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TCF Canada score chart: NCLC levels for speaking, writing, listening and reading

On the TCF Canada, speaking and writing are scored out of 20, and listening and reading out of 699. NCLC 7 needs at least 10/20 in speaking and writing, at least 458 in listening and at least 453 in reading (the NCLC 7 bands themselves are 10–11, 458–502 and 453–498; higher scores are NCLC 8 or more). That's the level the Express Entry French category and the French bonus points ask for in all four skills.

Free TCF Canada score calculator

Turn your four TCF Canada scores into NCLC levels Enter speaking and writing (/20), listening and reading (/699): the calculator shows your NCLC in each of the four skills. The result that counts is the one on your certificate. Open the TCF Canada score calculator

Once you have your four NCLC levels, the CRS section further down shows what they're worth in Express Entry.

The full table

Source: IRCC, Express Entry language test equivalency page (TCF Canada), checked November 1, 2026. The speaking bands match France Éducation International's candidate manual; writing uses the same /20 bands in IRCC's table. Some charts online show 458–499 for NCLC 7 in listening; IRCC's table says 458–502, and NCLC 8 starts at 503.

NCLC Speaking (/20) Writing (/20) Listening (/699) Reading (/699)
4 4–5 4–5 331–368 342–374
5 6 6 369–397 375–405
6 7–9 7–9 398–457 406–452
7 10–11 10–11 458–502 453–498
8 12–13 12–13 503–522 499–523
9 14–15 14–15 523–548 524–548
10 or more 16–20 16–20 549–699 549–699

IRCC's table starts at NCLC 4. A score under 4/20, under 331 in listening or under 342 in reading is below NCLC 4, which is under the language minimum of every Express Entry program.

Speaking: NCLC and CEFR side by side

France Éducation International's candidate manual pairs each speaking band with a CEFR level:

Speaking (/20) NCLC CEFR (FEI)
4–5 4 A2
6 5 B1
7–9 6 B1
10–11 7 B2
12–13 8 B2
14–15 9 C1
16–20 10 or more C1–C2

So NCLC 7 in speaking is a B2 result, but B2 alone doesn't tell you the NCLC: 12/20 is also B2, and it's NCLC 8.

The CEFR column matters for citizenship. IRCC's general rule is CLB/NCLC 4 in speaking and listening, but its list of accepted French tests asks for CEFR B1 or higher on the TCF Canada in listening and speaking. In FEI's table, B1 speaking starts at 6/20, not 4/20. Details: French test for citizenship.

Worked lookups

Examples written by Niveau7 to show how to read the table. They are not real candidates' results.

1. Speaking 10/20, writing 11/20, listening 470, reading 460. Speaking 10 → NCLC 7. Writing 11 → NCLC 7. Listening 470 is in 458–502 → NCLC 7. Reading 460 is in 453–498 → NCLC 7. All four at NCLC 7: this profile meets the French category's level.

2. Speaking 9/20, everything else NCLC 8. 9/20 is NCLC 6 (7–9). One point more in speaking would have made it NCLC 7. Because the French bonus points and the French category need NCLC 7 in all four skills, this one point decides both. See NCLC 7 for more on that threshold.

3. Speaking 6/20, listening 380. Speaking 6 → NCLC 5. Listening 380 is in 369–397 → NCLC 5. That's the level Francophone Mobility asks for in speaking and listening (NCLC 5 or higher): see Francophone Mobility.

4. Listening 457. 457 is the top of NCLC 6 (398–457). NCLC 7 starts at 458.

5. Speaking 3/20. Below 4/20, so below NCLC 4: under every Express Entry program's minimum, whatever the other three scores are.

CRS points from your TCF Canada scores

Source: IRCC, Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) criteria, checked November 1, 2026. Take your NCLC in each skill (from the table or the TCF Canada score calculator) and read it in the tables below. Each skill is scored on its own: IRCC doesn't average them.

If French is your first official language (points per skill):

NCLC in the skill No spouse With spouse
4–5 6 6
6 9 8
7 17 16
8 23 22
9 31 29
10 or more 34 32

If English is your first official language and French your second (points per skill):

NCLC in the skill Points
4 or lower 0
5–6 1
7–8 3
9 or more 6

Second official language points are capped at 24 without a spouse and 22 with one.

French bonus points (additional points). NCLC 7 or higher in all four French skills gives 25 points if your English is CLB 4 or lower (or you have no English test), and 50 points if you also have CLB 5 or higher in all four English skills.

French category: yes or no. Yes only if all four skills are NCLC 7 or higher, and you're also eligible for one of the 3 Express Entry programs. One skill at NCLC 6 means no.

Worked CRS lookups

Examples written by Niveau7 with IRCC's published points. Not real candidates, and not a full CRS score: they count only the points that French brings (age, education, work experience and any English points are left out).

Profile TCF scores (speaking / writing / listening / reading) NCLC French language points (first or second language) French bonus French category
A. No spouse, French first, no English test 10 / 11 / 470 / 460 7 / 7 / 7 / 7 4 × 17 = 68 25 Yes
B. No spouse, French first, no English test 9 / 12 / 505 / 500 6 / 8 / 8 / 8 9 + 23 + 23 + 23 = 78 0 No
C. With spouse, French first, English CLB 5+ in all four 14 / 14 / 530 / 530 9 / 9 / 9 / 9 4 × 29 = 116 50 Yes
D. No spouse, English first (CLB 9 in all four), French second 10 / 10 / 460 / 455 7 / 7 / 7 / 7 4 × 3 = 12 50 Yes

How to read them:

  • A: 68 + 25 = 93 points from French, and access to the French-language draws.
  • B: three skills at NCLC 8 still leave speaking at NCLC 6, so no bonus and no French category: 78 points. With 10/20 in speaking instead of 9, the same profile gets 17 + 23 + 23 + 23 = 86, plus the 25-point bonus, so 111. One speaking point is worth 33 CRS points here, and the draws.
  • C: with a spouse, the first-language points are a little lower per skill (29 instead of 31 at NCLC 9), but the 50-point bonus applies because English is CLB 5+ in all four skills.
  • D: as a second language, French adds only 12 base points, but the 50-point bonus makes it 62. With 9/20 in speaking (NCLC 6), it would be 1 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 10 and no bonus: French would add 10 points instead of 62.

These tables only show the language part of a CRS score. The French draws and their 2026 cutoffs: Express Entry French points and draws.

Practise for your speaking score with Niveau7

Practise the TCF Canada speaking test with Niveau7 Do Tasks 1, 2 and 3 out loud, on the real clock, with an AI examiner who plays the part and never helps. Right after: an estimated NCLC (an estimate, not an official result), a level for each of the six criteria in Niveau7's report, and the three fixes worth most toward NCLC 7, on your own sentences. 7 days free, then a weekly or monthly plan, cancel anytime. Start your free week

How the speaking test runs: TCF Canada speaking guide. This chart in French: NCLC TCF Canada (in French). The TEF chart: TEF Canada score chart.

Frequently asked questions

What TCF Canada score is NCLC 7?

At least 10 out of 20 in speaking and in writing, at least 458 in listening and at least 453 in reading. The NCLC 7 band itself is 10–11, 458–502 and 453–498; higher scores give NCLC 8 or more.

Can a high score in one skill make up for a low one?

No. Each skill gets its own NCLC and IRCC doesn't average them. The French category and the French bonus points need NCLC 7 or higher in all four skills, so 9/20 in speaking (NCLC 6) blocks both even if the other three are NCLC 9.

Is TCF B2 the same as NCLC 7?

Not exactly. In France Éducation International's speaking table, B2 covers 10–13/20, which is NCLC 7 (10–11) and NCLC 8 (12–13). Check your score against the NCLC table, not the CEFR level alone.

What is the minimum TCF Canada score for NCLC 5?

At least 6/20 in speaking and writing, 369 in listening and 375 in reading.

What TCF Canada score is NCLC 9 or 10?

NCLC 9 starts at 14/20 in speaking and writing, 523 in listening and 524 in reading. NCLC 10 or more starts at 16/20 in speaking and writing and 549 in listening and reading.

How many CRS points is NCLC 7 on the TCF Canada?

With French as your first official language and no spouse, 17 points per skill, so 68 for NCLC 7 in all four. NCLC 7 in all four French skills also adds 25 bonus points (English CLB 4 or lower, or no English test) or 50 (English CLB 5 or higher in all four skills).

Is NCLC the same as CLB?

Yes. NCLC (Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens) is the French name for the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB), and the levels use the same numbers. IRCC reads a TCF Canada result as NCLC and an English test result as CLB, and the CRS points per level are the same.

How long are TCF Canada results valid for Express Entry?

IRCC requires results less than 2 years old when you create your Express Entry profile and when you apply for permanent residence.

When do TCF Canada results come out, and when can I retake it?

France Éducation International's candidate manual says results come within 15 business days (10 for computer-based sessions with multiple-choice parts only), and you must wait 30 days between two sittings. Plan your Express Entry profile around both if your speaking is close to 10/20.

Why are speaking and writing out of 20 but listening and reading out of 699?

Listening and reading are multiple-choice tests (39 questions each) reported on a 699-point scale. Speaking (3 tasks, 12 minutes) and writing (3 exercises) are answers you produce, rated against criteria and reported out of 20: in speaking, the examiner gives the first rating and a second FEI-trained marker rates the recording (France Éducation International's candidate manual). IRCC's table uses the same scales.

Sources

Last checked: November 1, 2026.

Niveau7 is an independent practice tool. It is not affiliated with France Éducation International (TCF Canada), CCI Paris Île-de-France (TEF Canada) or IRCC.