How a good TEF score helps you immigrate to Canada

In order to apply for an immigration programme or citizenship in Canada, applicants must pass certain criteria for eligibility. These include factors such as education, employment experience and language proficiency.

Since Canada has two official languages (English and French), knowledge of both is useful for improving your chances of being accepted onto a given programme.

Applicants can choose which language to take their test in, although it is suggested to take the test for the language more commonly used in the area the applicant is planning to move to. For instance, French is the most frequently used language in Quebec and parts of New Brunswick, whereas in the rest of the country it is English.

Each programme has a minimum language requirement, which is set at a certain level of the CLB (Canadian Language Benchmarks) or NCLC (Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens), depending on the language. There are 12 levels in total. Applicants can receive an additional 25 points on their application if they achieve level 4 in their secondary language, or 50 if they achieve level 5 or above. Some programmes may mandate a knowledge of both languages, although with different required levels for both.

To achieve a certain level, applicants need to provide evidence of proficiency by undergoing a test. Those looking to show proof of proficiency in English are recommended to take the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) or TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) tests. For French, it is advised to take the TEF (Test d'évaluation de français) exam.

Different versions of the TEF exam, depending on where the applicants wants to immigrate to, include TEF Canada, TEF Quebec Québec (TEFAQ) and TEF Intégration, Résidence et Nationalité (IRN). The TEF Canada exam is divided into four sections:

1. Compréhension écrite : 60 min – 40 questions
2. Compréhension orale : 40 min – 40 questions
3. Expression écrite : 60 min – 2 sujets à traiter
4. Expression orale : 15 min – 2 sujets à traiter

The points gained in each section correspond to a level of the NCLC. For instance, someone who scores 210 points on the Compréhension écrite will be considered Level 7 of the NCLC. You can see the conversion table here.

A stated above, different programmes have different minimum language requirements. For instance, the Federal Skilled Trades program requires level 5 in speaking and listening, and level 4 in reading and writing, while 4 or above is required in all areas for Canadian citizenship. But the more points you achieve in the exam, the more application points you will receive for your application.

As an example, someone who scores an NCLC level of 9 will for the Federal Skilled Worker programme will secure 6 points, compared with the 4 points given to someone who achieves the minimum 7 points.

If you’re looking to prepare for the TEF exam, why not sign up to Alexa’s TEF Preparation Course? This course is designed to help you score top marks on the TEF exam, featuring 100s of exam practice exercises, support guides and videos. It also includes two hours of speaking practice with a TEF expert and feedback on two TEF written assignments. Sign up today!