TEF & TCF Canada · Express Entry
Get to NCLC 7 in French, and know when you're there.
French-category Express Entry draws need NCLC 7 in all four skills. Concept is exam-format practice built around that one target: timed mock exams, AI feedback on your writing and speaking, and an estimated NCLC for every skill.
Free check: about 20 minutes, reading and listening plus an optional writing task. No password needed.
Gold line = NCLC 7. Illustration of the meter, not a real learner's result.
Why NCLC 7
One level that changes your Express Entry odds
Most candidates focus on CRS points. French opens a separate route, and it starts at NCLC 7 in every skill.
skills at NCLC 7 or higher are needed for French-language category draws. One weak skill keeps you out.
additional CRS points for NCLC 7+ in all four French skills when your English is CLB 5+ (25 points otherwise).
more points for French as a second official language: up to 6 per skill at NCLC 9+ (22 with an accompanying spouse).
From IRCC's CRS criteria. Calculate your own points →
What's inside
Practice that tells you exactly what to fix
Writing and speaking are where most candidates fall short of NCLC 7, so that's where Concept gives the most detailed feedback.
An examiner's eye on every answer
Write a TEF or TCF task, or record a spoken answer. An AI examiner scores it on the official criteria (task completion, organisation, vocabulary and grammar for writing; fluency instead of organisation for speaking) and gives you an estimated NCLC for each.
You get corrections of your own sentences, what you did well, and the specific changes that move you up a level. Speaking answers also come with a model answer.
Timed, in the real format
Full reading and listening sections in TEF Canada or TCF Canada format, scored with IRCC's official score-to-NCLC table, so your practice score means something.
800+ exam-style questions
Original A1 to B2 reading and listening questions set in Canadian everyday and work life. Every answer is explained. Audio uses Québec and France voices, as in the real exam.
Know when you're ready to book
Your estimated NCLC for each skill updates as you practise. When all four are consistently at 7 or above, you'll see it, before you pay for the exam.
Fill the gaps, not just test them
Guided lessons from A1 upward and a 500-word core vocabulary with spaced repetition, for when your check shows you need foundations, not more mocks.
How it works
From "where am I?" to "ready to book"
Check your level
Take the free check for an estimated NCLC in reading, listening and writing in about 20–45 minutes.
Train your weakest skill
Practise where you're furthest from NCLC 7, with feedback on every answer instead of just a score.
Book when the meter says so
Take full mocks until all four skills sit at NCLC 7 or above, then book your TEF or TCF with confidence.
Pricing
Pay once for your prep. No subscription.
Exam prep has an end date, so passes do too. Paid passes go on sale soon. Join early access to get the launch price.
Free
See where you stand
Just an email, no card
- NCLC check: reading, listening and one writing task
- Every answer explained
- TEF/TCF → NCLC → CRS calculator
3-month pass
Close to NCLC 7, exam soon
one-time · launch price
- Unlimited mock exams in TEF or TCF format
- All 800+ practice questions with explanations
- Writing feedback: NCLC per criterion and corrections
- Speaking feedback with a model answer
- Readiness meter for all four skills
6-month pass
Building up from B1
one-time · launch price
- Everything in the 3-month pass
- Twice the time to move up a level in your weakest skill
- Guided lessons and spaced-repetition vocabulary
Early access
Be first in when passes go on sale
Join the list and we'll email you once, when paid passes open, at the launch price.
Meanwhile, the free NCLC check is open now. It's the best way to know which pass you need.
Questions
Before you start
Is Concept affiliated with the official TEF or TCF tests?
No. Concept is an independent practice platform. Our questions are original and written in the TEF Canada and TCF Canada formats. We are not affiliated with IRCC, CCI Paris Île-de-France (TEF) or France Éducation International (TCF).
What NCLC level do I need for French-language Express Entry draws?
NCLC 7 or higher in all four skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. The calculator shows how your scores convert and how many CRS points French adds.
How accurate is the estimated NCLC?
Reading and listening are scored with IRCC's official TEF Canada score-to-NCLC table. Writing and speaking are estimated by an AI examiner using TEF and TCF criteria; it is deliberately strict, but it is not a human examiner. Treat every estimate as a direction, not an official result.
Should I take TEF Canada or TCF Canada?
IRCC accepts both for Express Entry. They differ in format and scoring, not difficulty. Concept supports both, so you can practise for the one you book.
When do paid passes go on sale?
Soon. We're finishing the paid version now. Early-access members hear first and get the launch price. The free NCLC check and calculator are available today.
What level should I be at before starting?
Any. Practice runs from A1 to B2, and lessons cover the foundations. If you're far from NCLC 7, the 6-month pass gives you time to build up.
Find out where you stand today
Free. About 20 minutes for reading and listening, plus an optional writing task, and you.ll know your estimated NCLC in each.