NCLC Score – Grid and Equivalencies

How IRCC Uses NCLC Levels

For Express Entry and many Canadian immigration programs, IRCC awards language points based on the NCLC levels shown on your TCF Canada certificate. Each skill (listening comprehension, reading comprehension, speaking, writing) is taken into account separately: if you achieve NCLC 9 in listening comprehension but NCLC 7 in writing, both of these distinct levels will enter the calculation, not an average.

The number of points awarded depends on the level achieved in each skill and whether French is your first or second official language in the file. Achieving at least NCLC 7 in all four French skills (as the first official language) generally allows you to obtain the maximum language points at the federal level. Use our CLB/NCLC points calculator to estimate the impact of your levels on your CRS score.

Two TCF Score Scales

Listening comprehension (CO) and Reading comprehension (CE): score on a scale of 331 to 699. Speaking (EO) and Writing (EE): score on a scale of 4 to 20. The table below gives the TCF score ranges corresponding to each NCLC/CLB level for the four skills.

Targeting NCLC 7 or NCLC 9

The NCLC 7 level is often the target because it allows you to obtain the maximum language points for French (as the first official language) within Express Entry. Achieving NCLC 7 in all four skills maximises your language score in many cases. Below NCLC 7 in one or more skills, the points awarded for that skill decrease; it is therefore important to prepare for all four tests.

NCLC 9 (and above) can bring additional points in certain calculations and strengthen your file. To target NCLC 9, check the score ranges in the table above (for example in listening comprehension: 523–548 for NCLC 9, in writing: 14–15). Minimum requirements vary by program (Express Entry, PTP, citizenship, provincial programs); always verify the current criteria on the IRCC website.

Reading Your Results Certificate

Your TCF Canada certificate displays, for each test, the TCF score (number) and the corresponding NCLC level. It is the NCLC level that is used by IRCC: when you fill in your Express Entry profile or attach your French language proof, you enter the NCLC levels per skill as shown on the certificate. The grid on this page allows you to verify the consistency between your TCF scores and the NCLC levels shown, or to estimate the scores needed to reach NCLC 7 or 9 in each test.

Minimum Levels by Program

Some immigration programs require a minimum level of French (and sometimes English). For example, the Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) or other streams may require a minimum level per skill. For federal Express Entry, there is no single minimum threshold: the higher your NCLC levels, the more points you receive. Consult the official page of each program on the IRCC website (or the relevant provincial government) for up-to-date language requirements.