r/TEFCanada

Seeing a lot of "is the French category over" posts since there's been no draw after Aug 19. I went through the rounds and the targets and I really don't think so.

This year's quota is basically filled, that's all. 50,500 French ITAs since February, more than all of 2025. Anyone invited now would land in 2027 anyway (60 days to apply, ~6 months processing), so it makes sense they stopped for the year.

But the count starts over in January and the target goes UP. 9.5% French speaking PRs outside Quebec in 2027, then 10.5%, and 12% by 2029. The last two years it took around 48-50k invitations a year to get there. They're going to need at least that many again, and the people who already had their scores got picked up this summer. So the next rounds are going to be filled by people who are studying right now.

Same thing happened in 2025 btw. Nothing from March 21 to August 8, everyone said it was done, then six French draws before the end of the year.

And look at the gap in scores. Every French draw this year was between 382 and 420. CEC is at 518. I can't think of anything else that moves your chances like that, and that's before the extra CRS points you get for French.

So if you're halfway through TEF or TCF prep, don't stop now. A few months with no draws is exactly the time you need to get to NCLC 7 before they start again.

No clue on the exact date, IRCC hasn't said anything. New levels plan should be out around Nov 1, I'd watch for that.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/ministerial-instructions/express-entry-rounds.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/transparency/committees/cimm-apr-20-2026/francophone-immigration.html

https://cicnews.com/2026/10/canada-invites-3500-tradespeople-to-apply-for-permanent-residence-1080909.html

https://moving2canada.com/2026/07/9900-new-francophone-pr-between-jan-and-may-2026/

Hey guys if you have exam in Halifax AF let me know we can connect.

Pensez-vous qu'il y aura des tirages français ce mois-ci ? Ça fait un mois et demi. J'ai réussi mon examen TEF Canada avec des scores très élevés, mais il n'y a pas eu de tirages français depuis. Qu'en pensez-vous ?

Hi everyone! I’m looking for a study partner to help me stay consistent with learning French.

I’m currently around A2 /b1 and studying for the TEF Canada. My goal is to reach NCLC 7, and I’m hoping to take the exam next year. I live in Ontario and work full time, so I usually study in the evenings, around 8 p.m. to midnight (Eastern Time).

I’d like to find someone who’s also learning French and would be interested in studying together regularly—quiet study sessions for accountability, plus some speaking practice and review. We can set a schedule that works for both of us and help each other stay motivated.

If you’re interested, feel free to comment or send me a message. À bientôt!

Hi everyone!

I noticed something about the TEF Listening exam and am not sure if am the only one here. FYI I hate the listening section and its been my weakest one. And when i gave my first attempt, i got clb 4 in it. But that was last year. And then due to some personal issues, I had to stop french but since like may I’ve been getting back into it.

Now, I was doing a mock test with my tutor and I remember I got like 34/40 and this was the first time ever I got 34 in a listening test. I was at like 15-25 last year. And this was ofc a shock. And i thought the test was just too easy. No….I did a few more tests and the results were 29, 33, and 40/40 too. Is the listening section getting easier???? Theres parts where they are saying the answer in the audio word by word in the answer options.

Has anyone experienced this?

FYI I used TEFcanadapractice with my tutor which made me think because it’s not an official prep website, it might be easier. Until I did some tests on the TEFCanada.info website and it was the same thing there too.

I wanted to share my experience because I know a lot of people are in a similar situation with their work permits and French-language requirements.
My work permit was expiring, and I needed to meet the French language requirement for my application. I took my first TCF test, but unfortunately, I didn’t get the speaking score I needed.
I was given another opportunity and took the test again. Unfortunately, my speaking score was still lower than what I needed. 😭
Since my deadline was approaching, I submitted my application anyway and clearly mentioned that I had requested a re-evaluation of my French test. I was honestly very stressed because I didn’t know if the re-evaluation would change my score or if I would have to deal with a refusal.
The re-evaluation took almost two months.
And today, finally, I received my re-evaluation result — and I got the score I needed! 🥹❤️
The biggest relief is that, by God’s grace, I still haven’t received any update/decision on my application. So I had enough time to upload my new result and hopefully have it considered with my application.
Honestly, I feel extremely lucky because if they had processed my application before I received the re-evaluation, I don’t know what would have happened.
Now I’m just praying and hoping that everything goes smoothly and that I can finally get my full work permit. 🙏
This whole experience has been so stressful — taking the test twice, getting a lower score than expected, waiting almost two months for the re-evaluation, and constantly worrying about my immigration status.
But today finally feels like a little win. ❤️
If anyone has been in a similar situation where they submitted their application while waiting for a French test re-evaluation and then uploaded the updated result afterward, I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience!

Hi everyone,
I’m planning to take the TEF Canada in about 2 months and I’m currently around A1 level in French.
My main goal is to reach NCLC/CLB 5 in Speaking and Listening. I’m not necessarily trying to become fluent in 2 months — I just need to reach the required level in these two sections.
For those who have taken TEF Canada or have gone from A1/A2 to NCLC 5:
● Is 2 months realistic with intensive studying?
● What should I focus on the most for Speaking and Listening?
● How many hours per day would you recommend?
● Which resources helped you the most?
● Should I focus more on TEF-specific preparation or general French first?
● Are there any particular YouTube channels, courses, mock tests, or textbooks you would recommend?
● How did you improve your listening comprehension quickly?
● For speaking, what topics/templates or strategies helped you the most?
I currently have access to a French course, but I’m wondering if I should add TEF-specific preparation and mock tests.
I’d really appreciate advice from anyone who has successfully reached NCLC 5 starting from a beginner/low A1 level, especially within a short timeframe.
Thanks in advance!

For those who applied inland for a Francophone Mobility (C16) work permit in June or July 2026:

Have you received your approval yet? If yes, what was your application date and approval date?

If you're still waiting, please also share your application date + current status.

Thanks! 🙏