29 multiple-choice questions | 25 min |
| Reading | 29 multiple-choice questions | 45 min |
| Writing | 3 exercises | 60 min |
| Speaking | 3 exercises | 12 min (including 2 min of preparation for task 2) |
In total: from 12 minutes to 2 h 22 min, depending on what you choose. And several Quebec requirements cover only oral skills — stream 2 of the PSTQ, and the condition set for an accompanying spouse. In those cases, registering for the oral tests alone is perfectly sufficient. The writing and speaking tasks are the same as in the TCF Canada.
That isn’t possible with the TCF Canada or with the TEF Canada, which require all four tests. Only the TCF Québec and the TEFAQ are modular.
If you take the test on a computer, listening and reading have 34 items instead of 29. The 5 extra items per skill don’t count towards your score — they are used for validity analyses. Don’t worry if the test seems to run longer.
TCF Québec vs TCF Canada: which one?
The question comes up as soon as your plans aren’t set in stone, and the answer comes down to an asymmetry you need to keep in mind.
| Accepted by Quebec (MIFI) | Accepted by the federal government (IRCC) | |
|---|---|---|
| TCF Québec | yes | no |
| TCF Canada | yes | yes |
The TCF Canada is accepted everywhere; the TCF Québec only in Quebec. The rule of thumb:
- A strictly Quebec project, and only oral skills are required → TCF Québec. You take only two tests, for about half the price.
- A Quebec project that might shift to Express Entry → TCF Canada. Taking all four tests costs more, but it covers both routes.
- You are torn between the TCF and the TEF → see our comparison TCF or TEF Canada, which sets out both conversion grids and the Quebec case.
One last practical point: the waiting period between two attempts is 20 days, and the number of attempts is unlimited. But every attempt is paid for — hence the value of knowing where you stand before you register, with a mock exam in the official format and feedback on your speaking against the official criteria: on Quebec’s points grid, oral skills earn seven times more than written skills.
TCF Québec score chart: the Quebec scale
Quebec doesn’t use the Canadian Language Benchmarks. It applies the Quebec scale of French proficiency levels (Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français), a government framework with twelve levels in three stages: beginner (1 to 4), intermediate (5 to 8) and advanced (9 to 12).
| Quebec scale | CEFR | Listening and reading /699 | Writing and speaking /20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | A1 | 101–199 | 1 |
| 3 | A2 | 200–259 | 2–3 |
| 4 | A2 | 260–299 | 4–5 |
| 5–6 | B1 | 300–399 | 6–9 |
| 7–8 | B2 | 400–499 | 10–13 |
| 9–10 | C1 | 500–599 | 14–17 |
| 11–12 | C2 | 600–699 | 18–20 |
Notice that the Quebec scale is much coarser than CLB: a 100-point band covers two levels at once. That’s good news — the boundary is less abrupt than at the federal level, where a single point sometimes separates two levels.
The trap: Quebec level 7 ≠ CLB 7
The two frameworks use the same numbers and don’t cover the same scores. In listening, Quebec level 7 starts at 400, whereas federal CLB 7 starts at 458. A score of 430 therefore gives you level 7 in Quebec — and only CLB 6 at the federal level.
This confusion is costly for candidates preparing both routes in parallel, or reading a forum without checking which framework is meant. Remember the simple rule: if the text says “CLB”, it’s federal; if it says “level” or “Quebec scale”, it’s Quebec. For the federal thresholds in detail, see our article TCF Canada CLB 7.
Which level for which program
| Program / stream | Oral | Written |
|---|---|---|
| PSTQ stream 1 — highly skilled (TEER 0, 1, 2) | level 7 or higher | level 5 or higher |
| PSTQ stream 2 — intermediate and manual skills (TEER 3, 4, 5) | level 5 or higher | no requirement |
| PSTQ stream 3 — regulated professions | 7 (TEER 0–2) · 5 (TEER 3–5) | 5 if TEER 0–2 |
| PEQ — Quebec graduates stream | — | level 5 |
| Accompanying spouse | level 4 or higher | no requirement |
In concrete TCF Québec scores:
- Oral level 7 = at least 400/699 in listening and 10/20 in speaking.
- Written level 5 = at least 300/699 in reading and 6/20 in writing.
- Spouse, oral level 4 = 260/699 in listening and 4/20 in speaking.
The spouse threshold is deliberately low: two modular tests are enough, and the level required remains A2. It’s the textbook case where the TCF Québec saves time and money compared with a full test.
Good to know: there is no English requirement in the PSTQ. English can optionally be declared in the expression of interest, and the only test accepted to earn credit for it is IELTS.
French points in the selection
Beyond the eligibility thresholds, French earns points — and the grid is heavily weighted towards oral skills.
| Test | A1 to B1 | B2 | C1 | C2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | 0 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Speaking | 0 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Reading | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Writing | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Oral skills are worth up to 14 points, written skills only 2, for a maximum of 16. In other words: if you have to divide your preparation time, oral skills earn seven times more than written skills. That is the opposite of what many candidates assume — they spend most of their preparation on written grammar.
Note the abrupt threshold, too: below B2, a test earns zero points. Going from B1 to B2 in speaking means going from 0 to 5 points.
Fees, exemptions and alternatives
Because it is modular, the TCF Québec is the cheapest TCF when your process requires only oral skills: €65 per module at the Alliance française de Montpellier, $105 to $125 per test at UQTR, versus $440 for a full TCF Canada at the same centre. There is no national fee: each approved centre sets its own, and many don’t publish it at all. Here are three centres that post their per-test fees, checked on 30 July 2026.
| Centre | Per test | The two oral tests |
|---|---|---|
| EIF – UQTR Trois-Rivières, Quebec | Listening $105 · reading $105 · writing $105 · speaking $125 | $230 (CAD) |
| AF Montpellier France | €65 per module | €130 |
| AF Aix-Marseille France | €60 per test | €120 |
The gain from modularity shows directly in these figures. At the same Quebec centre, the TCF Canada has a fixed fee: $440 (CAD) for the four compulsory tests. Taking only the oral tests of the TCF Québec therefore costs $230 instead of $440 — roughly half, with two tests to prepare instead of four.
Be wary of the fees circulating online. Many centres, including the Alliance Française de Montréal, publish no fee for the TCF: registration is online, subject to availability, and the only amount shown is a $75 cancellation fee. The fees that aggregator and comparison sites attribute to these centres are unsourced, and often mix up the TCF Québec and the TCF Canada — two versions with different fees. Ask the centre itself for its fee before you commit.
Exemptions. Quebec also recognizes, in place of the TCF Québec: the TCF tout public together with the speaking test, as well as the DELF and DALF diplomas — provided you have a minimum mark in listening and in speaking, and that they are less than two years old. A DELF or DALF you already hold can therefore spare you a test.
The full list of tests accepted by MIFI has eight entries: TCF Québec, TCF Canada, TCF, DALF and DELF from France Éducation international; TEFAQ, TEF Canada and TEF from the CCI Paris Île-de-France. Results must be two years old or less on the date of the application for permanent selection, and a full scan of the results certificate is required.
Finally, the expression of interest is submitted free of charge online, on the Arrima platform. You must be 18 or older and intend to live and work in Quebec.
Where to take and book the TCF Québec?
At the same approved centres as the TCF Canada: in Canada, almost all of the 48 centres on France Éducation international’s list offer both (Alliance Française de Montréal, Collège Stanislas, UQTR, UQAM…); in France, the Alliance française de Montpellier (€65 per module), Aix-Marseille (€60 per test), ACCORD in Paris, CLPS in Rennes… Our guides to where to take the TCF Canada in Canada and in France (in French) list these centres with their registration and cancellation rules; in North Africa, our guides for Morocco (TCF Québec at 2,900 dirhams) and Tunisia (880 dinars, or 2 to 3 tests as a package), in French, apply to both tests.
Centres we checked in our guides, among the 48 approved in Canada and the 247 in France — all with computer-based sessions: the Alliance Française de Montréal, Collège Stanislas (Montreal), the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (École internationale de français), the Alliance française de Montpellier and the Alliance française Aix-Marseille Provence.
Full directory, with addresses and phone numbers: the 48 TCF centres in Canada · all locations in English. The directory of the 247 centres in France is in French.
Where to take it, city by city
Find out whether you have level 7 before paying to register
Timed mock exams in the exact TCF Québec format, an immediate conversion to the Quebec scale and the CEFR for each test, and AI feedback on writing and speaking against the official criteria — in the “TCF DELF TEF: Tests 2026” app.
Download on the App StoreFrequently asked questions
What is the TCF Québec?
The modular version of the Test de connaissance du français designed for the immigration programs of Quebec (MIFI): you register for one, two, three or four tests of your choice. Scores are converted onto the Quebec scale, graded from 1 to 12, which is separate from the federal CLB.
TCF Québec vs TCF Canada: which one should I take?
For a federal application — Express Entry, citizenship — only the TCF Canada is accepted. For a Quebec program, both are: the TCF Québec lets you take only the tests required and costs less; the full TCF Canada works for both levels of selection at once.
Is the TCF Québec valid everywhere in Canada?
No. It is recognized only by Quebec’s immigration ministry. IRCC accepts it neither for Express Entry nor for citizenship.
Can I take only the TCF Québec speaking test?
Yes. The TCF Québec is modular: you choose to take 1, 2, 3 or 4 tests. That is its major difference from the TCF Canada, where all four tests are compulsory. Since stream 2 of the PSTQ and the requirement for an accompanying spouse cover only oral skills, many candidates register only for listening and speaking.
Is the TCF Québec accepted for Express Entry?
No. IRCC accepts only the TCF Canada and the TEF Canada for federal economic immigration. The TCF Québec, the TCF tout public and the TCF IRN aren’t on the federal list. Quebec, on the other hand, accepts the TCF Canada. If your plans might shift to the federal route, the TCF Canada is therefore the safest choice.
What score do I need for level 7 on the Quebec scale?
In the TCF Québec, level 7 corresponds to 400 out of 699 in listening and 10 out of 20 in speaking. Don’t confuse it with federal CLB 7, which starts at 458 in listening: a score of 430 gives you level 7 in Quebec but only CLB 6 at the federal level.
Which tests does Quebec accept for the PSTQ?
Eight: the TCF Québec, the TCF Canada, the TCF, the DALF and the DELF from France Éducation international; the TEFAQ, the TEF Canada and the TEF from the CCI Paris Île-de-France. Results must be two years old or less on the date of your application for permanent selection.
Do I need English for the PSTQ?
No. The ministry states that there is no English requirement in the PSTQ. English can optionally be declared in the expression of interest, and the only test accepted to earn credit for it is IELTS.
How much does the TCF Québec cost?
Each approved centre sets the fee; there is no national fee — and many centres don’t publish it. Among those that do, checked on 30 July 2026: the École internationale de français at UQTR, in Trois-Rivières, charges $105 (CAD) for listening, $105 for reading, $105 for writing and $125 for speaking; the Alliance française de Montpellier charges €65 per module. Taking only the two oral tests therefore comes to $230 (CAD) at UQTR, or €130 in Montpellier — versus $440 (CAD) for a full TCF Canada at the same Quebec centre. Be wary of unsourced fees on comparison sites: several large centres, including the Alliance Française de Montréal, publish no fee.
How do I book the TCF Québec exam?
With an approved centre — the same ones as for the TCF Canada: in Canada, almost all of the 48 centres on France Éducation international’s list offer both; in France, for example, the Alliance française de Montpellier, Aix-Marseille, ACCORD in Paris or CLPS in Rennes. Each centre has its own registration and cancellation rules: at the Alliance Française de Montréal, registration is online, subject to availability, and the only amount shown is a $75 cancellation fee. Ask the centre for its fee before you commit.
Related pages
- TCF Canada CLB 7: the exact scores
The federal thresholds — not to be confused with the Quebec scale.
- TCF or TEF Canada: which one to choose?
The full comparison, with a section on Quebec and the TEFAQ.
- TEF Canada and TEFAQ
The TEFAQ, the TCF Québec’s direct competitor: the same program requirements, in the TEF format.
Rules change. This page is up to date as of 30 July 2026 and is not immigration advice. The thresholds, points grids and calendars of Quebec’s programs change regularly. Always check your situation on quebec.ca and the exam format on france-education-international.fr before you register or apply.