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Scores and NCLC · published September 29, 2026

NCLC 9: which TCF or TEF score do you need?

TL;DR

For NCLC 9 on the TCF Canada, you need 523 in listening, 524 in reading and 14 out of 20 in speaking and writing. On the TEF Canada, you need 298 in listening, 248 in reading and 371 in speaking and writing. In Express Entry, it earns 29 points per skill in your first official language, or 31 without a spouse.

The NCLC 9 thresholds

SkillTCF CanadaTEF Canada
Compréhension orale (listening)523 to 548298 to 315
Compréhension écrite (reading)524 to 548248 to 262
Expression orale (speaking)14 to 15 out of 20371 to 392
Expression écrite (writing)14 to 15 out of 20371 to 392

Watch the detail: on the TCF Canada, the threshold is not the same in listening (523) and reading (524). For the TEF Canada, IRCC uses the « Équivalence ancien score » column of your results.

What NCLC 9 is worth

NCLCPoints per skill (with spouse)Without spouse
71617
82223
92931
10 and above3234

These points apply to your first official language, for each of the four skills. Moving from NCLC 7 to NCLC 9 in all four skills therefore adds 52 points with a spouse (56 without).

Candidate without a spouse: NCLC 7 everywhere = 4 × 17 = 68 points; NCLC 9 everywhere = 4 × 31 = 124 points. The French bonus (25 or 50 points) does not change, because it depends on NCLC 7 and on your English level.

NCLC 9 on the Federal Skilled Worker grid

NCLCPoints per skillFor all 4 skills
9 and above624
8520
7416

The Federal Skilled Worker Program has its own 67 point selection grid, separate from the Express Entry ranking. Your first official language earns 6 points per skill from NCLC 9: it is the level that gives the maximum language points on that grid.

What level is NCLC 9?

On the TCF, 14 out of 20 in speaking or writing is the start of CEFR level C1, and a listening or reading score of 500 to 599 is also C1 on the TCF scale. NCLC 9 is therefore an advanced level: you need to understand long and implicit documents, argue with nuance and precision, and adapt your register without mistakes.

On Québec's conversion chart, 500 to 599 points in listening or reading and 14 to 17 out of 20 in speaking or writing correspond to levels 9 and 10 of the Échelle québécoise, which is C1.

How to move from NCLC 7 to NCLC 9

  • Listening and reading: work on C1 and C2 documents (debates, opinion columns, argumentative texts), where the last points are won.
  • Writing: focus on Task 3, where you compare two points of view and then give your own; nuance and structure make the difference.
  • Speaking: practise defending an opinion for 4 minutes 30 seconds without repeating yourself.
  • Aim for a margin: one point less in speaking or writing (13 out of 20) brings you back to NCLC 8.

Frequently asked questions

What TCF Canada reading score do I need for NCLC 9?+
524 to 548 points. In listening, the threshold is 523.
Does NCLC 9 increase the French bonus?+
No. The 25 or 50 point bonus depends on NCLC 7 in French and on your English level. NCLC 9 increases your language points, not the bonus.
How many points is NCLC 10 worth?+
32 points per skill with a spouse, 34 without a spouse, in your first official language.
What level is 14 out of 20 in speaking or writing?+
The start of C1: on the TCF, 14 to 17 out of 20 is C1.
Does NCLC 9 count on the 67 point grid?+
Yes. On the Federal Skilled Worker grid, NCLC 9 or higher earns 6 points per skill in your first official language, the maximum of 24 points.

What score would you get in writing?

Write a TCF task and get an estimated level based on the official criteria. With the 14-day free trial. How we check the correction

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Sources

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