TEF Canada → NCLC
What NCLC 7 actually requires.
Four thresholds, not one. The lowest of your four skills is the level that counts.
What score do I need on TEF Canada for NCLC 7?
You need at least 434 in compréhension écrite, 434 in compréhension orale, 428 in expression écrite and 456 in expression orale, on the 0–699 scale used for tests taken after 10 December 2023. Clearing three skills and missing one leaves you below NCLC 7.
Is NCLC 7 the same as B2?
No. NCLC 7 and CEFR B2 overlap, but they are separate scales built for different purposes. Immigration applications use the NCLC level from the official TEF Canada equivalency, not a CEFR label printed on a course brochure.
Do I need NCLC 7 in all four skills?
In practice, yes, because the level that is read is your weakest skill. Raising a strong skill higher changes nothing while another sits below the threshold. That is why every level here tracks four numbers instead of one.
Last reviewed: September 2026
TEF Canada → NCLC
One weak skill caps your whole profile.
IRCC reads the NCLC level, not the raw number — and the thresholds are different for every skill. A 440 is NCLC 7 in reading. The same 440 in speaking isn't. Try your practice scores.
Score bands for TEF Canada tests taken after 10 December 2023, on the 0–699 scale. For Express Entry, follow the current instructions in your own IRCC account.
Thresholds for NCLC 7: 434 compréhension écrite, 434 compréhension orale, 428 expression écrite, 456 expression orale. Overall level is the minimum of 4 skills, never an average.
Is NCLC 7 the same as B2?
No. NCLC 7 and CEFR B2 overlap, but they are separate scales. Immigration applications use the NCLC level from the official TEF Canada equivalency, not a CEFR label, so read your attestation rather than a course description.
Do I need NCLC 7 in all four skills?
For most French-language points, the level that counts is your weakest of the four skills. One skill below the threshold caps what is read from your file, which is why raising an already-strong skill first changes nothing.
How students reach NCLC 7 with us
Every class is live online. From B2 onward the sessions run under exam conditions, speaking is recorded and marked on the official grid, and all four skills are tracked as four separate numbers so the weakest one is visible early.
Find out where your French actually sits.
A short call, a spoken assessment, and an honest per-skill starting point. No obligation to enrol.
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