French-Language Bonus Points: TEF Canada and TCF Canada Explained
Short answer
Up to 50 additional CRS points. NCLC 7 or higher in all four French abilities (speaking, listening, reading, writing) earns 25 points; if you've also taken an English test and score CLB 5 or higher in all four English abilities, it's 50.
TEF Canada band table
| NCLC | Speaking | Listening | Reading | Writing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 393 – 450 | 316 – 360 | 263 – 300 | 393 – 450 |
| 9 | 371 – 392 | 298 – 315 | 248 – 262 | 371 – 392 |
| 8 | 349 – 370 | 280 – 297 | 233 – 247 | 349 – 370 |
| 7 | 310 – 348 | 249 – 279 | 207 – 232 | 310 – 348 |
TCF Canada band table
| NCLC | Speaking | Listening | Reading | Writing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 16 – 20 | 549 – 699 | 549 – 699 | 16 – 20 |
| 9 | 14 – 15 | 523 – 548 | 524 – 548 | 14 – 15 |
| 8 | 12 – 13 | 503 – 522 | 499 – 523 | 12 – 13 |
| 7 | 10 – 11 | 458 – 502 | 453 – 498 | 10 – 11 |
The gate is your weakest skill, not your average
The bonus checks the minimum of your four French scores. One skill below NCLC 7 zeroes the entire bonus, even if your other three abilities are excellent.
How to enter this in the calculator, to get the full 50
This calculator reads your English ability from the first-language slot and your French ability from the second. If you enter French as your first language, the calculator can only ever award 25 points for it — regardless of how strong your English is — because it has nowhere to read an English score from in that case. To reach the full 50-point path, put your English test in the first-language slot and your French test in the second.
Where this bonus fits in your total
The French bonus shares the additional-points bucket with a provincial nomination, sibling in Canada, and the Canadian study bonus — and that bucket is capped at 600. A provincial nomination alone already reaches that cap, so the French bonus only changes your total if you don't hold one. See the provincial nomination guide for the full breakdown.
Worked example: input order changes the result
| Entered as | French as first language, top-band TEF, no second language |
|---|
That order caps the bonus at 25 additional points.
| Entered as | English as first language (all CLB 5+), TEF as second language (all NCLC 7+) |
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The same French ability, entered as the second language behind a qualifying English score, reaches 50 additional points.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be fluent in French to get this bonus?
You need NCLC 7 or higher — roughly intermediate proficiency — in all four abilities (speaking, listening, reading, writing), not fluency. NCLC 7 is a solid but achievable level for a dedicated learner, not a native-level bar.
Can I get 50 points with French only, no English at all?
Not in this calculator. The 50-point tier requires an English test entered as well, scoring CLB 5+ in all four abilities. Without an English test on file, the maximum is 25.
Which test should I take, TEF Canada or TCF Canada?
Either is accepted and both convert to the same NCLC scale in this calculator — pick whichever is more available where you're testing, since the CRS treatment is identical.
Enter your French and English bands to see which bonus tier you land in.
Run your own numbers