⚖️ Exam Comparison · 5-min Decision Tree
TEF Canada vs TCF Canada — Which Should You Take?
Both are accepted by IRCC for Express Entry. Both score CLB. Different format, fees, and turnaround. Use this decision tree to pick in 5 minutes.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | TEF Canada | TCF Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | CCI Paris-Île-de-France | France Éducation International |
| IRCC accepted (Express Entry) | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Quebec PRTQ accepted | ✅ Yes (with lex_struct) | ✅ Yes |
| CLB scoring scale | 1 to 12 | 1 to 10 |
| Number of sections | 5 (CE/CO/lex_struct/EE/EO) | 4 (CO/CE/EE/EO) |
| Total exam duration | ~3.5 hours | ~3 hours |
| Result turnaround (official) | 4–6 weeks | 10 days |
| Approx. attempt fee in India | ₹17,000–₹22,000 | ₹15,000–₹20,000 |
| Difficulty rating (Indian candidates) | Slightly harder (more sections) | Slightly easier (no lex_struct) |
| Centre availability in India | Wider (Alliance Française across most metros) | Wider (FEI partners in most metros) |
| Our 5-pack price | ₹1,100 | ₹1,000 |
Decision tree
Pick TCF Canada if you:
- Need a fast result (10 days vs 4–6 weeks)
- Are federal Express Entry only (no Quebec PRTQ plans)
- Prefer 4 sections over 5
- Want slightly lower attempt fee
Pick TEF Canada if you:
- Want flexibility to apply to both federal AND Quebec immigration
- Score scale 1–12 gives you finer-grained reporting (CLB 11–12 doesn't exist on TCF)
- Have access to a TEF centre with sooner availability
- Have already passed a CCI exam in the past (more familiar format)
If still undecided:
Take TCF Canada. The 10-day turnaround is the single biggest practical advantage for Express Entry candidates managing pool deadlines, and the federal CRS bonus is identical at the same CLB level.
FAQs
Can I take both exams?
Yes. There's no IRCC restriction on taking both. Some candidates use TCF Canada first for a fast diagnostic and then sit TEF Canada to potentially score higher (CLB 11–12 only exists on TEF). The cost is significant though — typically ₹35k+ for both.
Do they test the same skills?
Almost identical core skills (CE/CO/EE/EO). TEF Canada additionally tests Lexique et Structure. The official scoring rubrics are different (CLB 1–12 vs 1–10) but both map cleanly to IRCC CLB points.
Which has more practice material online?
TEF Canada has marginally more — it's been around longer and has more YouTube prep + sample papers. But for both, our platform is among the few Indian-built AI-graded mocks. Most other prep is generic French (DELF) which doesn't fully cover the Canadian-specific format.
Ready to start?
Take a full Canada French mock — works for both TEF Canada and TCF Canada formats.
Start free Canada French mockIndependent prep platform. Not affiliated with IRCC, CCI Paris-Île-de-France, or France Éducation International. Practice audio uses Parisian French — supplement with Québec-French sources before exam day.