TEF Canada · TEFAQ · online preparation and accredited test centre
TEF Canada and TEFAQ Preparation: Pass the TEF with Examiner-Teachers
Prepare for the TEF Canada or TEFAQ online with examiner-teachers: private lessons, a mini-group or self-study with PrepMyFuture, from level A2. Need the TEF Canada for Express Entry, Quebec immigration or citizenship? Start by checking your level, and we’ll build your plan around it. When you’re ready, take the TEF with us: CECFQ is an accredited TEF test centre in Longueuil, on Montreal’s South Shore.
How do you want to prepare?
- Private lessons 1-on-1 — an examiner just for you · from $260
- Mini-group — 2 to 6 TEF candidates, 12 hours · $360 + registration fee
- PrepMyFuture — self-study online, 12-month licence · $99
- Take the TEF with us — accredited centre in Longueuil, first sessions coming very soon
- Not sure of your level? — start with the Ev@lang test · $30
TEF Canada preparation formats
Three ways to prepare for the TEF, depending on your level and how much you want to work on your own.
Self-study: PrepMyFuture
- PrepMyFuture TEF Canada: online practice platform
- Work at your own pace
- Access activated by our team after purchase
- 12-month licence — $99
Most popular
Private lessons 1-on-1
- An examiner just for you
- Content built around your weak points and your exam date
- 4 h — $260
- 8 h — $484
- 14 h — $818
- 20 h — $1,120
- 40 h All-Inclusive Pack — $2,319
- $20 registration fee included
Mini-group
- 2 to 6 people per group; a group starts once 2 people sign up for a level
- 4 weeks · 2 classes a week, 1.5 hours each · 12 hours in total
- All 4 tested skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking
- A2 group: Monday and Wednesday, 6:30–8:00 p.m.
- B1 group: Tuesday and Thursday, 6:30–8:00 p.m.
- B2 group: Tuesday and Thursday, 6:30–8:00 p.m.
- $360 + $20 registration fee (course materials not included, sold separately)
Your path to the TEF in 3 steps
Most preparations follow three steps: we measure your level, an examiner assesses your speaking, then you choose your format.
1
Measure your level
The Ev@lang test by France Éducation international: up to 35 minutes online, with your level from A1 to C2 as soon as you finish.
$30
Take Ev@lang2
Meet an examiner
A 60-minute online session to assess your speaking and set your preparation priorities.
Book the diagnostic3
Prepare
PrepMyFuture, private lessons or a mini-group: the format that fits your level and your exam date.
from A2
See the formatsThe diagnostic comes after Ev@lang, a similar test or an exam taken within the last 6 months. The examiner assesses your speaking; Ev@lang measures the rest of your level (listening, reading, grammar and vocabulary), which is why it comes first. Below A2? Start with our general French courses.
TEF Canada exam format at a glance
Four sections, designed by Le français des affaires (CCI Paris Île-de-France), all taken on the same day: 2 h 55 min of testing in total. Since December 2023, the comprehension sections have fewer questions.
Listening
40 min
40 questions
40 questions
Each recording plays only once, with no going back.
Reading
60 min
40 questions
40 questions
You can go back to earlier questions.
Writing
60 min
2 sections
2 sections
At least 80 words, then at least 200 words.
Speaking
15 min
2 sections
2 sections
Face to face with an examiner, recorded: gather information, then persuade.
Never leave an answer blank
A wrong answer and a blank answer both score zero: there is no penalty for guessing. In preparation, you learn to rule out wrong options and decide fast.
TEF Canada or TEFAQ?
TEF Canada is used for Express Entry: all four sections are required and taken on the same day. TEFAQ targets Quebec: you take only the sections your program requires, but IRCC does not accept it for Express Entry. TEF Canada results arrive within 1 to 10 business days and are valid for two years, so plan your exam date around your application.
What is the TEF for?
The TEF (Test d’évaluation de français) is accepted in particular for:
Express Entry
IRCC accepts TEF Canada. NCLC 7 or higher on the TEF Canada in all four skills (at least 434 in reading and listening, 428 in writing and 456 in speaking) adds 25 to 50 CRS points, depending on your English, and makes you eligible for French-language draws.
Canadian citizenship
Applicants aged 18 to 54 need NCLC 4 or higher in listening and speaking.
Immigration to Quebec
The PSTQ accepts TEF Canada and TEFAQ, as does the PEQ, depending on MIFI intake periods.
Studies and career
Some universities and employers ask for official proof of your French level. To apply to a first-year university program in France, the version used is TEF Études, which we also administer. Check which version your institution accepts.
Our approach
Your level alone won’t get you the score you need: you also have to know the exam and practise for it. With an examiner, you work on:
- The exam format — the sections, instructions, scoring and what the examiner expects.
- All four skills — listening, reading, speaking and writing, one at a time.
- Strategy — managing your time, structuring your answers, avoiding the most common traps.
- Simulations — timed sections under exam conditions, followed by examiner feedback.
- Your mistakes — in private lessons, the examiner corrects your speaking and writing tasks and shows you what to improve.
- Materials — French-as-a-second-language resources from Quebec and France.
Private lessons 1-on-1: the packages
Five packages, from 4 to 40 hours. Prices include the $20 registration fee, valid for one year. Registered with CECFQ in the last 12 months? Use your code so you don’t pay the fee twice.
Familiarization with the exam structure, instructions and sample exercises.
Price: $260 ($240 + $20 registration fee)Skill-by-skill training, with examiner feedback.
Price: $484 ($464 + $20 registration fee)More practice time on all four skills, with examiner feedback on your writing and speaking tasks.
Price: $818 ($798 + $20 registration fee)Complete preparation: all four skills, full mock exam with corrections, timed simulation.
Price: $1,120 ($1,100 + $20 registration fee)All-Inclusive Pack: 40 hours of lessons with an examiner, a final Ev@lang test, a final speaking simulation with feedback and a PrepMyFuture licence.
Price: $2,319 ($2,299 + $20 registration fee)
TEF practice tests before the exam
Speaking mock test
30 minutes online: the TEF Canada speaking tasks under real exam conditions, then feedback from your teacher. $65: $45 plus the $20 registration fee, paid once a year.
Book the simulationSelf-study practice: PrepMyFuture
Practise online for the TEF Canada at your own pace, with a 12-month licence; our team activates your access after purchase. $99.
See PrepMyFutureTEF Canada: frequently asked questions
Exam formats and immigration requirements change. Check the current rules with Le français des affaires, IRCC or Québec.ca before you register.
- Can I take the TEF at CECFQ?
Yes. CECFQ is an accredited TEF test centre in Longueuil, on Montreal’s South Shore: we administer TEF Canada, TEFAQ, TEF Études and TEF IRN. Our first sessions are coming very soon. See the exam page or write to us to find out the dates.
- What level do I need to start preparing?
Preparation starts at level A2. Below that, we recommend our general French courses first. Not sure of your level? Take Ev@lang.
- TEF Canada or TEFAQ: which one should I take?
For Express Entry, only TEF Canada counts. If Quebec is your only goal, TEFAQ lets you take just the sections your program requires. The PSTQ accepts both, so one TEF Canada result can serve a federal and a Quebec application. For Canadian citizenship, IRCC accepts both.
- What changed in December 2023?
Listening went from 60 to 40 questions, and reading from 50 to 40. If you practise with older books or mock tests, check that they follow the 40-question format.
- How long are TEF Canada results valid, and can I retake it?
Results are valid for two years. For Express Entry, they must be less than two years old both when you create your profile and when you submit your permanent residence application.
You can retake TEF Canada as many times as you like, with a 20-day wait between two sittings.
- What is the diagnostic with an examiner for?
In a 60-minute online session, the examiner assesses your speaking, sets the priorities for your preparation and helps you choose a format. Already taken the TEF or TCF? Send us your results before the session so the examiner can take them into account.
- TEF or TCF: which one should I choose?
Both are accepted by IRCC and by Quebec. The choice often depends on the dates available near you and the format that suits you, and you can take the TEF with us, in Longueuil. Read our comparison or see TCF preparation. Aiming for DELF-DALF? See DELF-DALF preparation.
Ready to prepare for the TEF?
Start with Ev@lang to find out your level, then book the diagnostic with an examiner: they set your priorities and help you choose your format. When you’re ready, you can take the TEF at our accredited centre in Longueuil; our first sessions are coming very soon.
Start the Ev@lang testTEF or TCF? Our comparison