TCF Score Chart: TCF Canada to NCLC and CLB
The official TCF Canada score chart: every TCF score converted to NCLC (CLB), the score for NCLC 7, and the CRS points each level is worth in Express Entry.
The TCF score chart converts each of your four TCF Canada results into an NCLC level, the French equivalent of a CLB level. NCLC 7, the level most Express Entry routes ask for, means at least 458 in listening, 453 in reading and 10 out of 20 in both writing and speaking.
The chart is read one skill at a time. Canada never averages your four results, so your NCLC level is effectively your weakest skill's level.
What is the TCF Canada score chart?
It is IRCC's official table for converting TCF Canada results into NCLC levels, published on its language test equivalency page. Listening and reading are scored on a scale up to 699, writing and speaking out of 20, and each has its own column.
| NCLC (CLB) | Listening (compréhension orale) | Reading (compréhension écrite) | Writing (expression écrite) | Speaking (expression orale) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 and above | 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 |
| 4 | 331–368 | 342–374 | 4–5 | 4–5 |
Below NCLC 4 there is no level to convert to, which for most immigration purposes means the result does not count.
Are NCLC and CLB the same thing?
Yes, for immigration purposes they are the same scale in two languages. IRCC's language requirements page measures English in Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) and French in Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC), and sets every minimum as a pair such as "CLB 7 / NCLC 7".
So when a programme asks for "CLB 7" and you are applying with French, it means NCLC 7 on the chart above. "TCF to CLB" and "TCF to NCLC" are the same conversion.
What TCF score do you need for NCLC 7 (CLB 7)?
You need at least 458 in listening, 453 in reading, 10 out of 20 in writing and 10 out of 20 in speaking, all four at once. NCLC 7 is the minimum for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, for the Canadian Experience Class in TEER 0 and 1 jobs, and for the French bonus points in Express Entry.
Notice that the two comprehension thresholds are not the same: reading starts five points lower than listening. And in writing and speaking, NCLC 7 starts at exactly half marks.
Is 470 a good TCF Canada score?
In listening or reading, 470 is NCLC 7, which is enough for most Express Entry minimums but sits near the bottom of the band. In listening it is 12 points above the NCLC 7 threshold and 33 points short of NCLC 8 at 503.
Whether a score is "good" depends entirely on which skill it is in and what you are applying for. A 470 is NCLC 7 in both comprehension parts, but there is no 470 in writing or speaking, which are marked out of 20.
How do you read your TCF Canada results for Express Entry?
Take the comprehension scores from the column on your certificate marked "Équivalence ancien score", and enter your writing and speaking marks out of 20 as they are. IRCC's testing page says the results in the "Score / 699" column should not go into an Express Entry profile because they are not compatible with its system.
Then do the conversion one skill at a time:
- Find your listening score in the listening column and note the NCLC level on that row.
- Do the same for reading, writing and speaking, each in its own column.
- Your lowest of the four is the level that decides whether you meet a minimum.
That is all a TCF score calculator or TCF-to-CLB calculator does. There is no formula behind the chart, only these ranges.
How many CRS points is each NCLC level worth?
For your first official language, each of the four skills earns its own points: 6 at NCLC 4 or 5, 9 at NCLC 6, 17 at NCLC 7, 23 at NCLC 8, 31 at NCLC 9 and 34 at NCLC 10 and above. Those are the figures for a single applicant in IRCC's Comprehensive Ranking System criteria; with a spouse or common-law partner they are 6, 8, 16, 22, 29 and 32.
Multiplied across four skills, that is where the steps in the chart start to matter:
- All four at NCLC 6: 36 points (single applicant).
- All four at NCLC 7: 68 points. Moving every skill from 6 to 7 is worth 32 points on its own.
- All four at NCLC 9: 124 points.
- All four at NCLC 10 or above: 136 points, the maximum.
If French is your second official language rather than your first, the points are much smaller: 1 per skill at NCLC 5 or 6, 3 at NCLC 7 or 8, and 6 at NCLC 9 or above.
How many bonus points does French give you in Express Entry?
NCLC 7 or higher in all four French skills earns 50 additional CRS points if you also have CLB 5 or higher in all four English skills, or 25 points if your English is CLB 4 or lower or untested. Both figures are in IRCC's CRS criteria.
This bonus is all or nothing. NCLC 7 in three skills and NCLC 6 in the fourth earns none of it, and neither does it qualify you for the French-language proficiency category draws, which also require NCLC 7 in all four.
Which TCF score gains you the most points?
The highest-value gaps are the narrow bands just above NCLC 7. In listening, NCLC 8 runs from 503 to 522 and NCLC 9 from 523 to 548, so a 20 to 26 point improvement moves you a whole level and, per skill, adds 6 or 8 CRS points.
Compare that with NCLC 6, which spans 60 points in listening (398 to 457). A candidate on 400 and one on 457 get exactly the same NCLC level and the same points, so improvement inside that band shows up nowhere until it crosses 458.
The same shape appears in writing and speaking. NCLC 6 covers three marks, 7 to 9, and NCLC 7 starts at 10. A 9 out of 20 in speaking is one mark from 17 CRS points instead of 9, and from the 25 or 50 French bonus points, if the other three skills are already at NCLC 7.
Why do some TCF score charts online show different numbers?
Because many of the charts in circulation are copied, merged with TEF Canada tables, or out of date, and some collapse NCLC 5 and 6 into one band. The only chart that counts for an application is the one on IRCC's language test equivalency page, and the table above is copied from it.
The other common source of confusion is the certificate itself. The "Score / 699" column and the "Équivalence ancien score" column are not the same number, and only the second one goes into Express Entry.
How long is a TCF Canada score valid?
Two years. IRCC requires your results to be less than 2 years old both when you create your Express Entry profile and when you submit your permanent residence application, and refuses applications with expired results.
If your results will expire before you can apply, IRCC's options are to retest, apply before they expire, or decline the invitation and go back into the pool. You can resit the TCF Canada after a 20-day wait; the TCF Canada guide covers retakes and registration.
How do you move up a level on the TCF Canada?
Work out which skill is lowest on the chart, and put most of your preparation there. Each part of the test has its own traps, covered in its own guide: one-play audio in compréhension orale, pacing in compréhension écrite, word limits in expression écrite and the three timed tasks in expression orale.
If your weakest skill is writing or speaking, the mark out of 20 comes from an examiner, and practice with a teacher who can mark you against the same tasks is the fastest way to find the one or two marks between NCLC 6 and 7.