What score do you need to get on the TEF Canada?

To understand what score to get on the TEF Canada, you must first:

1. Understand what a Canadian immigration file consists of and what place is given to language skills in this famous file.

2. Know that there are different immigration programs and that the levels required for TEF Canada vary from one program to another.

3. Refer to the TEF Canada score grid to find out your level.

In order to better clarify these sometimes complex procedures, this article presents in detail the three points mentioned above.

Preparation for the TEF

1. Points system for immigration application

When an immigration application is submitted, Canadian authorities rely on the points of the required selection criteria to consider admission to the program in which a candidate is registered.

For example, to validate an application to the skilled worker program, the candidate must obtain points in the following areas:

• Language skills (maximum 28 points)
• Studies (maximum 25 points)
• Work experience (maximum 15 points)
• Age (maximum 12 points)
• Employment reserved for Canada (maximum of 10 points)
• Adaptability (maximum of 10 points)

To be considered for admission to the Skilled Worker Program and to be included in the Express Entry pool, the minimum score required is 67 points.

Below 67 points, you will have to start a new application to improve your score and be eligible for the program.

Once entered into the Express Entry pool, another scoring system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is used to assign a score out of 1200. Candidates in the pool with the highest scores are then invited to apply for permanent residence.

Now let's focus on the language skills , since this is the section where the TEF Canada is located!

2. TEF Canada

This is a four-part test ( What is the TEF Canada? ) that is necessary to pass if you wish to immigrate to Canada. The tests are as follows ( What does the TEF contain ):

• Listening comprehension: 60 min – 40 questions
• Written comprehension: 60 min – 40 questions
• Oral expression: 15 min – 2 topics to cover
• Written expression ( Learn more about the format of written expression ): 60 min – 2 topics to cover

Canadian immigration services look at the results obtained on the TEF Canada and then convert them into language proficiency levels (NCLC explained).

In short, the higher your results on the TEF Canada, the more points you will earn for the "Language Skills" section of your application , and therefore the better your chances of being eligible for the program you are enrolled in. A score that is too low on the TEF Canada may result in your application being rejected, hence the importance of preparing well for the test to obtain a very good score!

Details of obtaining points for the language skills part of the skilled worker program in first official language (maximum 28 points):

Details of points obtained for the language skills section in second official language (maximum 4 points) :

It is possible to get 4 points only if you have a minimum level of NCLC 5 for each of the four language skills.

3. TEF Canada rating and required level according to the chosen program

Depending on your project, the level required differs when you take the TEF Canada.
If you are applying to enter Canada for one of the programs below, the required levels are as follows:

Federal Skilled Worker Program:

• If your first chosen official language is French, you must validate a minimum level NCLC 7 in all four skills of the test.
• If your second chosen official language is English, you must validate a minimum level NCL 5 in all four skills of the test.

Federal Skilled Trades Program:

• Minimum level required (French or English as first official language): NCLC 5 or CLB 5 in the oral expression and oral comprehension tests.
• Minimum level required (French or English as first official language): NCLC 4 or CLB 4 in the written expression and written comprehension tests.

Canadian Experience Class Program:

The level required for this program depends on the classification of the candidate's occupation under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) of Canada:

• Minimum level required for CNP 0 or A: NCLC 7
• Minimum level required CNP B: NCLC 6

Trick :

It is now possible to get up to 50 bonus points if you have a very good level of French, whether it is your first or second official language.

Indeed, if you validate NCLC level 7 In the four tests of the test , you can obtain:

• 25 additional points if you have a level 4 or lower (CLB scale) in English or if you have not taken a test in English.
• 50 additional points if you achieve level 5 or above (CLB scale) in English for all four skills.

4. The TEF Canada rating