Scores and levels
The Express Entry French-language bonus, explained with scores
French at NCLC 7 in every skill earns extra CRS points and access to French-language rounds. Here is the rule, the scores behind it and the role of English.
Language-related CRS points
106
| First official language | 68 |
| Second official language | 0 |
| French bonus | 25 |
| Transferability: education + language | 13 |
| Transferability: foreign work + language | 0 |
Transferability also counts combinations without language (education or foreign work with Canadian experience): they are not included here.
In Express Entry, French pays twice. First, the Comprehensive Ranking System adds a bonus in its additional points section to any candidate with NCLC 7 or more in all four French skills: 25 points when English is CLB 4 or lower or was not tested, and 50 points when English reaches CLB 5 or more in all four skills. Second, the same NCLC 7 in all four skills opens the French-language category, one of 10 categories IRCC lists for category-based rounds of invitations. On the TEF Canada sat since 11 December 2023, NCLC 7 means at least 434 in reading, 428 in writing, 434 in listening and 456 in speaking. On the TCF Canada it means 453 in reading, 458 in listening and 10 out of 20 in writing and speaking. One French skill at NCLC 6 cancels both the bonus and the category. The English part is modest: CLB 5 is band 4.0 in IELTS General Training reading and level 5 on CELPIP-General.
My French-language bonus
Bonus
50
| French threshold | NCLC 7 |
| For 50 points | English CLB 5 or more on all four |
Charts, converters and questions by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How charts and questions are built
The rule in one table
| French, all four skills | English | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| NCLC 7 or more | No test, or CLB 4 or lower | 25 |
| NCLC 7 or more | CLB 5 or more in all four | 50 |
| At least one skill under NCLC 7 | Any | 0 |
The weakest of the four French skills decides. A candidate with three NCLC 9 and one NCLC 6 gets no bonus at all, while a candidate at NCLC 7 everywhere gets it in full. The calculator above takes your eight levels, French and English, and shows the bonus with the rest of your language points.
The French scores to reach
NCLC 7 per skill on each French test, from the IRCC equivalency charts:
| Skill | TEF Canada (since 11 Dec. 2023) | TCF Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 434 | 453 |
| Writing | 428 | 10 / 20 |
| Listening | 434 | 458 |
| Speaking | 456 | 10 / 20 |
On the TEF Canada, speaking is the skill most likely to hold the bonus back: its NCLC 7 floor is the highest of the four. If your TEF Canada report predates 11 December 2023, the TEF Canada score page gives the older charts.
The English half of the rule
To get the higher amount, English must be CLB 5 or more in reading, writing, listening and speaking. In IELTS General Training that is 4.0 in reading and 5.0 in the other three skills; in PTE Core, 42 in reading, 51 in writing, 39 in listening and 51 in speaking; in CELPIP-General, level 5 in each skill. The CELPIP page explains how IRCC reads that test.
The French-language category
Since IRCC introduced category-based selection, some rounds invite only candidates who meet a category's conditions. The category-based selection page lists 10 categories; the French-language one asks NCLC 7 in all four French skills, the same threshold as the bonus. The two work together: the bonus raises your score in every round, and the category gives you access to rounds where only French speakers compete. Cut-off scores and round dates change often and are not tracked on this site.
Keeping the bonus until the end
The bonus only counts while the French result is valid. IRCC wants test results under 2 years old when you create the profile and again when you submit the permanent residence application, and both the TEF Canada and the TCF Canada reports are valid for 2 years. If your report will expire before you can apply, plan a new sitting early enough to keep NCLC 7 in all four skills.
A worked example
A single candidate with French as first official language at NCLC 8 in all four skills earns 92 first-language points. Without any English test, the bonus adds 25. With English at CLB 5 in all four, the bonus becomes 50 and English adds 4 second-language points: 29 more in total. The language points page gives the full scale, and the NCLC 7 page shows the score to aim for on every test.