Booking the test
Registering for the TEF Canada or the TCF Canada
Before you book, enter your own deadline in the calendar: it gives the last test date whose results would arrive in time. Then check the version, the centre and the conditions below.
Your report counts for IRCC until
September 25, 2028
| Days of validity left today | 700 |
| Results sent at the latest (1 to 10 working days) | October 9, 2026 |
| Earliest new sitting (more than 20 days later) | October 17, 2026 |
Working days skip weekends only, not public holidays. IRCC asks for results less than two years old both when you create the Express Entry profile and when you apply for permanent residence.
Registration happens with a test centre, not with IRCC and not on this site: Radif Partners is an independent publisher and takes no bookings. The first step is choosing the right version. For Express Entry and citizenship, IRCC accepts the TEF Canada and the TCF Canada; other versions of these tests, such as the TEF IRN, the TCF IRN or the TCF for Québec, are built for other procedures. The TEF Canada is offered, according to the CCI Paris Île-de-France, in about 500 centres in more than 110 countries, for candidates over 16, and each centre sets its own fee and dates. For citizenship, the CCI notes that the TEF Canada covers listening and speaking only. The TCF Canada has four compulsory tests, and France Éducation international's page lists its centres and how to register. Then work back from your deadline: results take 1 to 10 working days for the TEF, up to 10 on computer or 15 on paper for the TCF, and a second attempt needs a waiting period. The calendar above turns your deadline into a last safe test date.
Charts, converters and questions by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How charts and questions are built
Book the right test for your purpose
| Your purpose | Tests to look for | Skills assessed |
|---|---|---|
| Express Entry (French) | TEF Canada or TCF Canada | all four |
| Express Entry (English) | CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training or PTE Core | all four |
| Canadian citizenship (French) | TEF Canada or TCF Canada | listening and speaking (CEFR B1 or more) |
| France, residence card or naturalisation | TEF or TCF, in the version the French rules accept | see the France pages |
The IRCC Express Entry page and the IRCC citizenship page list the accepted tests. The TCF exists in several versions (TCF Canada, TCF for Québec, TCF IRN, TCF TP), and the TEF too, so the name on the booking page matters. For France, see the TEF IRN page.
Where to find a centre
For the TEF Canada, the CCI Paris Île-de-France runs a network of about 500 centres in more than 110 countries; its TEF Canada page is the starting point. For the TCF Canada, the France Éducation international page covers registration and lists the centres. Each centre publishes its own session dates and fees; the cost page gives dated examples and adds up a budget.
Conditions to read before you pay
The CCI registration and sitting conditions apply to the TEF. Among the points our sources confirm: the TEF Canada is open to candidates over 16; the four tests are taken on the same day; and a candidate cannot sit the same test again within 20 days. For the TCF Canada, the candidate manual states that the four tests are compulsory, lasting 2 h 47 min in all, and sets 30 days between sittings. Identity checks, what to bring and cancellation rules are set by the test body and the centre: read their pages, as our sources do not cover them in detail.
Choosing a date that leaves time for results
Enter your deadline in the calendar above (the day you plan to create your Express Entry profile, or to submit an application) and it shows the last test date whose results would arrive in time. It counts weekdays only, so leave extra days for public holidays. Keep in mind that the report must still be less than 2 years old when you submit your permanent residence application: booking very early is not always better. If you might need a second sitting to reach NCLC 7, plan the first test early enough to fit the waiting period and a second result before the deadline. The validity page and the results page go into each delay.
Getting ready once you are booked (our suggestion)
Use the weeks before the test to sit at least one timed section of each multiple-choice test and to rehearse the writing and speaking tasks against the clock. The preparation page proposes a schedule, and the TCF or TEF comparison helps if you have not chosen between the two yet. Radif Partners is independent of IRCC, the CCI Paris Île-de-France and France Éducation international: always confirm dates, fees and rules with your centre.