TEF Canada Score Chart 2026: NCLC and CLB Conversion by Section

To reach NCLC 7 on the TEF Canada you need at least 310 in speaking, 249 in listening, 207 in reading and 310 in writing, all read from the old-score column of your certificate, not from the score out of 699. This TEF Canada score chart gives every NCLC band from 4 to 10 on the scales IRCC uses as of September 2026, then the CLB 7 and CLB 5 minimums, section-by-section scoring, the two certificate columns, what each level qualifies you for, and where Mocko's candidates stand.

TEF Canada score chart 2026: all four sections

This is IRCC's TEF Canada equivalency from its Express Entry language testing page, last modified 22 June 2026. Each column is a different scale: speaking and writing run to 450, listening to 360 and reading to 300, which is why 249 is NCLC 7 in listening but only NCLC 5 in speaking. On the Express Entry page IRCC groups NCLC 9 and 10 as 9+ (371, 298, 248 and 371 and above); the split shown here follows IRCC's full equivalency chart. Compare the old-score equivalence, never the score out of 699. The format and booking are on our TEF Canada page.

TEF score for CLB 7

NCLC (Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens) is the French-language version of the Canadian Language Benchmarks, so CLB 7 and NCLC 7 are the same level. NCLC 7 in all four abilities is the condition for the Express Entry French-language category and for the 25 or 50 additional CRS points for French. A speaking score of 310 and one of 348 are both NCLC 7. The next band starts at 349 in speaking and writing, 280 in listening and 233 in reading, and with no paid re-marking of the TEF, a score one point short only changes with a new sitting.

TEF score for CLB 5

Three groups need this line. Federal Skilled Worker candidates whose first official language is English earn 4 points for French as a second official language when all four abilities are NCLC 5 or higher. Francophone Mobility work permits (LMIA exemption code C16) need NCLC 5 or higher in speaking and listening only, proven by TEF Canada or TCF Canada results or by proof of education completed in French, for a TEER 0 to 5 job outside Quebec. Some provincial streams set French thresholds around this level too; check the stream's own page. If your speaking keeps landing at NCLC 5 when you need 7, read why candidates get stuck at CLB 5 in TEF speaking.

TEF listening score chart

Compréhension orale is 40 multiple-choice questions in 40 minutes. A correct answer is worth 1 point and a wrong or blank answer scores 0. Le français des affaires converts your raw count out of 40 into the score out of 699 and the old-score equivalence out of 360 beside it. On that old scale, 145 to 180 is NCLC 4, 181 to 216 is NCLC 5, 217 to 248 is NCLC 6, 249 to 279 is NCLC 7, 280 to 297 is NCLC 8, 298 to 315 is NCLC 9 and 316 to 360 is NCLC 10. A scaled score is not a raw count: 249 does not mean 249 correct answers, and you cannot read your NCLC from how many practice questions you got right, which is why Mocko's TEF listening practice reports an AI-estimated NCLC band instead.

TEF reading score chart

The reading test, Compréhension écrite, is 40 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes, scored the same way, with the old-score equivalence out of 300. On that scale, 121 to 150 is NCLC 4, 151 to 180 is NCLC 5, 181 to 206 is NCLC 6, 207 to 232 is NCLC 7, 233 to 247 is NCLC 8, 248 to 262 is NCLC 9 and 263 to 300 is NCLC 10. Reading has the narrowest bands of the four tests: NCLC 7 covers 26 points and NCLC 8 only 15. The same rule applies: 207 is a scaled score, not a question count. Practise under the real format on the TEF reading practice page.

TEF writing and speaking scores

Writing and speaking are not multiple choice, so there is no raw count to convert. Both are reported on the old scale out of 450 with the same bands: 181 to 225 is NCLC 4, 226 to 270 is NCLC 5, 271 to 309 is NCLC 6, 310 to 348 is NCLC 7, 349 to 370 is NCLC 8, 371 to 392 is NCLC 9 and 393 to 450 is NCLC 10.

Writing: Section A and Section B

Expression écrite lasts 60 minutes in two sections. Section A gives you 25 minutes to write the continuation of an article, 80 words minimum. Section B gives you 35 minutes to express and justify a point of view, 200 words minimum. The two sections produce a single writing score, and NCLC 7 starts at 310. What the markers look for in each section is set out in how TEF written expression is scored.

Speaking: Section A and Section B

The speaking test, Expression orale, is 15 minutes face to face with an examiner, in two sections. Section A (5 minutes) is about obtaining information: you ask the questions. Section B (10 minutes) is about arguing to convince: you persuade the examiner to do something. Speaking uses the same 450 scale, so NCLC 7 again starts at 310 and NCLC 5 at 226. Read how TEF speaking is scored for what the examiner is listening for; it is the section that most often falls short in Mocko's data below.

How to read the two columns on your TEF certificate

Since the 2025 format change each test is reported out of 699, and as of September 2026 IRCC's tables still use the old scales, so the certificate prints the old-score equivalence alongside. For Express Entry and any PR application, copy the Équivalence ancien score figure for each ability; for any other use, the score out of 699 is your result. Results arrive within 1 to 10 business days of the test day, by email with a link to a digital safe where you download the certificate; there is no paper copy. The certificate stays in the safe for 10 years, but the results are valid for two years, and IRCC requires them to be under two years old when you submit your Express Entry profile and again when you apply for PR. The TEF IRN uses a different scale and is not for Canada.

What your NCLC level qualifies you for

The French-language proficiency category is why most readers of this page are chasing NCLC 7. It requires NCLC 7 or higher in all four abilities; in 2026 IRCC has run French-category draws roughly every three to four weeks, with published cut-offs roughly between 380 and 420 CRS and 4,000 to 5,500 invitations per draw, each logged on our Express Entry draw history page. The CRS bonus stacks on top: 25 points for NCLC 7 or higher in all four French abilities with CLB 4 or lower in English (or no English test), 50 if you also hold CLB 5 or higher in all four English abilities. The route to 7 in all four is in our CLB 7 in French guide.

What Mocko's data shows

Source: Mocko full-length TEF Canada mock exams, completed sittings, 180 days to 9 September 2026, staff and test accounts excluded, 1,694 scored sections. Sections are graded by Mocko's AI scoring on the CEFR scale, so the NCLC bands are estimates, not official results, and none of these figures is a pass rate.

Two patterns matter for a candidate targeting NCLC 7, which sits roughly at the lower end of B2. Writing is the section where candidates most often reach B2 or above, at 35%, while listening, reading and speaking all sit around one in five, and only about half of scored sections reach B1 or above, roughly the NCLC 5 line. The usual blockers are speaking and listening, with reading close behind: speaking has the lowest share at both thresholds, and because IRCC never averages, one NCLC 6 cancels a strong writing score.

TEF score calculator

The Mocko CLB converter takes your TEF Canada score for each ability on the old scales (reading out of 300, listening out of 360, writing and speaking out of 450) and returns the NCLC band. It does the same for TCF Canada, IELTS, CELPIP and PTE, so you can line up your French and English levels for the 25 or 50 CRS points. Enter the old-score equivalence, never the 699-scale number.

Next step

Find out which band each of your sections is in before you pay for a test date. The free TEF Canada practice sections on Mocko are scored instantly by AI, including writing and speaking, with a CEFR level and an NCLC estimate per section plus written feedback on what to fix. The estimate is not an official score, but it tells you whether you are aiming at NCLC 7 from 6 or from 4. Create a free account, no card needed, and start with your weakest section.

More TEF and TCF guides

• TCF Canada Score Chart 2026: NCLC and CLB Conversion Table
• TEF Canada Writing Samples: Section A and B Model Answers by NCLC
• TCF Canada Writing Tasks 1, 2 and 3: Sample Answers by NCLC Level
• TEF and TCF Canada Results: Timelines, Validity and Next Steps (2026)
• Francophone Mobility Program: French Level Needed and How to Prove It