TEF Canada or TCF Canada — which French test is easier for hitting NCLC 7?

What NCLC 7 means on each test

IRCC converts your raw scores to NCLC levels. For Express Entry, the NCLC 7 minimums are:

One detail to watch: for Express Entry, IRCC converts TEF Canada results using the older TEF score scale ("equivalence ancien score"), not the scale introduced after December 2023. Some newer TEF score reports show both; make sure you convert with the right one, or you'll misjudge where you stand.

How the tests differ in format

• TEF Canada (Test d'évaluation de français): All four abilities are reported on similar numeric scales. The speaking and writing sections are both scored 0–450, which some candidates find more predictable — the bands feel symmetric across abilities.
• TCF Canada (Test de connaissance du français): Uses different scales per ability — listening and reading on a 331–699 scale, speaking and writing graded 0–20 by examiners. The NCLC 7 bands (458–502 for listening, 453–498 for reading, 10–11 for speaking/writing) are narrower, so there's less margin between "just made it" and "missed."

Neither difference makes one test structurally easier for everyone. Candidates who are strong speakers but slow readers sometimes prefer TEF's symmetric scale; candidates who do well with multiple-choice formats sometimes prefer TCF, where listening and reading are machine-scored.

What actually matters more than the test choice

• You need NCLC 7 in all four abilities on a single test. Three abilities at NCLC 9 and one at NCLC 6 earns zero bonus points. There is no partial credit, and you cannot mix your best TEF speaking with your best TCF reading — IRCC does not combine results from different tests.
• Validity is 2 years from the test date, the same rule as English tests. Your result must still be valid when you submit your Express Entry profile.
• NCLC 7 is roughly low-B2 level — the ability to argue a point in writing, follow a fast radio segment, and hold a sustained spoken exchange. From zero, most learners need 6–12 months of serious study.
• The 25 vs 50 split depends on your English. NCLC 7+ in all four French abilities earns 50 bonus points if you also have CLB 5+ in all four English abilities, or 25 points if your English is CLB 4 or lower (or you have no English test).

How to choose

1. Take a diagnostic in both formats first — most prep schools offer short mock tests. Choose the format where your weakest ability lands closer to the NCLC 7 band.
2. Check availability near you — test centre seats and wait times vary by city; a 3-month wait for one test can decide the question.
3. Prepare for the all-four rule — whichever test you pick, structure your study around your weakest of the four abilities, because that one sets your ceiling.