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TEF Canada preparation: a week-by-week plan for the speaking test

The TEF Canada has four parts taken the same day, and speaking is a 15-minute face-to-face test: Section A (5 minutes), where you phone about an ad and ask about ten questions in formal French, and Section B (10 minutes), where you present an ad to a friend and answer their objections in informal French. For Express Entry's French-language draws you need NCLC 7 in all four abilities, which in speaking is at least 456 out of 699 (at least 310 in the old column IRCC uses). Practise both sections out loud and on the clock several times a week for 4 to 8 weeks, ending with full mocks.

Before you start: know the target

Your goal Minimum TEF speaking score (/699) Minimum in the old column (/450, what you enter in Express Entry)
NCLC 5 (Francophone Mobility; Federal Skilled Trades speaking; Canadian Experience Class for TEER 2–3 jobs) 387 226
NCLC 7 (Express Entry French draws and bonus points, in all four abilities; Federal Skilled Worker, first official language; Canadian Experience Class for TEER 0–1 jobs) 456 310
NCLC 9 (31 CRS points per ability instead of 17 at NCLC 7, first official language, no spouse) 518 371

NCLC 7 in all four French abilities also brings 25 additional CRS points, or 50 if you also have CLB 5 or higher in all four English abilities.

Full table for all four abilities: TEF Canada score chart. What NCLC 7 means in practice: NCLC 7. How the speaking test runs, minute by minute: TEF Canada speaking.

What the examiners grade (CCI's 2024 sample tasks): in Section A, getting information, asking for clarification and holding a formal conversation; in Section B, presenting, developing arguments and holding an informal conversation; in both, vocabulary, syntax (sentences, tenses, moods) and pronunciation.

Before each section you get one minute to read the ad, according to CCI's 2017 candidate manual. As of November 1, 2026, CCI's current pages and 2024 sample tasks don't mention it, so practise both with and without that minute. No notes are allowed, and the speaking test is always recorded so that it can be graded twice.

The whole TEF Canada at a glance

This page plans the speaking test, but Express Entry needs all four parts, taken the same day:

Part Format and time
Reading 40 questions, 1 hour, on computer
Listening 40 questions, 40 minutes, on computer
Writing 2 sections, 1 hour, on computer (Section A: 25 minutes, at least 80 words; Section B: 35 minutes, at least 200 words)
Speaking 15 minutes, face to face (Section A 5 minutes, Section B 10 minutes)
  • Scores: since December 11, 2023, each part is scored out of 699, and the certificate shows your CEFR level and NCLC. For the French-language draws you need NCLC 7 in each part.
  • Validity: results must be less than 2 years old when you create your Express Entry profile and when you apply for permanent residence.
  • Citizenship: a 2-module TEF Canada (listening and speaking) exists. IRCC's citizenship page asks for B1 or higher in both, so aim for B1. More: French test for citizenship.
  • Not published: as of November 1, 2026, CCI's TEF Canada pages don't publish a results delay or a waiting period between two sittings.
  • Not booked yet? The TCF Canada is the other French test IRCC accepts: TEF vs TCF.

Fitting in reading, listening and writing

Speaking gets the most time below, but you need NCLC 7 in all four parts. Add these to either plan:

  • Week 1: take one of CCI's free sample tests for each part (see Official resources), timed, to find your weakest part.
  • Writing, twice a week: one Section A in 25 minutes (at least 80 words) and one Section B in 35 minutes (at least 200 words), timed, then count your words.
  • Reading and listening, once a week: a timed sample set (reading 40 questions in 1 hour, listening 40 questions in 40 minutes), then go back over every wrong answer.
  • Last week: one full timed run of the three computer parts, in the same order and on the same day as your speaking mock.

The 4-week plan

For someone who already holds a conversation in French and has a test date about a month away. Each day is 30 to 45 minutes, mostly speaking out loud.

Week Focus What you do Practice items (Niveau7 originals)
1 The format and your baseline Read the Section A and Section B guides (in French). Do one full Section A and one full Section B, timed, and record yourself. Note where you stopped, switched register or ran out of questions tefA-001 « Chambre à louer près du métro Jean-Talon », tefB-001 « Club de course Les Lièvres du dimanche »
2 Section A: question forms Four ways to ask (intonation, « est-ce que », inversion, « Pourriez-vous me dire… »). Every day, one ad: open the call, ask 10 to 12 questions, close politely, all in vous tefA-019, tefA-026, tefA-003
3 Section B: objections Present the ad in under a minute, then answer each objection with the concede, answer, benefit move. Keep tu from start to finish tefB-003, tefB-009, tefB-019
4 Full mocks and range Two or three full 15-minute mocks (A then B). Between them, fix your three most frequent problems: a connector you overuse, a register slip, short answers Any new ad in each section

The 8-week plan

For a lower starting point (around NCLC 5) or a test date further away. It follows the same order, with more time on language. Below about NCLC 5, build everyday speaking first (talking about yourself, asking simple questions, using the past, present and future), then start week 1.

Weeks Focus
1 The format, the scoring, a recorded baseline on one ad per section
2–3 Section A: question forms, the ten things almost every ad leaves out (dates, price, what's included, conditions, documents, how to sign up, place, schedule, who it's for, next step), asking for a repeat or a clarification
4–5 Section B: presenting the ad, answering objections, asking your friend questions, keeping the conversation going for ten minutes
6 Language that moves the level: connectors, precise words instead of « chose » and « faire », the conditional for politeness, the anglicisms that slip in
7 Fluency and time: phrases that buy a second to think, recovering from a blank, using the full clock
8 Exam week: one or two full mocks, a short review list, rest before the test

A daily routine that fits in 40 minutes

  1. 5 min: warm-up. Read one ad aloud, then say its key facts in your own words without looking.
  2. 15 min: one timed section. One minute to read the ad, then five minutes for A or ten for B, out loud, recorded. No pausing the clock.
  3. 10 min: listen back with a checklist (below). Write down the three things that cost you most.
  4. 10 min: redo the weakest minute. Same ad, same objection, better sentences.

Self-check lists

Section A (formal, you lead). Did you…

  • greet and say why you're calling, using vous?
  • ask about ten questions, each a full, well-formed question?
  • vary the forms (inversion, « est-ce que », « Pourriez-vous… »), not only « C’est combien ? »
  • ask the examiner to repeat or clarify something at least once?
  • keep vous to the end and close with a polite formula?

Example from tefA-026 « Hôtel du Havre recrute : préposé(e) à l’accueil bilingue ». Questions a strong candidate asks (from our bank): « S’agit-il d’un poste à temps plein ? », « Quels seraient mes horaires de travail ? », « Quel est le salaire offert ? », « Y a-t-il une période d’essai ? », « Quel niveau d’anglais est demandé ? », « À quelle date le poste commencerait-il ? »

Section B (friendly, you persuade). Did you…

  • present the ad's key facts in under a minute, in tu?
  • answer every objection with a fact from the ad, not just « mais non, c’est bien » ?
  • ask your friend questions instead of talking nonstop?
  • end with a concrete offer (« on y va ensemble samedi ? »)?

Example written by Niveau7 (not a real candidate), on tefB-003 « Fin de semaine de camping au parc national de la Jacques-Cartier ». The friend says (bank objection): « 245 $ pour dormir par terre… Pour ce prix-là, je me paie une nuit dans un bel hôtel. »

  • Weak answer: « Mais non, c’est pas cher. »
  • Stronger answer (concede, answer, benefit): « C’est vrai, ce n’est pas donné. Mais regarde : le transport depuis Québec, les tentes, les matelas, le canot et les deux guides sont compris. Une nuit d’hôtel, c’est juste un lit. Là, on vit une vraie fin de semaine ensemble. »

More ads to practise on: Section A examples and Section B examples. Method in depth: Section A and Section B (in French).

Official resources

CCI Paris Île-de-France lists free sample tests and other preparation resources on its TEF Canada preparation page, and publishes sample speaking tasks (2024 PDF). Use them to see the official layout of the ads. For a full timed mock with self-check lists, see our TEF and TCF speaking practice test.

Follow the plan with Niveau7

Practise TEF Sections A and B with Niveau7 Do each section 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

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to prepare for the TEF Canada speaking test?

It depends on your starting level. If you already hold a conversation in French, four weeks of daily timed practice covers both sections and several full mocks. From around NCLC 5, plan on about eight weeks, with more time on language range.

Can I prepare for the TEF Canada on my own?

Yes, if you practise out loud on the clock and listen back to your recordings. Sections A and B are conversations, so practise with a French-speaking partner when you can, or with a tool that plays the examiner. CCI also lists free sample tests on its preparation page.

How long are TEF Canada results valid for Express Entry?

Your results must be less than 2 years old when you create your Express Entry profile and when you apply for permanent residence.

Do you get time to prepare before each speaking section?

CCI's 2017 candidate manual gives one minute to read the ad before each section. As of November 1, 2026, CCI's current pages and 2024 sample tasks don't mention it, so practise both ways. You can't take notes.

How do I prepare for TEF Canada Section A?

Practise ads out loud: open the call politely, ask about ten varied, well-formed questions in vous, ask for clarification at least once, and close politely. CCI's sample instruction is « Posez une dizaine de questions ».

How do I prepare for TEF Canada Section B?

Practise presenting an ad in under a minute in tu, then answering objections with a fact from the ad and a benefit for your friend. The examiner plays a friend who isn't convinced, for ten minutes.

Can I bring notes into the TEF speaking test?

No. CCI says no scratch paper, notes or documents are allowed in the oral tests.

What speaking score do I need for Express Entry?

For the French draws and bonus points, NCLC 7 in all four abilities. In speaking that's at least 456 out of 699, which is at least 310 in the "Équivalence ancien score" column that IRCC asks you to enter.

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.