A practical introduction to NCLC levels.
NCLC—Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens—is the Canadian framework used to describe French-language proficiency. Your official test results can be mapped to NCLC levels for Canadian purposes.
What an NCLC level represents.
An NCLC level is a benchmark of French proficiency rather than a course grade. Different skills may receive different benchmark levels depending on your test performance.
Why learners set NCLC targets.
Students often use NCLC goals to understand how far their current French is from the level they want to demonstrate on an accepted French test.
Use current official tables.
Score conversions and program requirements can change. AVELINGO teaches the language and prepares students for French tests; always confirm current conversion tables and immigration criteria on official Government of Canada resources.
TCF Canada score ranges by NCLC level.
These score ranges are commonly used to map French test results to NCLC levels. Each ability receives its own benchmark level.
| 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 |
| 6 | 7–9 | 398–457 | 406–452 | 7–9 |
| 5 | 6 | 369–397 | 375–405 | 6 |
| 4 | 4–5 | 331–368 | 342–374 | 4–5 |
TCF Canada speaking and writing are reported on a 20-point scale; listening and reading use a numerical score.
TEF Canada “Équivalence ancien score” ranges.
TEF Canada attestations also show newer scores out of 699. For Express Entry, IRCC currently instructs candidates to enter the values from the “Équivalence ancien score” column of the attestation.
| 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 |
| 6 | 271–309 | 217–248 | 181–206 | 271–309 |
| 5 | 226–270 | 181–216 | 151–180 | 226–270 |
| 4 | 181–225 | 145–180 | 121–150 | 181–225 |
What NCLC 5 and NCLC 7 often mean in practice.
NCLC is a proficiency benchmark. The minimum you need depends on the specific Canadian program.
| Use case | Current IRCC language threshold |
|---|---|
| Francophone Mobility | NCLC 5+ in speaking and listening; reading and writing are not required for the language proof under this exemption. |
| CEC — TEER 0 or 1 | NCLC 7 in all 4 abilities. |
| CEC — TEER 2 or 3 | NCLC 5 in all 4 abilities. |
| Federal Skilled Worker — first official language | NCLC 7 in all 4 abilities. |
| French-language proficiency category | NCLC 7 in all 4 French abilities, plus other round requirements. |
Current as reviewed in September 2026. Government requirements can change.
A clear next step.
Book a free consultation and we’ll help you understand the right AVELINGO pathway for your level and goal.