A TCF Canada result contains several figures and levels. You might see a B2 level in one skill and wonder whether that means you have reached NCLC 7. These labels come from different systems, so you should not treat them as automatically equivalent.
This guide explains how to read your four results separately, what CEFR and NCLC mean, and how to use your scores to set a useful study goal.
Which skills appear in your results?
TCF Canada assesses four language abilities:
- Compréhension orale: listening
- Compréhension écrite: reading
- Expression orale: speaking
- Expression écrite: writing
Read the result for each ability separately. A strong result in three skills does not raise the result in the fourth. If a program requires a minimum level in all four abilities, you must meet that requirement in each one.
What is CEFR?
CEFR stands for the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Its French abbreviation is CECRL. Its main levels run from A1 to C2:
- A1 and A2: basic levels
- B1 and B2: intermediate and independent levels
- C1 and C2: advanced levels
CEFR levels describe language ability. They can help explain how comfortably someone understands or produces French in different situations. Your CEFR level may differ from one skill to another, so saying “I am B2” does not necessarily describe all four TCF Canada results.
What is NCLC?
NCLC stands for Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens, Canada’s benchmarks for French-language ability. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses an official conversion table to determine the NCLC level corresponding to a TCF Canada score in each ability.
CEFR and NCLC are different scales. Do not assume that a CEFR label such as B2 or C1 gives you the same NCLC level in every skill. To identify your Canadian benchmark, take the numeric score for one ability and find it in the matching column of IRCC’s TCF Canada table. Repeat this for the other three abilities.
TCF Canada to NCLC conversion table
Speaking and writing use a 0–20 scale in the table below; listening and reading use the test’s numeric scores. Read each column independently.
| NCLC level | Speaking | Listening | Reading | Writing |
| 7 | 10–11 | 458–502 | 453–498 | 10–11 |
| 8 | 12–13 | 503–522 | 499–523 | 12–13 |
| 9 | 14–15 | 523–548 | 524–548 | 14–15 |
| 10 or above | 16–20 | 549–699 | 549–699 | 16–20 |
This is a quick-reference table for NCLC 7 and above. For lower levels, profile entry, or an application decision, check IRCC’s full current table:
A practical example
Imagine a candidate receives these TCF Canada scores:
| Ability | TCF Canada score | NCLC level |
| Listening | 470 | 7 |
| Reading | 480 | 7 |
| Speaking | 12 | 8 |
| Writing | 11 | 7 |
This candidate has NCLC 7 in three abilities and NCLC 8 in speaking. There is no need to average the four levels. Compare each result with the requirements of the specific program you are considering.
If the writing score were 9 instead of 11, the candidate would not have NCLC 7 in all four abilities, even though the other three results meet or exceed that level.
Does everyone need NCLC 7?
No. Language requirements depend on the immigration program and the applicant’s circumstances. IRCC publishes different minimums for different pathways. Meeting a program’s minimum language requirement is also different from receiving enough competitive points to be invited to apply.
Before choosing a target score:
- Identify the program you plan to apply through.
- Check that program’s current language requirement on an official government page.
- Determine whether the required level applies to all four abilities.
- Convert each of your TCF Canada scores using the official table.
For example, IRCC lists at least NCLC 7 in all four French abilities as one requirement for the Express Entry French-language proficiency category. Applicants must also meet that category’s other applicable conditions.
Is a mock-test score an official TCF Canada result?
No. A mock test helps you practise and identify weaknesses. It is not an official TCF Canada certificate, and its result should not be presented as an official NCLC level for an immigration application.
A mock test can still be extremely useful. If you repeatedly miss reading questions because an incorrect option repeats words from the text, a question-by-question review tells you more about what to practise than a total score alone.
How long are results valid?
For Express Entry, IRCC requires language test results to be less than two years old both when you create your profile and when you submit your permanent residence application. Check your result date against your intended application timeline.
What should you do after reading your scores?
Write down three things for each ability: your current score, its corresponding NCLC level, and the level required for your goal. Then focus on the gap. If one ability is behind the others, analyse the errors in that skill instead of relying only on repeated full-length tests.
At Académie Française Mehraban, you can use listening and reading mock tests, score reports, and question-by-question explanations to identify recurring mistakes. For an immigration application, rely on your official test results and current IRCC requirements.
Your next step: review all four abilities individually and create a focused practice plan for the skill that needs the most improvement.
