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TCF Canada · TEF Canada · NCLC / CLB

TCF Canada and TEF Canada NCLC score charts

For TCF Canada writing and speaking, NCLC 7 is 10 or 11 out of 20, but listening needs 458–502 and reading 453–498: each skill has its own bands. Here are all the official charts (IRCC, CCI Paris Île-de-France) and how to tell which one applies to your result.

Updated October 19, 2026

Convert your scores to NCLC

Enter your scores: the NCLC level of each skill appears, using the official charts below.

Score to NCLC converter

Contents
  1. Score to NCLC converter
  2. TCF Canada: IRCC’s chart
  3. TEF Canada since 11 December 2023 (score out of 699)
  4. TEF Canada from 1 October 2019 to 10 December 2023
  5. Express Entry: the « Équivalence ancien score » column
  6. Reading your results document
  7. NCLC vs CEFR: what a TCF score out of 20 means
  8. Sources and dates
  9. Estimate your writing level
  10. FAQ

TCF Canada: IRCC’s NCLC conversion chart

IRCC expresses French test results as NCLC levels (Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens), the French-language counterpart of the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) used for English tests, so a “TCF to CLB” conversion is this chart. For TCF Canada, the conversion is the chart IRCC publishes on its Express Entry language test page (date modified: 16 October 2026). Writing and speaking are scored out of 20; listening and reading on a 100–699 scale.

TCF Canada: score per skill and NCLC level (IRCC)
NCLC Speaking (/20) Listening (/699) Reading (/699) Writing (/20)
10 and above 16–20 549–699 549–699 16–20
9 14–15 523–548 524–548 14–15
8 12–13 503–522 499–523 12–13
7 10–11 458–502 453–498 10–11
6 7–9 398–457 406–452 7–9
5 6 369–397 375–405 6
4 4–5 331–368 342–374 4–5
  • Listening and reading bands are not the same. With 453 points you are at NCLC 7 in reading but NCLC 6 in listening.
  • The writing score covers all three tasks together: you get a single score out of 20 for the whole paper. Our guide to the 3 TCF Canada writing tasks and their scoring explains each task.
  • Below the NCLC 4 row (under 4/20 in writing or speaking, under 331 in listening, under 342 in reading), the result is below NCLC 4.

TEF Canada since 11 December 2023: score out of 699

For TEF Canada tests taken on or after 11 December 2023, each test gets a score out of 699. CCI Paris Île-de-France, which issues TEF Canada, publishes the NCLC equivalence in its « Correspondance Score TEF – Niveau NCLC » chart. Bands differ by skill, and the chart goes up to NCLC 12.

TEF Canada, tests taken since 11 December 2023: score out of 699 and NCLC level (CCI Paris Île-de-France)
NCLC Reading and listening Writing Speaking
12 615–699 619–699 642–699
11 573–614 577–618 592–641
10 546–572 558–576 556–591
9 503–545 512–557 518–555
8 462–502 472–511 494–517
7 434–461 428–471 456–493
6 393–433 379–427 422–455
5 352–392 330–378 387–421
4 306–351 268–329 328–386
Below 4 0–305 0–267 0–327

So for TEF Canada, NCLC 7 starts at 434 in reading and listening, 428 in writing and 456 in speaking. Note: for an Express Entry profile, IRCC does not want this score out of 699 but the « Équivalence ancien score » column (see below). Both writing sections are covered in our TEF Canada writing guide.

TEF Canada taken from 1 October 2019 to 10 December 2023

For tests taken between 1 October 2019 and 10 December 2023, the CCI chart uses a single scale for all four skills. Since a TEF Canada results document is valid for 2 years from its issue date, this chart is mostly useful for reading an older result.

TEF Canada, tests taken from 1 October 2019 to 10 December 2023: score and NCLC level (CCI Paris Île-de-France)
NCLC Score out of 699 (all four skills)
10 566–699
9 533–565
8 500–532
7 450–499
6 400–449
5 350–399
4 300–349
Below 4 0–299

Express Entry: the « Équivalence ancien score » column

A TEF Canada results document has two columns: « Score / 699 » and « Équivalence ancien score » (old-score equivalent). On its language test results page (modified 16 October 2026), IRCC says to enter only the « Équivalence ancien score » in your Express Entry profile: the score out of 699 is not compatible with the system. Here is IRCC’s chart for that column:

TEF Canada, « Équivalence ancien score » column: score per skill and NCLC level (IRCC)
NCLC Speaking Listening Reading Writing
10 393–450 316–360 263–300 393–450
9 371–392 298–315 248–262 371–392
8 349–370 280–297 233–247 349–370
7 310–348 249–279 207–232 310–348
6 271–309 217–248 181–206 271–309
5 226–270 181–216 151–180 226–270
4 181–225 145–180 121–150 181–225

Here too, bands differ by skill: NCLC 7 starts at 249 in listening, 207 in reading and 310 in both writing and speaking.

Reading your results document

TCF Canada

  • One score per test: 100–699 for listening and reading (questions are weighted by difficulty and only correct answers count), out of 20 for writing and speaking.
  • Look up each score in its own column of IRCC’s chart: you get one NCLC level per skill, not an overall level.
  • Results are downloaded from your TCF-Candidat account. The results document is valid for 2 years from the date results are published, and the expiry date is printed on it.

TEF Canada

  • The results document shows two columns: « Score / 699 » and « Équivalence ancien score ».
  • To find your NCLC from the score out of 699, use the CCI chart that matches your test date.
  • For an Express Entry profile, enter the « Équivalence ancien score » column, as IRCC instructs.
  • The results document is valid for 2 years from its issue date.

Example: converting a result skill by skill

A fictional TCF Canada result, converted with IRCC’s chart:

Fictional example of a TCF Canada result converted to NCLC
Skill Score NCLC
Listening 453 6
Reading 453 7
Writing 11/20 7
Speaking 12/20 8

With the same score in both comprehension tests, this candidate does not get the same level. When a threshold applies to all four skills, each one must reach it: here, listening is below NCLC 7. The same logic applies to TEF Canada: a score of 440 out of 699 gives NCLC 7 in reading and listening, NCLC 7 in writing and NCLC 6 in speaking.

For Express Entry, IRCC states that results must be less than 2 years old when you create your profile and when you submit your application for permanent residence (page modified 16 October 2026). This is for information only: we do not give immigration advice.

NCLC vs CEFR: what a TCF score out of 20 means

NCLC is the Canadian scale IRCC uses; the CEFR (A1 to C2) is the European one. France Éducation international publishes the CEFR equivalence of TCF scores in its « Grilles de niveaux du TCF ». Crossed with IRCC’s chart, it gives:

TCF Canada writing and speaking: CEFR level, score out of 20 and NCLC
CEFR Score out of 20 (FEI) NCLC (IRCC)
C2 18–20 NCLC 10 and above (18–20)
C1 14–17 NCLC 9 (14–15) · NCLC 10 and above (16–17)
B2 10–13 NCLC 7 (10–11) · NCLC 8 (12–13)
B1 6–9 NCLC 5 (6) · NCLC 6 (7–9)
A2 2–5 below NCLC 4 (2–3) · NCLC 4 (4–5)
A1 1 below NCLC 4 (1)

So NCLC 7 (10–11/20) is the lower half of the B2 band (10–13/20), and B2 also covers NCLC 8. Knowing you are “B2” is not enough to know your NCLC: only the score out of 20 tells you. For listening and reading, the same grid splits the 100–699 scale into 100-point bands, from A1 (100–199) to C2 (600–699). For what to aim for in practice, read our guide NCLC 7: the scores you need and how to get there.

Sources and dates

Charts checked on 19 October 2026. TCF Canada Coach is an independent preparation tool with no link to these organisations: only France Éducation international and CCI Paris Île-de-France issue official results.

Estimate your NCLC level in writing

Write on this prompt (or paste your own): free preview with your estimated NCLC level and your 2 most important corrections.

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Free preview: estimated level and the first 2 corrections. Full report with a pack or a pass.

The grader scores your text out of 20 against the published criteria, then converts that score to NCLC with IRCC’s chart. It is an estimate for practice, not an official result. Want a different topic? Browse our practice prompts.

NCLC conversion FAQ

What TCF Canada score do I need for NCLC 7 (CLB 7)?

According to IRCC’s chart (page modified 16 October 2026): 10 or 11 out of 20 in writing and speaking, 458–502 in listening and 453–498 in reading. Above those bands you reach NCLC 8.

How do I convert a TEF Canada score out of 699 to NCLC?

For a test taken on or after 11 December 2023, use the CCI Paris Île-de-France chart, whose bands differ by skill: for example, NCLC 7 starts at 434 in reading and listening, 428 in writing and 456 in speaking. For a test taken between 1 October 2019 and 10 December 2023, one scale applies to every skill: NCLC 7 is 450–499.

Which TEF Canada column do I enter in my Express Entry profile?

IRCC says to enter only the « Équivalence ancien score » (old-score equivalent) column in your Express Entry profile: the « Score / 699 » is not compatible with the system (language test results page, modified 16 October 2026).

Why does the same score give a different NCLC in listening and reading?

Because IRCC’s TCF Canada chart sets separate bands for each skill. With 453 points you get NCLC 7 in reading but NCLC 6 in listening.

Is NCLC the same as CLB?

IRCC expresses French test results as NCLC levels (Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens) and English test results as CLB levels (Canadian Language Benchmarks). When people say “CLB 7 in French”, they mean NCLC 7.