Everything You Need to Know Before Your Exam

Get clear answers about booking, exam process, and what to expect.

About TEF Canada & TEFAQ

TEF Canada and TEFAQ are official French language tests used in Canada for immigration and other administrative purposes.

Both exams are issued by the Chambre de commerce et d’industrie de Paris Île-de-France (CCI Paris Île-de-France) and are designed to assess your French level in areas such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

The main difference is their purpose:

  • TEF Canada is mainly used for federal immigration programs, such as Express Entry, and for applications outside Quebec.
  • TEFAQ stands for Test d’évaluation de français pour l’accès au Québec. It is mainly used for Quebec immigration and for certain applications related to settling in Quebec.

Depending on your immigration or personal project, you may need to take either the full exam or only certain modules. In both cases, the test is intended to officially prove your level of French.

The main difference between TEF Canada and TEFAQ is how the result is used.

TEF Canada is the version recognized by IRCC for Canadian immigration and citizenship applications. It includes four compulsory sections: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

TEFAQ is the version designed for Quebec-related applications and is recognized by Quebec’s immigration ministry (MIFI).

TEF Canada can be accepted for Quebec immigration in some cases, but TEFAQ is not accepted by IRCC for immigration to Canada outside Quebec.

In simple terms:

  • Choose TEF Canada for federal immigration or citizenship.
  • Choose TEFAQ mainly for Quebec immigration.

The right exam depends on your immigration program, not on difficulty.

Exam Format

The TEF Canada and TEFAQ exams are built around four main language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

  1. Listening Comprehension
    40 questions – 40 minutes
  2. Reading Comprehension
    40 questions – 60 minutes
  3. Written Expression
    2 tasks – 60 minutes
  4. Oral Expression
    Face-to-face interview – 15 minutes

TEF Canada requires all four sections, while TEFAQ is modular depending on your application.

It depends on the exam:

  • TEF Canada: All four modules are required.
  • TEFAQ: You can select modules depending on your needs.

Always verify requirements based on your immigration program.

The total duration depends on the modules taken.

TEF Canada: about 2 hours 55 minutes

  • Reading: 60 minutes
  • Listening: 40 minutes
  • Writing: 60 minutes
  • Speaking: 15 minutes

TEFAQ: same section durations, but total time varies depending on selected modules.

Registration

To register, choose an authorized test centre and select your exam date and modules.

CSA Montreal offers a convenient downtown location, easy access by public transportation, and a professional testing environment.

You will need a valid government-issued ID.

Recommended:

  • Passport
  • Full legal name (exact match)
  • Date of birth
  • Email and contact details

Scores & Results

Each section is scored separately. There is no overall pass or fail.

Scores range from 0 to 699 points per section.

Your certificate includes CEFR levels (A1 to C2) for each skill.

For immigration, TEF scores are converted into CLB / NCLC levels.

NCLC Reading Listening Writing Speaking
4 306–351 306–351 268–329 328–386
5 352–392 352–392 330–378 387–421
6 393–433 393–433 379–427 422–455
7 434–461 434–461 428–471 456–493
8 462–502 462–502 472–511 494–517
9 503–545 503–545 512–557 518–555

The required score depends on your program.

  • Federal immigration: CLB/NCLC 7 or higher
  • Quebec: often B2 level, especially for speaking and listening

Results are usually available within 3 to 5 business days.

In some cases, it may take up to two weeks.

Fees

  • Listening: $125 CAD
  • Speaking: $125 CAD
  • Reading: $85 CAD
  • Writing: $85 CAD

Total: $420 CAD

Ready to book your TEF Canada or TEFAQ exam?

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