Assess and improve French language skills

French language test requirements

Canada: Candidates who have secured job offers where French is the primary language are required to take French exams to qualify for EMPP.

Candidates have the option of taking the TEF Canada or the TCF Canada. 

Candidates have to score a minimum of CLB 5 in each category (reading, writing, listening and speaking), the CLB equivalency tables are found here: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/standard-requirements/language-requirements/test-equivalency-charts.html

For ease of reference, in order to score CLB 5 or higher, candidates must score at minimum:

Test d’évaluation de français (TEF) :

• compréhension de l’écrit = 151
• expression écrite = 226
• compréhension de l’oral = 181
• expression orale = 226

TCF Canada – Test de connaissance du français :

• compréhension de l’écrit = 375
• expression écrite = 6
• compréhension de l’oral = 369
• expression orale = 6

Improving French language skills 

In learning any language, there are four language skills which candidates need to study and strengthen: 

• Listening
• Speaking
• Reading
• Writing

The common way people learn languages is by attending a course, either an in-person course or an online course. In addition to taking French language classes, their French skills will benefit significantly from immersing themselves in French-language media. For example, their listening and speaking can improve by watching French-language movies and TV shows, which will help candidates to learn how French speakers sound and how to imitate these sounds. For reading and writing, candidates should read French-language news, and French-language books, to get a better understanding of written French.