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Understanding the TCF · level All levels · 7 min

TCF Canada, TCF Québec, TCF IRN: the differences

The three tests share the same name and assess the same skills: understanding spoken French, understanding written French, writing and speaking. Yet the number of questions, the timing and above all the length of the texts you write change a lot from one version to another. Practising for the wrong version means preparing for a different exam from the one you will actually sit.

TL;DR

  • The right TCF depends on your application: TCF Canada for Canada, TCF Québec for Quebec, TCF IRN for France.
  • Word counts differ most: 60 to 180 words per task for the TCF Canada, 30 to 90 for the TCF IRN.
  • Comprehension is scored out of 699 (Canada, Québec) or 499 (IRN); writing and speaking out of 20.

Goal: Choose the right TCF for your application and know the exact format of each version before you start practising.

Which test for which plan?

The choice does not depend on your level but on your application. Start by checking what the authority handling your file requires: it decides which test is accepted and which level you must reach.

  • TCF Canada: immigration to Canada, including Express Entry. Results are converted into NCLC levels for each skill.
  • TCF Québec: immigration plans for Quebec. The sections are modular: you only take the ones you are asked for.
  • TCF IRN: applications in France. A2 for a first multi-year residence permit, B1 for the resident card, B2 for naturalization.

You are preparing an Express Entry profile: you need the TCF Canada, and each skill counts separately.

You are applying for French naturalization: you need the TCF IRN (or the TEF IRN), with a B2 level and a score report less than 2 years old.

The format, version by version

The table below follows the official format (France Éducation international candidate handbook, September 2026). The comprehension sections are multiple choice questions with four options, in order of increasing difficulty.

SectionTCF CanadaTCF QuébecTCF IRN
« Compréhension orale » (listening)39 questions, 35 min29 questions, 25 min25 questions, 20 min
« Compréhension écrite » (reading)39 questions, 60 min29 questions, 45 min25 questions, 35 min
« Expression écrite » (writing)3 tasks, 60 min3 tasks, 60 min3 tasks, 30 min
« Expression orale » (speaking)3 tasks, 12 min3 tasks, 12 min3 tasks, 10 min
Total time2 h 47 minup to 2 h 22 min1 h 35 min

The big difference: how much you write

This is the most common trap. For the TCF Canada, the three tasks require 60 to 120 words, then 120 to 150, then 120 to 180. For the TCF IRN, they only require 30 to 60 words, then 40 to 90, then 40 to 90, in just 30 minutes.

A text outside the word limits can be rated "below A1" (« A1 non atteint »), whatever its quality. Practising with Canada prompts when you are taking the IRN gets you used to writing too much; the reverse gets you used to writing too little.

TCF IRN Task 1: a 45 word message describing your neighbourhood to a friend. That is within the limits.

TCF Canada Task 1: the same 45 word message is too short, you need at least 60 words.

Speaking and scoring

For the TCF Canada, speaking Task 2 gives you 2 minutes of preparation time. For the TCF IRN, all three tasks are done without preparation, face to face with an examiner.

The comprehension sections are scored out of 699 for the TCF Canada and the TCF Québec, and out of 499 for the TCF IRN, which stops at level B2. The writing and speaking sections are scored out of 20 in all three versions.

What stays the same

  • The marking criteria for writing and speaking: vocabulary, grammar, coherence, fitting the situation.
  • Two markers assess each writing or speaking performance.
  • A good comprehension method (reading the options first, spotting rephrasings) works in all three versions.

A common mistake

✗ "I'm taking the TCF IRN, so I practise with TCF Canada prompts: they are harder, so more useful."

✓ "I'm taking the TCF IRN, so I practise with the IRN word limits: 30 to 60 words, then 40 to 90, in 30 minutes."

Longer is not more useful: IRN writing is also judged on respecting its own word limits, and a text that is too long can be rated "below A1" (« A1 non atteint »).

Frequently asked questions

Which TCF do I need for French naturalization?+
The TCF IRN, with an overall B2 level required since January 1, 2026. The TEF IRN, run by the CCI Paris Île-de-France, is also accepted. The TCF Canada is for immigration to Canada, not for applications in France.
How long does each version of the TCF last?+
According to the France Éducation international candidate handbook, the TCF Canada lasts 2 h 47 min in total and the TCF IRN 1 h 35 min. The gap comes mostly from the writing section: 60 minutes for the TCF Canada, 30 minutes for the TCF IRN.
Do I have to take every section of the TCF Québec?+
No: the TCF Québec sections are modular, according to the candidate handbook. You take the ones your application requires. The format stays close to the TCF Canada, with fewer questions: 29 in « Compréhension orale » (listening) and 29 in « Compréhension écrite » (reading).
How long is a TCF IRN score report valid?+
Two years, according to France Éducation international. Keep this in mind if you are planning several applications one after another (resident card, then naturalization).

Practice exercise with answers

1. You are preparing a naturalization application in France. Which test should you take?

2. How many words does Task 1 of the TCF IRN writing section require?

3. What are the TCF Canada comprehension sections scored out of?

4. Which version of the TCF gives 2 minutes of preparation time for speaking Task 2?

Next step

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