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TEF Canada and TEFAQ: the French test that opens the door to Canada and Quebec
The TEF Canada is, along with the TCF Canada, one of the only two tests IRCC accepts for federal economic immigration. It lasts 2 h 55 min, with four tests on the same day. What sets it apart — and its trap — is the way it shows your scores: your results certificate has two columns of scores, and IRCC doesn’t read the one you think. Here is the format, the CLB chart on the right scale, the TEFAQ, and how to prepare and register.
- 4 compulsory tests for immigration, in 2 h 55 min. For citizenship, only listening and speaking are required.
- ⚠️ IRCC converts to CLB levels (NCLC in French) from the Équivalence ancien score (old-score equivalent) column of your results certificate, not from the column out of 699.
- CLB 7 = 207 in reading, 249 in listening, 310 in writing and in speaking, on these “old score” scales.
- CLB 9 = 248 in reading, 298 in listening, 371 in writing and speaking; CLB 10 = 263, 316 and 393.
- The TEFAQ has exactly the same tests, but it is modular and read on the Quebec scale.
- ⚠️ The TEFAQ is not accepted by IRCC for Express Entry.
- No national fee: €245 found in Paris; no verifiable Canadian fee for the TEF Canada.
- Retake waiting period: 20 days, with no ambiguity (the 30-day rumour is false for the TEF).
Contents
- What is the TEF Canada?
- Your path in 5 steps
- The TEF Canada exam format, test by test
- The TEF tasks to get used to
- The “old score” column trap
- TEF Canada score chart: the CLB table
- TEFAQ: the modular Quebec version
- How to prepare for the TEF Canada
- Fees, validity, retakes
- Where to take the TEF Canada?
- Frequently asked questions
What is the TEF Canada?
The TEF Canada — test d’évaluation de français — is designed by Le français des affaires, the organization of the CCI Paris Île-de-France (the Paris Île-de-France chamber of commerce and industry), and recognized by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on the same footing as the TCF Canada. It has four tests in 2 h 55 min: reading and listening, with 40 questions each, and writing and speaking, in two sections each. Each test is scored on its own scale, then converted into CLB levels by IRCC.
Its Quebec version, the TEFAQ, has exactly the same tests, but it is modular — you take only what your program requires — and it is read on the Quebec scale; IRCC doesn’t accept it. Results certificates are valid for two years, and you can retake a test after 20 days.
Who it’s for
- Candidates for Express Entry and citizenship who prefer the TEF format — two sections each in writing and speaking, including “write the continuation of a news story” — to the TCF format.
- Candidates for Quebec’s programs, with the TEFAQ, often in two tests.
- Those who have a TEF centre that is closer, or has more availability, than a TCF centre: the two networks are different.
Your path in 5 steps
- TEF or TCF?IRCC accepts both; they have neither the same format nor the same conversion table. The comparison.
- Set your target CLBOn the TEF scales IRCC uses. The conversion table.
- Get used to the TEF tasksWriting the continuation of a news story, asking the examiner questions: formats specific to the TEF. The tasks and the exercises with answers.
- Test your levelA timed TEF Canada mock exam, scored on the test’s scales and converted to CLB.
- Register at an approved centreThrough Le français des affaires (CCI Paris Île-de-France), not through FEI (France Éducation international): its directory covers every country. The centres.
The TEF Canada exam format, test by test
The TEF Canada is four tests in 2 h 55 min: 40 reading questions in 60 minutes, 40 listening questions in 40 minutes, writing in two sections (80, then 200 words minimum) and speaking in two sections, face to face.
| Test | Questions / tasks | Time | What’s specific |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 40 questions | 60 min | Free navigation, linear format |
| Listening | 40 questions | 40 min | Played only once, no going back |
| Writing | 2 sections | 60 min | A: 80 words min (25 min) · B: 200 words min (35 min) |
| Speaking | 2 sections | 15 min | A: 5 min · B: 10 min, face to face |
| Total | 2 h 55 min |
The TEF differs from the TCF in the structure of its writing and speaking tests. Where the TCF Canada has three short tasks, the TEF has two, longer and more specific:
- Writing, section A — you write the continuation of an article or news story whose beginning you are given. 80 words minimum, 25 minutes. The exercise has no equivalent in the TCF, and it throws candidates who discover the instructions on exam day.
- Writing, section B — a reasoned point of view, 200 words minimum, 35 minutes. It is the part that separates candidates most in the whole test.
- Speaking, section A — you have to obtain information by asking the examiner questions. So you are the one asking, not the one answering: it is counter-intuitive, and it takes practice.
- Speaking, section B — you argue to convince the other person. Ten minutes, face to face, with double marking.
The TEF tasks to get used to
This is the point to remember if you are still torn between the two tests: the skills assessed are the same; the exercises are not. A candidate trained on TCF practice material who sits the TEF discovers four sets of instructions they have never practised.
- Writing the continuation of a text (writing, section A) means picking up a register, a verb tense and a point of view set by the opening. It isn’t free writing: the mark penalizes any break in coherence with the beginning you are given.
- Asking questions (speaking, section A) reverses the candidate’s usual role. Many stay in the position of the one being questioned, say too little, and lose points on a section that is short and predictable.
- The word minimums — 80 and 200 — are floors, not targets. Below them, task completion is marked down, whatever the quality of your language.
- One listening only, no going back, as in the TCF. Losing track of a question means losing it: what matters is moving on to the next one immediately.
The “old score” column trap
This is the most expensive mistake in the TEF Canada. Your results certificate shows your results out of 699, like the TCF. But IRCC doesn’t convert those scores: the federal equivalency tables are based on the Équivalence ancien score (old-score equivalent) column, whose scales are completely different — out of 300 in reading, out of 360 in listening, out of 450 for each of writing and speaking.
In practice: a candidate who reads “450” in the 699 column and looks up what 450 is worth in a CLB table will find nothing consistent — or worse, a plausible but wrong match. First find the right column on the certificate, then convert. It is the only number that counts for your Express Entry profile.
This double scoring doesn’t exist in the TCF Canada, where reading and listening are scored out of 699 and writing and speaking out of 20, with no alternative column. It is a practical reason — not a linguistic one — to sometimes prefer the TCF: one scale to read, one less risk of error in an application where every point counts.
TEF Canada score chart: the CLB table
| CLB | Reading /300 | Listening /360 | Writing /450 | Speaking /450 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 263–300 | 316–360 | 393–450 | 393–450 |
| 9 | 248–262 | 298–315 | 371–392 | 371–392 |
| 8 | 233–247 | 280–297 | 349–370 | 349–370 |
| 7 | 207–232 | 249–279 | 310–348 | 310–348 |
| 6 | 181–206 | 217–248 | 271–309 | 271–309 |
| 5 | 151–180 | 181–216 | 226–270 | 226–270 |
| 4 | 121–150 | 145–180 | 181–225 | 181–225 |
As in the TCF, it is your weakest test that decides: IRCC looks at your full profile, and CLB 9 in a comprehension test doesn’t make up for CLB 6 in speaking. Each test is converted separately, and the lowest CLB limits your points. For what each level earns in the ranking, see our comparison TCF or TEF Canada.
TEFAQ: the modular Quebec version
The TEFAQ — TEF pour l’accès au Québec, whose current official name is “TEF Québec” — has exactly the same tests as the TEF Canada: same durations, same tasks, same instructions. Only two things change, and they change a lot: you take only the tests your program requires, and the results are read on the Quebec scale, graded from 1 to 12, not in CLB.
| TEF Canada | TEFAQ (TEF Québec) | |
|---|---|---|
| Tests | 4 compulsory | 1 to 4, your choice |
| Scale used | CLB 4 to 10 | Quebec scale, 1 to 12 |
| Accepted by IRCC (federal) | yes | no |
| Accepted by Quebec (MIFI) | yes | yes |
Modularity is the real lever. Several Quebec requirements cover only oral skills — stream 2 of the PSTQ, Quebec’s skilled worker selection program, and the condition set for an accompanying spouse. In those cases, registering for the oral tests alone is enough: less preparation, less risk, and a bill reduced accordingly.
The asymmetry in acceptance, on the other hand, deserves some thought: the TEF Canada is accepted everywhere, the TEFAQ only in Quebec, by its immigration ministry (MIFI) — IRCC accepts it neither for Express Entry nor for citizenship. If your plans might shift to the federal route, taking the four tests of the TEF Canada costs more but covers both routes. The same reasoning applies to the TCF Québec, which we cover on its own page.
How to prepare for the TEF Canada
You prepare for the TEF Canada on its format — two sections each in writing and speaking, a single listening — more than on your level. The method that works is the same as for the TCF, with one nuance on the first step: in the TEF, the initial mock exam is as much about discovering the task formats as about measuring your level.
- A full mock exam right at the start, before any revision, to find your current CLB level in each test — and so you don’t discover the “continue the article” section on exam day.
- Targeted practice on your weakest test, the one that caps your application.
- Regular timed mock exams until the two sections of writing and of speaking have become automatic.
In writing and speaking, the blind spot is structural: you can’t assess yourself against criteria you don’t know. Knowing whether your section B is worth CLB 6 or CLB 7 is exactly what AI feedback against the official criteria solves. To practise each section, see our TEF Canada practice test, with answers.
Take a mock exam of each before choosing. No general rule says the TEF is easier than the TCF, or the other way round. The only reliable criterion is your own score in each format — and it varies a lot from one candidate to another, depending on whether you are more at ease with quick multiple-choice questions or with long tasks.
Fees, validity, retakes
The fee. There is no national fee: each approved centre sets its own. In France, we found €245 at ALIP in Paris at the end of July 2026 — close to TCF Canada fees elsewhere in France (€200 to €220 in Montpellier and Lyon). In Canada, on the other hand, we found no verifiable TEF Canada fee: be wary of tables claiming the two tests cost “the same” there. The fee doesn’t decide between the TCF and the TEF; it decides between centres.
Validity. Two years — but the starting point is ambiguous. The registration conditions of Le français des affaires run the period from the date the results certificate is issued, while its presentation page speaks of two years from the test date. The gap can reach several weeks, and it matters if your application is submitted just before the deadline. Go by the less favourable date and have your centre confirm it.
Retakes. Twenty days between two attempts at the same test, all versions of the TEF combined — and here, unlike with the TCF, there is no ambiguity in the official documentation. The rumour of a 30-day wait for the TEF comes from a confusion with some TCF information sheets.
Where to take the TEF Canada?
At a centre approved by Le français des affaires, whose official directory covers every country — often the same Alliances françaises as for the TCF, but the approval is separate. To compare with the TCF network, its fees and its timelines, see our guide to TCF Canada test centres in Canada; our guides for France, and our hub on where to take each exam, are in French.
The TEF belongs to a different network from the TCF — that of Le français des affaires, whose directory is the reference. Three Paris centres we checked on their own websites: the Alliance française Paris Île-de-France (computer-based), Etoile Institut de Langue (computer-based) and ALIP, where we found the TEF Canada at €245.
Full directory, with addresses and phone numbers: the official directory of TEF centres (Le français des affaires). Our directory of TCF, DELF and civics test centres is in French.
Know where you stand before you register
Timed mock exams in the exact TEF Canada format (sections A and B of both writing and speaking), an automatic CLB conversion for each test and AI feedback against the official criteria, in the “TCF DELF TEF: Tests 2026” app.
Download on the App StoreFrequently asked questions
What is the TEF Canada test?
A French test by the CCI Paris Île-de-France (Le français des affaires), recognized by IRCC for economic immigration and citizenship on the same footing as the TCF Canada. Four tests in 2 h 55 min, each scored on its own scale, then converted to CLB; the results certificate is valid for two years.
What is the TEF Canada exam format, and how long is it?
2 h 55 min in total: 60 minutes of reading, 40 minutes of listening, 60 minutes of writing in two sections and 15 minutes of speaking in two sections. All four tests are compulsory for economic immigration; for a citizenship application, only listening and speaking are required.
What TEF Canada score do I need for CLB 7?
On the “old score” scales IRCC uses: 207 to 232 in reading, 249 to 279 in listening, and 310 to 348 in both writing and speaking. CLB 7 in all four tests is the reference threshold of the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
Why does my TEF results certificate show two different scores?
Because the TEF Canada publishes two columns: a score out of 699 and an “Équivalence ancien score” (old-score equivalent) column. IRCC converts your results to CLB from the “old score” column, not from the one out of 699. Reading the wrong column makes you think your CLB is much higher or much lower than it really is — it is the most frequent reading error with the TEF.
TEF Canada or TCF Canada: which one should I take?
Both are accepted by IRCC and are worth the same. They differ in format (40 questions per comprehension test and two sections each in writing and speaking for the TEF, versus 39 questions and three tasks for the TCF), in their conversion tables and in their networks of centres. Choose the one whose format suits you and that has a centre available near you.
Is the TEFAQ the same as the TEF Canada?
No. The tests are identical — same durations, same tasks — but two things change: the TEFAQ is modular, you choose 1 to 4 tests, whereas the TEF Canada requires all four; and TEFAQ results are read on MIFI’s Quebec scale, not on the federal CLB. The TEFAQ is used only for Quebec’s programs: IRCC doesn’t accept it for Express Entry.
How do I prepare for the TEF Canada?
Start with a full mock exam before any revision, to find your current CLB level in each test and discover the TEF task formats; then do targeted practice on your weakest test, the one that caps your application; then take regular timed mock exams until the two sections of writing and of speaking are automatic. Take a TCF mock exam too before choosing: no general rule says one test is easier than the other.
How much does the TEF Canada cost?
There is no national fee: each approved centre sets its own. In France, we found 245 euros at ALIP in Paris at the end of July 2026, close to TCF Canada fees elsewhere in France. In Canada, we found no verifiable TEF Canada fee — be wary of tables claiming the two tests cost the same there.
How long do I have to wait to retake the TEF?
Twenty days between two attempts at the same test, all versions of the TEF combined. The rumour of a 30-day wait for the TEF is false: it comes from a confusion with some TCF information sheets.
When do the two years of TEF validity start?
The pages of Le français des affaires don’t say the same thing: its registration conditions run validity from the date the results certificate is issued, while its presentation page speaks of two years from the test date. The gap can reach several weeks. Go by the date that is less favourable to you, and have your centre confirm it.
Related pages
- TCF or TEF Canada: which one to choose?
Both CLB conversion tables side by side, the format and fee comparison, and the “old score” column trap.
- TEF Canada practice test
A listening and a reading exercise with answers, and the section A and B tasks explained.
- TCF Québec: the modular test for Quebec
The other modular option for a Quebec project, and its conversion table.
Rules change. This page is up to date as of 7 August 2026 and is not immigration advice. Thresholds, conversion tables and registration conditions change regularly. Always check your situation on canada.ca and the exam format on lefrancaisdesaffaires.fr before you register or apply.