TCF Canada 2026: test dates, format, how to book and free practice tests
TCF Canada (Test de connaissance du français pour le Canada) is the French test from France Éducation international for people who must prove their French to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), for economic immigration or for Canadian citizenship. It is taken at approved centres, and there is no single worldwide exam date: each centre runs its own sessions. If you are planning an Express Entry profile or a citizenship application, the practical question is how soon a centre near you can seat you, and whether you are ready for all four tests on that day.
TCF Canada at a glance
| Conducting body | France Éducation international |
| What it is for | Proof of French for IRCC: economic immigration and Canadian citizenship |
| Mode | At an approved centre, on paper or on a computer; speaking face to face with an examiner |
| Tests | Listening, reading, writing and speaking, all four compulsory |
| Time | 2 hours 47 minutes in all |
| Marking | Listening and reading scored 100 to 699; writing and speaking marked out of 20; no negative marking |
| Language | French |
| How often | Sessions are set by each centre |
| Official website | france-education-international.fr/test/tcf-canada |
Test dates and booking
TCF Canada has no national exam date. Approved centres set their own sessions, and you book a seat in one of them. The France Éducation international site could not be read on 20 October 2026, so no session date is given here. Find your centre through the official TCF Canada page and ask it for its next sessions and the registration deadline.
Book with your IRCC timeline in mind. Your result has to be in hand before you can enter it in your application, so leave room for marking time, which the centre can tell you, and for a possible second attempt.
How to book TCF Canada
- Check what IRCC asks of your programme on canada.ca: which skills and which level.
- Find an approved centre through the France Éducation international TCF Canada page.
- Ask the centre for its session dates, registration deadline, fee and whether its session is on paper or on computer.
- Register for TCF Canada specifically (not TCF tout public, which is a different test) and pay before the deadline.
- On the day, bring the photo ID you registered with.
Documents to keep ready: your passport or other photo ID (the same one for registration and test day), and any evidence the centre needs for special arrangements.
TCF Canada exam pattern
| Test | Time | Questions or tasks | Marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening (compréhension orale) | 35 minutes | 39 multiple-choice questions | Score 100 to 699 |
| Reading (compréhension écrite) | 60 minutes | 39 multiple-choice questions | Score 100 to 699 |
| Writing (expression écrite) | 60 minutes | 3 tasks: a message of 60 to 120 words, an account of 120 to 150 words, a comparison of two views of 120 to 180 words | Out of 20, double marked |
| Speaking (expression orale) | 12 minutes | 3 tasks: directed interview, an information exchange (with 2 minutes to prepare), defending a point of view | Out of 20, double marked |
Listening and reading questions have four options and one right answer, and get harder through the test. Each recording is played once. A wrong or blank answer scores nothing, so answer every question. The right answers are weighted by difficulty and turned into a score from 100 to 699, which means two people with the same number of right answers can receive different scores.
Levels. Each test is reported on its own as a CEFR level. For listening and reading: 101 to 199 is A1, 200 to 299 A2, 300 to 399 B1, 400 to 499 B2, 500 to 599 C1 and 600 to 699 C2. For writing and speaking out of 20: 1 is A1, 2 to 5 A2, 6 to 9 B1, 10 to 13 B2, 14 to 17 C1 and 18 to 20 C2. There is no total. IRCC reads the result against its own requirements.
From the sessions of 1 September 2026, France Éducation international has suspended requests to have writing or speaking marked again, for about a year.
TCF Canada syllabus
No knowledge of Canada is tested; it is general French.
- Listening: everyday exchanges, phone calls, short announcements, radio or television items, and talks at a normal pace.
- Reading: notices, ads and timetables, everyday and work letters, opinion articles, and long factual, literary or abstract texts.
- Writing: a message to a stated reader, an account of an experience with comments, and a text comparing two views on a social question and giving yours.
- Speaking: a short interview about yourself, a role play to get information, and an argued point of view.
The TCF Canada syllabus page has the tasks in more detail.
A plan for the weeks before your session
| Weeks before | Focus |
|---|---|
| 6 | One full timed TCF Canada practice test. Note the level you reach in each test. |
| 5 to 4 | Listening: short recordings heard once only, answering straight after. Reading: 10 questions a day against the clock, about 90 seconds each. |
| 4 to 3 | Writing: all three tasks in 60 minutes, twice a week. Keep inside the word ranges; a task below the required count can be marked below A1. |
| 3 to 2 | Speaking: practise the three tasks aloud with a timer, especially defending a point of view with no preparation. |
| 2 | A second full practice test. Compare each test with the first. |
| 1 | Light review. Confirm the centre, the time and the ID you will bring. |
IRCC looks at each skill separately, so the weakest test decides your result. Put the most time there.
Useful links
- TCF Canada, France Éducation international (centres and registration)
- TCF Canada presentation sheet (PDF) and TCF level grid (PDF)
- Free TCF Canada mock tests
- TCF Canada syllabus
- TCF Canada exam dates
- TEF Canada 2026: test dates, format and how to book
- How to analyse a mock test
Frequently asked questions
Is there negative marking in TCF Canada?
No. A wrong or blank answer in listening or reading scores zero, and nothing is taken off. Answer every question before time runs out.
Is there a pass mark for TCF Canada?
No. There is no pass or fail; each test is reported as a score and a CEFR level. IRCC and each immigration programme set the level they ask for.
Which tests are compulsory in TCF Canada?
All four: listening, reading, writing and speaking. France Éducation international requires all four at every sitting.
When is the next TCF Canada exam date?
Each approved centre runs its own sessions, so there is no single date. Ask the centre nearest you for its next session and registration deadline.
What is the difference between TCF Canada and TEF Canada?
Both are accepted by IRCC for French. TCF Canada is run by France Éducation international, with scores of 100 to 699 in comprehension and marks out of 20 in writing and speaking. TEF Canada is run by Le français des affaires and scores each test out of 699 with an NCLC level. See our TEF Canada guide.