How to read the TCF Canada score chart
Each section has its own column, each level its own row. Sections go by French names: Compréhension orale (CO) is listening, Compréhension écrite (CE) is reading, Expression écrite (EE) is writing, Expression orale (EO) is speaking. Find your section’s column, then the row whose range holds your score: that row is your NCLC level for that skill. Both ends of a range count, so a listening score of 457 is still NCLC 6, while 458 is NCLC 7.
- Listening, reading: a score from 100 to 699. Below 100, results read “A1 non atteint”, French for “A1 not reached”.
- Writing, speaking: a mark from 0 to 20 in each section.
- Bottom of the chart: NCLC 4 starts at 331 in listening, 342 in reading, 4 out of 20 in writing or speaking. Below that, IRCC gives no level: a result is “below NCLC 4”.
- Top of the chart: NCLC 10 covers 549–699 in listening or reading, 16–20 out of 20 in writing or speaking. The chart stops there, and Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points stop rising at this level too.
On the TCF listening score chart, ranges differ from those for reading. IRCC sets separate ranges per section, so one score can mean two levels: 453 is NCLC 7 in reading but NCLC 6 in listening, while 523 is NCLC 9 in listening yet NCLC 8 in reading. Always check the column of the section you took.
Writing and speaking are tighter still. Out of 20, NCLC 5 is only 6, NCLC 6 runs from 7 to 9, NCLC 7 from 10 to 11: one mark often changes your level. Our writing Task 2 guide shows one prompt answered at several NCLC levels.
Practice score or official score
A score from a practice series is a practice estimate, not an official score. Our listening and reading series show it as a range: if its bottom and top fall in two different NCLC levels, your level is not settled yet.
Convert a TCF score to NCLC and CEFR
Pick a section, then enter your score: 100 to 699 in listening or reading, 0 to 20 in writing or speaking. You get the NCLC level from IRCC’s chart, plus the level on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) that matches that score.
Your level
NCLC 7
CEFR B2Practice estimate, not an official score.
If your score comes from one of our series, the result is marked as a practice estimate. Convert both ends of your range: if its low end already reaches your target, you have a margin; if not, that section comes first in your study plan. No score yet? A free listening series or reading series gives you a first estimate. To convert all four scores at once, with the language points they earn, use our NCLC calculator.
TCF Canada NCLC and CLB chart for all four skills
Below are IRCC’s ranges for every level from 4 to 10 in all four sections, followed by CEFR levels as set by France Éducation international, which runs TCF Canada. We last compared these figures with IRCC’s page on 13 October 2026.
| NCLC | Compréhension orale | Compréhension écrite | Expression écrite | Expression orale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10+ | 549–699 | 549–699 | 16–20 | 16–20 |
| 9 | 523–548 | 524–548 | 14–15 | 14–15 |
| 8 | 503–522 | 499–523 | 12–13 | 12–13 |
| 7 | 458–502 | 453–498 | 10–11 | 10–11 |
| 6 | 398–457 | 406–452 | 7–9 | 7–9 |
| 5 | 369–397 | 375–405 | 6–6 | 6–6 |
| 4 | 331–368 | 342–374 | 4–5 | 4–5 |
Source: IRCC’s equivalency table and Comprehensive Ranking System criteria (page modified 22 June 2026), from our exam configuration, checked 13 October 2026.
| CEFR | CO · CE (/699) | EE · EO (/20) |
|---|---|---|
| C2 | 600–699 | 18–20 |
| C1 | 500–599 | 14–17 |
| B2 | 400–499 | 10–13 |
| B1 | 300–399 | 6–9 |
| A2 | 200–299 | 2–5 |
| A1 | 100–199 | 1–1 |
| A1 non atteint | 0–99 | 0–0 |
IRCC converts each section on its own and never averages them, so you get four levels, one per skill. Take 470 in listening, 440 in reading, 11 in writing, 9 in speaking: that profile is NCLC 7, 6, 7 and 6. Reaching NCLC 7 everywhere would take 13 more points in reading and 1 more point in speaking; a strong listening score cannot make up for either.
NCLC and CLB: one scale, two names
NCLC stands for Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens, the French name for Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB). Both name one scale with the same numbers. IRCC writes NCLC for French tests such as TCF Canada, CLB for English tests, so a TCF Canada CLB 7 is simply NCLC 7.
Express Entry scores both with one table: NCLC 7 in French earns as many points as CLB 7 in English, as long as each language holds the same rank (first or second official language). Both scales also meet in the French bonus, which needs NCLC 7 in all four French skills and grows from 25 to 50 points with at least CLB 5 in all four English skills.
CEFR levels and the TCF grading scale
The CEFR ranks language ability from A1 to C2, and France Éducation international links every TCF score to one of its levels. B2, for example, runs from 400 to 499 in listening or reading, 10 to 13 out of 20 in writing or speaking. For immigration, only NCLC counts: Express Entry points come from NCLC levels, while your TCF level on CEFR is there for reference.
These two scales do not line up. In listening, B2 (400–499) holds scores at NCLC 6 (400–457) and NCLC 7 (458–499), so “I have B2” does not tell you whether you have NCLC 7. Only your score does.
| NCLC | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | C1–C2 | C1–C2 | C1–C2 | C1–C2 |
| 9 | C1 | C1 | C1 | C1 |
| 8 | C1 | B2–C1 | B2 | B2 |
| 7 | B2–C1 | B2 | B2 | B2 |
| 6 | B1–B2 | B2 | B1 | B1 |
| 5 | B1 | B1–B2 | B1 | B1 |
| 4 | B1 | B1 | A2 | A2 |
Choosing French classes? NCLC 7 points to B2: it is B2 in reading, B2 in writing or speaking (10–11 of B2’s 10–13) and B2–C1 in listening.
TCF scores for NCLC 5, 7 and 9
Three levels work as milestones. Here is what each section needs; the first number of each range is your minimum.
| NCLC (CLB) | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 369–397 | 375–405 | 6/20 | 6/20 |
| 7 | 458–502 | 453–498 | 10–11/20 | 10–11/20 |
| 9 | 523–548 | 524–548 | 14–15/20 | 14–15/20 |
Each of these levels changes your CRS points. The next table shows what each is worth per skill and what it adds over the level just below:
| NCLC | First language, per skill | Gain over the level below | Second language, per skill | First language, four skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 6 | +0 | 1 | 24 |
| 7 | 17 | +8 | 3 | 68 |
| 9 | 31 | +8 | 6 | 124 |
NCLC 5 is where French starts to count as a second official language (1 point per skill), though it adds no first-language points over NCLC 4. NCLC 7 changes most: 8 more first-language points per skill than NCLC 6, a French bonus of 25 or 50 points, plus access to French-language draws, which both need this level in all four skills. NCLC 9 adds another 8 first-language points per skill, while second-language points reach 6 per skill, as many as at NCLC 10.
Which level you need depends on your plans. Each immigration program sets its own minimum, listed on IRCC’s program pages; above it, every level you gain adds points. Our French bonus points calculator adds up your own profile, while our French draw eligibility check tests all four scores. Our page on CLB 7 for TCF Canada breaks that level down by skill.
For information only
Points follow IRCC’s CRS criteria (page modified 22 June 2026). This is not immigration advice: for your own application, rely on IRCC’s official tools.
Is there a pass mark for TCF Canada?
No. TCF Canada has no pass mark: nobody passes or fails it. It is a level test. Each section gets a score, IRCC converts it to an NCLC level, then you compare that level with your goal. In listening or reading, even the lowest result, “A1 non atteint”, only means a score below 100.
A good TCF Canada score is one that reaches your target in all four sections. To set that target, answer three questions:
- What minimum does your program ask for? Each program sets its own; check it on IRCC’s website before choosing a target.
- Are you aiming for French-language draws or the French bonus? Then you need NCLC 7 or higher in every skill.
- How many CRS points are you short? Above your minimum, every level counts, NCLC 7 and 9 most of all.
Then build in a margin: if your practice estimates sit right on a cut-off, one weaker section on test day takes you below it. Results stay valid for 2 years; our guide to TCF Canada results covers validity and certificates.