Language test results are required for many Canadian immigration programs. The correct test, test version, and language level depend on the immigration program and your individual circumstances.
Tests Accepted for Express Entry
For Express Entry, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, IRCC, currently accepts these language tests:
Language
Accepted test
English
CELPIP General
English
IELTS General Training
English
PTE Core
French
TEF Canada
French
TCF Canada
Do not book IELTS Academic, CELPIP General LS, or IELTS One Skill Retake for Express Entry. These are not accepted for Express Entry.
Need detailed TCF Canada booking steps? Read How to Book TCF Canada for Canada Immigration.
Choose the Correct Test Version
Before you book, check the current IRCC language test requirements for your exact immigration program. A test that is accepted for Express Entry may not be the right test for citizenship or another immigration program.
For Express Entry, language test results must be less than two years old when you complete your profile and when you submit your permanent residence application.
Book Through the Official Provider
Book directly through the official test provider or an official test centre. Test fees, availability, result timing, cancellation rules, and centres can change, so do not rely on an older guide or a third party booking service.
Official sources: IRCC language test requirements | CELPIP | IELTS | PTE Core | TEF Canada | TCF Canada
Not sure which pathway is right for you? Start with a free initial eligibility assessment so KGraph can better understand your immigration goals. This preliminary assessment is not a consultation, legal opinion, confirmation of eligibility, or guarantee of approval.
Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment
Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice.
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If you are applying to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry or a Provincial Nominee Program, you need proof of your English ability from a test that IRCC approves. If you choose IELTS, there is only one version that counts: IELTS General Training. Booking the wrong version is one of the most expensive mistakes a candidate can make, because you pay again and you wait again.
In this guide
Which IELTS test does IRCC accept
Two things to be very clear about, because they come straight from IRCC:
What score do you actually need
What IELTS General Training costs in Canada
Cancelling or rescheduling (IDP Canada rules):
How to book, step by step
Paper or computer: which to book
What the test looks like
Test day: what to bring and what to leave at home
Getting your results and using them
Common mistakes
Questions people actually ask
How KGraph helps
This page walks you through exactly which test to book, what score you need, what it costs, how to book it, and what happens on test day.
Which IELTS test does IRCC accept
IRCC accepts these language tests for Express Entry. For English: CELPIP General, IELTS General Training, and PTE Core. For French: TEF Canada and TCF Canada (source).
Two things to be very clear about, because they come straight from IRCC:
You must take the IELTS General Training option. IELTS Academic is not accepted for Express Entry.
IRCC does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake for Express Entry. If you sit a One Skill Retake to fix a weak band, that result cannot be used in your Express Entry profile.
Your test results must be less than 2 years old both when you complete your Express Entry profile and when you submit your application for permanent residence (source).
What score do you actually need
IRCC does not read your IELTS bands directly. It converts them into Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB). This is the official IELTS General Training to CLB conversion table published by IRCC (source):
CLB level
Reading
Writing
Listening
Speaking
10
8.0
7.5
8.5
7.5
9
7.0
7.0
8.0
7.0
8
6.5
6.5
7.5
6.5
7
6.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
6
5.0
5.5
5.5
5.5
5
4.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
4
3.5
4.0
4.5
4.0
The minimum for Express Entry (Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Program and Federal Skilled Trades Program) is CLB 7 in all four abilities for your first official language. In IELTS General Training terms that is 6.0 in Listening, 6.0 in Reading, 6.0 in Writing and 6.0 in Speaking (source).
That is the floor, not the target. CLB 9 (Listening 8.0, Reading 7.0, Writing 7.0, Speaking 7.0) is where your Comprehensive Ranking System score jumps meaningfully, because it unlocks the higher language points and the skill transferability points. Most of our clients who land an invitation are sitting at CLB 9 or above, and that is the number we coach toward.
If you claim a second official language, the minimum is CLB or NCLC 5 in speaking and listening and CLB or NCLC 4 in reading and writing.
What IELTS General Training costs in Canada
Fees published by IDP IELTS Canada (source):
Item
Fee (CAD, before tax)
IELTS General Training
about $361
IELTS Academic
about $361
IELTS One Skill Retake
about $253
Enquiry on Results (remark)
$165
IDP states the cost of an IELTS test in Canada ranges between CAD $335 and $361 before tax, and is the same whether you take General Training or Academic. Tax is added on top. There is no separate registration fee and no payment processing fee. Fees vary a little by test centre, city and province, and they do change, so confirm the exact amount on the booking page before you pay.
What the fee covers: assessment of all four skills, test administration, the venue, examiner marking, one copy of your Test Report Form, and access to preparation material. At registration you can also ask for copies of your Test Report Form to be sent to up to 5 institutions or organisations.
Cancelling or rescheduling (IDP Canada rules):
More than 5 weeks before your test date: refund minus an administration charge.
Within 5 weeks of your test date: you are charged the full fee, unless you have a serious medical reason.
Medical certificate provided within 5 days of the test date: refund minus the local administrative cost.
How to book, step by step
Confirm you need General Training. If your goal is Express Entry, a PNP, or Canadian citizenship, it is General Training. Academic is for university admission and it will not be accepted.
Choose your test provider. In Canada, IELTS is delivered by IDP IELTS Canada (source) and by British Council partner centres (source). Outside Canada, book through the IDP or British Council site for your country. The test, the marking and the recognition are identical. Only the centres and the local price differ.
Pick paper or computer. See the comparison below. Most immigration candidates should book computer.
Register with the exact ID you will bring on test day. You register with your passport (or, in Canada, your Permanent Resident Card if that is what you use). Your name on the booking must match your ID character for character, because that name goes on your Test Report Form and IRCC will compare it to your passport.
Check your passport expiry. IDP requires your passport to have an expiry date at least 7 days after the test date to be valid (source).
Pay. In Canada you can pay by debit or credit card (Visa, Mastercard or American Express) or by Interac online.
Book early. Popular centres in Toronto, Brampton, Surrey, Calgary and across Punjab and Kerala fill weeks ahead. Give yourself room to retake if the first result is short.
Paper or computer: which to book
Feature
IELTS on paper
IELTS on computer
Results
Available 13 days after the test
Typically available in about 2 days (IDP Canada)
Writing
Handwritten. From 1 May 2025 you must use a black ballpoint pen only
Typed
Test dates
Fewer
Many more, often several a week
Speaking test
Face to face with an examiner, and it can be up to one week before or after your other sections
Face to face with an examiner
Best for
People who genuinely think better on paper
Almost everyone with an immigration deadline
Sources: IDP IELTS Canada test day and results pages (https://ielts.idp.com/canada/about/test-day/what-to-bring and https://ielts.idp.com/canada/about/what-is-ielts/ielts-faq/when-can-i-get-my-test-results).
For an Express Entry candidate, the faster result is usually worth more than the comfort of paper. Draws happen on a schedule you do not control.
What the test looks like
Section
Time
What you do
Listening
About 30 minutes, 4 parts, 40 questions. On paper you get 10 extra minutes to transfer answers
Recordings played once only
Reading
60 minutes, 3 sections, 40 questions
Everyday and workplace texts, not academic papers
Writing
60 minutes, 2 tasks
Task 1: a letter of at least 150 words. Task 2: an essay of at least 250 words
Speaking
11 to 14 minutes, 3 parts
Face to face interview with an examiner
Total test time is about 2 hours 45 minutes. Listening, Reading and Writing are done on the same day with no breaks in between. The Speaking test may be scheduled up to a week before or after the other sections (source).
Test day: what to bring and what to leave at home
Bring the same identification you used to register: your original, current passport, or your Permanent Resident Card if you registered with that. Photocopies and certified copies are not accepted. Your passport must be valid for at least 7 days after the test date.
Arrive at least an hour early to get through registration.
Bring a clear bottle of water with the label removed.
The centre takes your photo and a finger scan. You do not need to bring passport photos. The centre provides stationery.
Leave behind or lock away: mobile phone, all electronic devices, smartwatch or fitness band, keys, wallet, bags, food.
Family members and children are not allowed inside the test venue. Anyone collecting you must wait outside.
If you got a new passport after booking, bring both the old and the new one to registration and tell the centre in advance.
Getting your results and using them
You get one Test Report Form (TRF). Keep the original safe. Do not mail your only copy anywhere.
Computer results are typically available in about 2 days. Paper results are available 13 days after the test.
For Express Entry, you enter your band scores into your profile yourself, along with your TRF number and the test date. IRCC does not need a sealed envelope from the test centre for the Express Entry profile stage.
Your TRF number tells IRCC which test you sat. A General Training TRF number ends in G. If it ends in A, you sat Academic and it will not be accepted.
If your score is short
Enquiry on Results (a remark): $165, requested within 6 weeks of your test date, and the review can take from 2 hours to 21 days. If your score improves you get a full refund of the fee and a new TRF. If it does not improve, no refund (source).
A full retake: allowed as often as you like, with no waiting period. You pay the full fee again.
One Skill Retake: it exists, it is cheaper, and IRCC will not accept it for Express Entry. Do not use it to fix an Express Entry score.
Common mistakes
Booking IELTS Academic. It is the single most common and most expensive error. Academic is not accepted for Express Entry, and no appeal will change that. Check the test name on your booking confirmation before you pay.
Using One Skill Retake for Express Entry. IRCC states plainly that it does not accept it for Express Entry. People still book it and lose both the fee and the weeks.
Letting the 2 year clock run out. Your results must be under 2 years old when you create your profile and again when you submit your PR application. A profile sitting in the pool for 11 months on a test that was already 14 months old at entry is a problem waiting to happen.
Name mismatches. If your booking says Kumar S and your passport says Suresh Kumar, expect trouble. The name on your TRF must match your passport.
An expired or nearly expired passport. Fewer than 7 days of validity after the test date and you can be turned away at the door.
Aiming at the CLB 7 floor. CLB 7 makes you eligible. It rarely makes you competitive. Aim at CLB 9.
Assuming your result posts to IRCC automatically. It does not. You enter the scores and the TRF number in your own profile.
Questions people actually ask
Q: Is IELTS General or Academic needed for Express Entry?
General Training. IRCC says you must take the IELTS General Training option. Academic results are not accepted, even if you took the Academic test for a university application. (Discussed constantly on CanadaVisa: https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/ielts-general-or-academic-for-express-entry.500235/)
Q: Where do I find my TRF number?
It is printed on your Test Report Form. Candidates on CanadaVisa point out that the last character tells you the module: G for General Training, A for Academic (source).
Q: Can I enter my scores in my Express Entry profile before the paper TRF arrives in the mail?
This is one of the most asked questions on the CanadaVisa board (source). Your online result gives you your bands and your TRF number, which is what the profile asks for. Keep the original TRF safe once it arrives, because you may need it later in the process.
Q: Does IRCC accept the IELTS One Skill Retake?
No. IRCC states it does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake for Express Entry. It is a live thread on CanadaVisa for a reason (source).
Q: I took Academic by mistake. Can I still use it?
No. You will need to sit IELTS General Training and pay again.
Q: How many times can I retake IELTS?
As many times as you want. There is no mandatory waiting period between full tests. The limit is your budget and your test date availability.
Q: How long is my IELTS result good for?
Two years, and it must be under two years old at two separate moments: when you complete your Express Entry profile, and when you submit your PR application.
How KGraph helps
We have guided more than 10,000 clients through Canadian immigration, we hold a 98% success rate, and we are rated 4.9 on Google. Language score is the lever with the biggest effect on your CRS, and it is the one thing entirely within your control. Before you book, we will tell you which score band actually gets you invited in your category, so you sit the test once and sit it at the right level.
Details like these are where applications come apart. Our consultants have handled these documents for over a decade, and we can check yours before you file.
Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment
Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice.
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Booking the right English test is a critical step in your Canadian immigration journey. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) accepts the Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program, known as CELPIP, for Express Entry and for citizenship. This guide covers which version you need, what it costs, how to book it correctly, the rules that get people turned away at the door, and how your score maps to the Canadian Language Benchmarks.
In this guide
Test format and timing
How to book your CELPIP test
Accepted identification
Cancellations and transfers
Test day rules
Results and validity
Re evaluation
Questions people actually ask
Which CELPIP test do you need?
Choosing the correct version matters. IRCC will not accept the wrong one, and there is no way to convert a result after the fact.
Purpose
Correct test
Skills tested
Canadian fee
Length
Express Entry and economic permanent residence programs
CELPIP General
Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking
CAD $295 plus applicable taxes
Under 2 hours and 50 minutes
Canadian citizenship
CELPIP General LS, or the full CELPIP General
Listening and Speaking
CAD $199 plus applicable taxes
About 70 minutes
For Express Entry and other permanent residence programs, IRCC states plainly that you must take the CELPIP General test. CELPIP General LS is not accepted for Express Entry, because it measures only two of the four abilities IRCC scores.
For citizenship, IRCC accepts either version. Applicants aged 18 to 54 who must prove language ability need a result of 4 or higher in Listening and Speaking, which is CLB 4.
The fees above are the Canadian prices. International pricing varies by country, so confirm the amount at checkout in your own currency.
Test format and timing
CELPIP General is taken in one sitting. There is no separate face to face speaking appointment on another day, which is one of the main practical differences from IELTS.
Component
Time allotted
Listening
46 to 55 minutes
Reading
43 to 56 minutes
Writing
53 minutes
Speaking
15 minutes
The test is fully computer delivered, but it must be completed in person at an authorised CELPIP test centre. You cannot take it from home. CELPIP is developed and delivered by Paragon Testing Enterprises, which was acquired by Prometric Canada in 2021, and the brand now appears as Prometric on the official site.
Understanding your CELPIP score
CELPIP levels map one to one to the Canadian Language Benchmarks. This is the simplest score conversion of any test IRCC accepts.
CELPIP level
CLB level
4
CLB 4
5
CLB 5
6
CLB 6
7
CLB 7
8
CLB 8
9
CLB 9
10
CLB 10
11
CLB 11
12
CLB 12
There is no universal pass mark. The score you need depends on the program you are applying to.
Express Entry program
Minimum requirement
Canadian Experience Class, work experience in TEER 0 or 1
CLB 7 in all four abilities
Canadian Experience Class, work experience in TEER 2 or 3
CLB 5 in all four abilities
Federal Skilled Worker Program, first official language
CLB 7 in all four abilities
Federal Skilled Worker Program, second official language
CLB 5 in all four abilities
Federal Skilled Trades Program
CLB 5 in Speaking and Listening, CLB 4 in Reading and Writing
These are minimum thresholds to be eligible, not a score that wins you an invitation. Reaching CLB 9 in all four abilities is where Express Entry starts paying you properly, because it unlocks the higher skill transferability points.
One trap worth naming. Your CELPIP score report shows an Average Score. IRCC does not use it, and it does not correspond to a CLB level. IRCC reads your four individual ability scores. Never enter the average anywhere in your profile.
How to book your CELPIP test
Step 1. Decide which version you need. CELPIP General for permanent residence. CELPIP General LS only if your sole purpose is citizenship.
Step 2. Sort out your identification before you pay. You must register using the exact same identification document you will physically carry into the test centre, and the name and document number must match exactly.
Step 3. Open the official test date finder at celpip.ca to see available centres and sittings.
Step 4. Create or sign in to your CELPIP account. Everything happens there: booking, transfers, results and re evaluation requests.
Step 5. Choose your country, city, test centre, date and time.
Step 6. Select the correct test purpose. If you are testing for Canadian immigration, select the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) purpose. Choosing a non immigration purpose can produce a score report that is not valid for IRCC.
Step 7. Enter your personal details exactly as they appear on your identification. Do not abbreviate, do not reorder your names, and do not invent a surname if your passport has only one name. Contact CELPIP for instructions before you pay.
Step 8. Pay. Your booking is not confirmed until payment clears and the confirmation email arrives.
Step 9. Read the confirmation email the same day. Check your name, the centre address and the start time while there is still time to fix an error.
Two booking rules people discover too late. There is no walk in registration, and registration for a sitting closes either one business day before the test or as soon as the sitting is full. You also may not register for more than one test session within any five calendar day period, so you cannot book a backup sitting three days after your first one.
If you need special accommodations, CELPIP asks for a minimum of two months of advance notice together with supporting medical documentation. Plan for that well before you choose a date.
Accepted identification
You must present the original document you registered with. Photocopies and scans are not accepted, and the document must be valid and unexpired.
For CELPIP purposes, immigration includes permanent residence, citizenship and the Post Graduation Work Permit. The identification list for immigration purposes is stricter than the general one.
Country
Accepted identification for immigration purposes
Canada
Passport booklet, Refugee Travel Document, Canadian Permanent Resident Card, Refugee Protection Identity Document, Canadian Refugee Protection Claimant Document, United States Passport Card
United States
Passport booklet, Refugee Travel Document, United States Passport Card
United Arab Emirates
Passport booklet, Refugee Travel Document, Emirates ID
Pakistan
Passport booklet, Refugee Travel Document, valid physical CNIC, subject to scanning requirements
In Canada, a provincial driver's licence is accepted only for non immigration purposes. So are provincial identity cards and health cards. If you are testing for IRCC, bring your passport. This single mistake is the most common reason a Canadian test taker ends up with a score report they cannot use.
If you need to change the name, date of birth or document number on your registration, you must request it at least seven days before the sitting. Turn up with details that do not match and you can be refused entry with no refund and no transfer.
Cancellations and transfers
Timing
Result
Cancel at least 7 calendar days before the test
50 percent of the registration fee is refunded
Cancel fewer than 7 calendar days before the test
No refund
Transfer to another date
Must be requested at least 7 calendar days before the original test date
Your first transfer is free. Each subsequent transfer costs CAD $50 plus applicable taxes, or the local equivalent.
Test day rules
Arrive 45 minutes before your scheduled test time. Check in closes 15 minutes before the start. Latecomers are denied entrance and are not eligible for a refund or a transfer.
Bring the original identification you registered with, plus your confirmation email.
Expect to hear other test takers typing and speaking during the Speaking component. CELPIP treats this as a normal test room condition, so practise with background noise rather than in silence.
The clock does not stop for washroom breaks. If you are away from your workstation for longer than 20 minutes, your test is terminated.
If anything goes wrong, a technical fault, a disruption, a noisy neighbour, report it to centre staff immediately and then file a formal report through your CELPIP account within 24 hours of the test or before scores are released, whichever comes first. Complaints raised after your scores appear are far harder to act on.
Results and validity
Scores appear in your CELPIP account within a few business days. CELPIP publishes both 2 to 4 business days and 3 to 4 business days on different pages, so plan around four business days and treat anything faster as a bonus. You will get an email when they are ready, and you download the official score report as a PDF. Hard copy score reports have been discontinued. Your results remain viewable in your account for two years.
CELPIP results are valid for two years. For Express Entry that validity is measured twice: your results must be less than two years old when you create your profile and still less than two years old when you submit the permanent residence application itself. IRCC will refuse an application submitted with expired results. If your test is approaching its second birthday and you are holding an invitation, that is the moment to act.
For citizenship the rule is more forgiving. IRCC accepts expired test results for citizenship, provided the scores meet the requirement.
Re evaluation
If you believe a component was misjudged, you can request a re evaluation through your CELPIP account within six months of the test date. There is a limit of one re evaluation per component, results usually arrive in one to two weeks, and the request cannot be cancelled once submitted.
CELPIP itself says a re evaluation of Listening or Reading is unlikely to change anything, because those components are computer rated. Writing is now scored by a hybrid system combining automated and human rating. Speaking and Writing are where a re evaluation has any realistic chance of moving your level.
Questions people actually ask
Q: Why does my score report say it is not valid for IRCC?
Almost always because the wrong test purpose was selected at registration, or because the identification used was a document that CELPIP only accepts for non immigration purposes, such as a Canadian driver's licence.
Q: For citizenship, is CELPIP General LS enough?
Yes. IRCC accepts CELPIP General LS or the full CELPIP General for citizenship, and applicants aged 18 to 54 need 4 or higher in Listening and Speaking.
Q: Can I arrive 30 minutes early instead of 45?
No. Arrival is 45 minutes before the scheduled time and check in closes 15 minutes before the start. Late arrivals are refused entry with no refund.
Q: My passport shows only one name. What do I enter as the family name?
Do not invent one and do not repeat your given name. Contact CELPIP before you pay and follow their written instruction, because the registration has to match the document exactly.
Q: Can I combine my best scores from two different CELPIP sittings?
No. Use one complete result. You cannot take Listening from one sitting and Speaking from another.
Q: Can I book two sittings a few days apart as a backup?
No. You may not register for more than one test session within five calendar days.
Q: I am fluent in English. Do I still need to prepare?
Yes, and this is where strong speakers lose points. CELPIP is a timed computer interface with specific task types. Fluency does not teach you the format. Work through the free practice material so that test day is not the first time you meet the timer.
Q: Is CELPIP accepted in Quebec?
Not for Quebec's own immigration programs. Quebec does not designate CELPIP General for those. If Quebec is your destination, confirm which test the relevant program requires before you book anything.
Q: Why trust KGraph?
With a 98% success rate, over 10,000 clients served, and a 4.9 Google rating, KGraph Immigration provides expert guidance you can rely on.
Details like these are where applications come apart. Our consultants have handled these documents for over a decade, and we can check yours before you file.
Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment
Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice.
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Before anything else, read this, because it is the most expensive mistake you can make with TEF Canada.
In this guide
What TEF Canada is
How many tests you sit depends on why you are applying
What each test actually involves
Converting your TEF score to NCLC
What score you actually need
How TEF Canada converts into points
How to book
Getting your results
The two year rule
If you tested between December 2023 and May 2024
If you have a disability
Common mistakes
Questions people actually ask
Your TEF Canada certificate shows your results in more than one column. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada only accepts the scores in the column marked "Équivalence ancien score" (previous score equivalency). The certificate ALSO shows a column marked "Score / 699". Do not enter those numbers into your Express Entry profile. IRCC states plainly that they are not compatible with its system, and that if you do not enter the correct scores, it may refuse your application (canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/language-test.html).
People lose applications over this. It is a data entry error with permanent consequences.
And one more rule that catches people out before they even sit down: all your tests must be taken on the same day, or your certificate will not be recognised by the Canadian authorities (lefrancaisdesaffaires.fr). You cannot retake one weak module and staple that score onto three results from an earlier sitting. If you want a better score in one skill, you sit the whole thing again.
At KGraph Immigration we have guided more than 10,000 clients through the Canadian system, with a 98% success rate and a 4.9 Google rating. French is the single biggest lever most candidates have in Express Entry, and TEF Canada is the most common way to prove it.
What TEF Canada is
TEF Canada is the Test d'évaluation de français. It is administered by CCI Paris Île-de-France through Le français des affaires, and it has been recognised by IRCC since 2002. It is one of two French tests IRCC accepts for Express Entry, the other being TCF Canada.
Your certificate reports a score for each part on a scale of 699, and it also reports the NCLC equivalence level for each part. NCLC is the French counterpart to the Canadian Language Benchmarks. IRCC works in NCLC levels, not raw scores.
How many tests you sit depends on why you are applying
This is the part most guides get wrong. Immigration and citizenship are not the same test.
Applying for
Tests you must take
Immigration to Canada (Express Entry and other federal economic programs)
All 4: reading, listening, writing, speaking
Canadian citizenship
Only 2: listening and speaking
If you only need citizenship, do not pay for four modules. And in both cases, every test you sit must be on the same day.
What each test actually involves
Exact format and timings, from the test owner (lefrancaisdesaffaires.fr).
Test
Content
Duration
Format
Reading comprehension (compréhension écrite)
40 questions
1 hour
Multiple choice. Correct answer +1, wrong or blank 0
Listening comprehension (compréhension orale)
40 questions
40 minutes
Multiple choice. Correct answer +1, wrong or blank 0
Written expression (expression écrite)
2 sections
1 hour
Section A, 25 minutes: continue an article, minimum 80 words. Section B, 35 minutes: express and justify a point of view, minimum 200 words
Oral expression (expression orale)
2 sections
15 minutes total
Section A, 5 minutes: obtaining information. Section B, 10 minutes: presenting an argument to convince
Note the marking on the multiple choice papers: a wrong answer scores the same as no answer, zero. There is no negative marking. So never leave a question blank. Guess.
Converting your TEF score to NCLC
This is IRCC's official conversion table. Use the "Équivalence ancien score" numbers from your certificate.
NCLC level
Speaking (expression orale)
Listening (compréhension de l'oral)
Reading (compréhension de l'écrit)
Writing (expression écrite)
10
393 to 450
316 to 360
263 to 300
393 to 450
9
371 to 392
298 to 315
248 to 262
371 to 392
8
349 to 370
280 to 297
233 to 247
349 to 370
7
310 to 348
249 to 279
207 to 232
310 to 348
6
271 to 309
217 to 248
181 to 206
271 to 309
5
226 to 270
181 to 216
151 to 180
226 to 270
4
181 to 225
145 to 180
121 to 150
181 to 225
What score you actually need
Program
Minimum
Federal Skilled Worker, first official language
NCLC 7 in all four abilities
Federal Skilled Worker, second official language
NCLC 5 in all four abilities
Federal Skilled Trades
NCLC 5 in speaking and listening, NCLC 4 in reading and writing
Canadian Experience Class, NOC TEER 0 or 1
NCLC 7 in all four abilities
Canadian Experience Class, NOC TEER 2 or 3
NCLC 5 in all four abilities
Canadian citizenship
CLB 4 in speaking and listening
Mobilité Francophone
CLB 5
How TEF Canada converts into points
For the Federal Skilled Worker Program, your first official language is worth a maximum of 24 points.
NCLC level
Points per ability
7
4
8
5
9 and above
6
Add your four abilities for your subtotal. If French is your second official language and you reach NCLC 5 or above in all four abilities, add 4 points. Fall below NCLC 5 in even one ability and you get zero for your second language. It is all four or nothing.
This is why French is such a powerful lever. Strong French can also qualify you for French language category based draws, which have had significantly lower cutoffs than general draws.
How to book
Find your nearest approved centre using the official centre finder (lefrancaisdesaffaires.fr/en/trouver-un-centre-agree/). There are roughly 500 official centres across more than 110 countries.
Register directly with that centre. You do not book through IRCC and you do not need a third party agent.
Pay the centre. Fees are set by each individual centre rather than centrally, so the price varies by country and by centre. Confirm the exact fee with your centre before committing.
Prepare, at home, online, or at a test centre.
Sit all your tests on the same day.
Registering means you accept the centre's registration and examination conditions, so read them before you pay.
Getting your results
Results arrive in approximately 2 weeks. The testing organisation issues an electronic copy showing your score and the NCLC equivalence level for each component.
The two year rule
Your certificate is valid for 2 years from the date of issue.
For Express Entry, your results must be less than 2 years old at two separate moments:
when you complete your Express Entry profile, and
when you submit your application for permanent residence
Both. Not one or the other. If you apply for permanent residence with expired language results, IRCC will refuse your application.
If your results will expire while you are sitting in the pool, your options are to retake the test, to apply before they expire, or to decline an invitation and go back into the pool.
If you tested between December 2023 and May 2024
If you took TEF Canada between 11 December 2023 and 6 May 2024, check your profile now.
CCI temporarily modified the NCLC scoring to reflect raw scores during that window. That change has since been reverted to the scoring grid IRCC currently uses. If you were affected, CCI emailed you with your updated score.
You must update your Express Entry profile with the corrected scoring. If you do not, and you are invited to apply, your application could be refused on the basis of incorrect language scores. If you have been invited but not yet submitted, update your scores now, and if you no longer meet the criteria, decline that invitation.
If you have a disability
If a disability prevents you from completing one or more sections, IRCC provides a language averaging tool to produce averaged scores for the abilities you could not complete. Use those averaged scores in your profile. IRCC will verify both the averaged scores and the test results you submit.
Common mistakes
Entering the Score / 699 numbers instead of the Équivalence ancien score column. IRCC may refuse your application for it. This is the big one.
Splitting your tests across different days. All tests must be sat on the same day or the certificate will not be recognised by Canadian authorities.
Trying to retake just one weak module. You cannot combine a new score for one skill with older scores for the others. It is the whole test again.
Paying for four modules when applying for citizenship. Citizenship needs only listening and speaking.
Leaving multiple choice questions blank. A wrong answer scores zero, exactly the same as no answer. There is no penalty for guessing, so never leave one empty.
Assuming any TEF works. It must be TEF Canada specifically.
Letting results expire mid process. Valid at profile creation AND at submission, or the application is refused.
Ignoring the December 2023 to May 2024 rescoring. Some profiles are still carrying the wrong scores today.
Falling below NCLC 5 in one ability as a second language. One weak skill wipes out the entire 4 point bonus.
Questions people actually ask
Q: Which column on my certificate do I enter into Express Entry?
The "Équivalence ancien score" column, and only that column. Do not enter the "Score / 699" numbers. IRCC says they are not compatible with its system and that entering the wrong scores may lead to refusal.
Q: Can I retake just the one module I did badly in?
No. All tests must be taken on the same day for the certificate to be recognised by Canadian authorities. To improve one skill you must sit the whole test again.
Q: I only want citizenship. Do I really need all four tests?
No. Citizenship requires only two, listening and speaking, at CLB 4.
Q: Should I guess on the multiple choice questions?
Yes. A wrong answer and a blank answer both score zero. There is no negative marking, so there is no reason to leave anything blank.
Q: How long until I get my results, and how long are they good for?
Results arrive in approximately 2 weeks. Your certificate is valid for 2 years from the date of issue.
Q: How much does TEF Canada cost?
Fees are set by each individual test centre rather than centrally, so they vary by country. Confirm the exact fee directly with the centre you book with.
Q: Is TEF Canada worth it if English is already my strong language?
Often, yes. French as a second official language adds 4 points if you reach NCLC 5 across all four abilities, and stronger French can qualify you for French language category based draws, which have had notably lower cutoffs. Speak to a consultant about whether it changes your position.
Details like these are where applications come apart. Our consultants have handled these documents for over a decade, and we can check yours before you file.
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Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice.
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