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 & Experience

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.

If your computer keyboard does not include special characters (é, è, ê, ç, à, …), you can access a numeric keypad directly on the platform where you take the exam.

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

Results & Scoring

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.

The tests are assessed on the scale of the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) (levels A1 to C2). Level <A1 is awarded to candidates who do not demonstrate that they have achieved level A1.

Here you will find the expected skills for each CEFR level and for each test item.

The TEF score scale has been mapped to the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB), and TEF Canada certificates indicate the CLB level achieved for each test.

Reading and listening comprehension tests

The reading and listening comprehension tests are in the form of multiple choice questionnaires. Only one answer is possible.

The scale is as follows:

  • Correct answer = +1 point
  • No answer / Wrong answer = 0 points

The total number of correct answers does not constitute the final score. This total is converted into a calibrated score that takes into account the differences in difficulty of the questions making up the test.

Written and oral expression tests

The written expression test consists of writing two everyday texts. It is assessed by two independent, trained and experienced assessors.

The oral expression test consists of two role-plays based on real-life situations. It is assessed by two independent examiners: the test leader and a second examiner, on the basis of the recording of the test.

Oral and written expression tests are assessed using standardized evaluation grids that include a set of criteria: communication skills, vocabulary, grammar, organization, fluency, etc.

The final score takes all these criteria into account. The results of these assessments are also converted into a calibrated score.

For immigration to Canada

The minimum level required varies according to the program you are applying for.

  • Entrée Express program: CLB 7 is required for all tests
  • Mobilité Francophone program: CLB 5 is required

To find out the level required for each program, visit the official IRCC language requirements page .

For citizenship procedures

  • CLB 4 is required for the speaking and listening tests

For more details, visit the official IRCC citizenship language requirements page .

After the Exam

To complete your results on your IRCC online profile, you must use the scores in the “Old score equivalence” column on your results certificate.

Please note:

The language proficiency test results form or certificate number is the first part of the attestation number at the bottom left of your certificate (before the hyphen).

The NIP is the second part of the certificate number, after the hyphen.

The certificate is sent to you by e-mail.

Please check your junk or spam folder, as the e-mail may sometimes be filtered there.

Your main contact for obtaining your results is your test center. The center will be the first to know when your certificate becomes available.

If you have not received your certificate, do not hesitate to contact your test center directly for more information.

You can take the TEF Canada as many times as you like.

Please note: There is a mandatory 20-day waiting period between two successive tests.

The 20-day period is calculated in calendar days, including weekends and public holidays.

You can submit an appeal within a maximum of 30 days from the date of issue of the results certificate.

You can find all the information you need on the official website:
Submit an appeal.

Please note: your appeal request will only be considered in the event of an anomaly or serious malfunction during your test. It is therefore essential to inform your supervisor of your situation on the day of the test.

Le français des affaires and its partner centers do their utmost to ensure that the TEF tests are taken under the best possible conditions and with fairness between candidates.

The assessment procedure and criteria are the same for all candidates. Recordings of oral tests and written productions are always anonymous to assessors (only the candidate’s number appears).

Did you notice a serious anomaly or malfunction during your test? In this case, you are invited to submit an appeal.

Fees

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

Total: $420 CAD

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