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CEFR ↔ CLB/NCLC Converter: One French Level, Every Scale
Your French level has different names depending on who is asking. Your teacher calls it CEFR (A1 to C2). Canadian immigration calls it NCLC — the French twin of the English CLB. Your exam reports a TEF or TCF score. This tool lines them all up: enter what you know — a CEFR level, a CLB/NCLC number, or a TEF/TCF score — and see the equivalent on every other scale at once. The exam-to-NCLC mappings are IRCC-official; the CEFR-to-CLB links are close approximations, because no exact government formula exists between them.15+
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CEFR ↔ CLB/NCLC ↔ TEF/TCF Converter
Pick what you already know and see your French level on every other scale. Exam-to-NCLC is official IRCC; CEFR is an approximation.
Enter the ancien-score (per-ability) values from your TEF attestation — the numbers you file for Express Entry, not the /699 column.
Listening and reading run on 0 to 699; writing and speaking on 0 to 20.
CEFR-to-CLB/NCLC values are widely used approximations; no official formula exists between them. TEF/TCF-to-NCLC bands are the official IRCC conversions.
The Four Scales and What Each One Is For
- CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference): the classroom scale, A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2. Used by schools, DELF/DALF diplomas, and most course levels worldwide.
- CLB (Canadian Language Benchmarks): the English proficiency scale for Canadian immigration, 1 to 12.
- NCLC (Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens): the French counterpart of CLB, also 1 to 12, and point-for-point equivalent. NCLC 7 in French carries the same weight as CLB 7 in English.
- TEF / TCF: the two French exams IRCC accepts. Each returns raw scores that convert to an NCLC level.
Knowing how these connect lets you translate a course level into an immigration level, and an exam score back into something your teacher recognizes.
Master Equivalence Table
This is the quick reference. Read the CEFR column as approximate, and the TEF/TCF-to-NCLC columns as official IRCC conversions (tests taken on or after 10 December 2023).
| CEFR (approx.) | CLB / NCLC | TEF Canada (per-ability, IRCC grid) | TCF Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| C2 | 11–12 | top of each ability band | L/R 549–699 · W/S 16–20 |
| C1 | 9–10 | L 298–360 · R 248–300 · W/S 371–450 | L 523–699 · R 524–699 · W/S 14–20 |
| B2 | 7–8 | L 249–297 · R 207–247 · W/S 349–370 (NCLC 8); NCLC 7 = L 249–279, R 207–232, W/S 310–348 | L 458–522 · R 453–523 · W/S 12–20 (NCLC 7 = L 458–502, R 453–498, W/S 10–11) |
| B1 | 5–6 | L 181–248 · R 151–206 · W/S 226–309 | L 369–457 · R 375–452 · W/S 6–9 |
| A2 | 4 | L 145–180 · R 121–150 · W/S 181–225 | L 331–368 · R 342–374 · W/S 4–5 |
| A1 | 1–3 | below A2 thresholds | below A2 thresholds |
L = listening, R = reading, W = writing, S = speaking. TEF figures are the IRCC “ancien score” grid you file for Express Entry — not the /699 column.
Why CEFR and CLB Don’t Line Up Perfectly
CEFR and the Canadian benchmarks were built by different bodies for different purposes, so there is no official conversion formula between them — only widely accepted approximations. As a rule of thumb: NCLC 5–6 ≈ B1, NCLC 7–8 ≈ B2, NCLC 9–10 ≈ C1. That’s why a teacher who says you’re “approaching B2” is telling you that you’re approaching the NCLC 7 Canada rewards.
The exam-to-NCLC side, by contrast, is official: IRCC publishes the exact TEF and TCF score bands for each NCLC level, and those are the numbers immigration actually uses. Treat the CEFR column as a bridge for planning, and the exam columns as the figures that count on your file.
Worked Examples
- From the classroom to immigration. Your DELF diploma says B2. That maps to roughly NCLC 7–8 — meaning you’re in range for the French-language bonus and category draws, provided your exam scores confirm your ability by ability.
- From an exam score back to a level. You scored TEF 260 in reading. On the IRCC grid, that’s NCLC 8, which sits around CEFR B2 — useful when a course provider asks for your CEFR level but you only have a TEF number.
- The weakest-skill catch. A candidate at C1 in reading but B1 in speaking does not “average” to B2. Canada reads each ability separately, so the B1 speaking caps the usable level. Balance across skills is what moves your file.
Which Scale Do You Actually Need?
Converting a specific exam result? Use our TEF Canada chart and calculator or TCF Canada chart and calculator.
Applying for federal Express Entry? You need your NCLC levels, from a TEF or TCF score. Use our CRS French calculator to see what French adds.
Applying to Quebec? Quebec uses its own Échelle québécoise, not NCLC — see the Quebec French points calculator.
Check all our calculators for French.
FAQs for the CEFR / CLB / NCLC Converter
What CEFR level is CLB 7?
Approximately B2. CLB and NCLC 7–8 line up with the upper-intermediate B2 band. It’s an approximation — there is no official CEFR-to-CLB formula — but it’s the mapping teachers and advisors use.
Is NCLC the same as CLB?
They’re twin scales. NCLC measures French, CLB measures English, and they are point-for-point equivalent, so NCLC 7 in French equals CLB 7 in English in any immigration calculation.
What is B2 in TEF Canada scores?
B2 corresponds to NCLC 7–8. NCLC 7 on the IRCC grid you file means about 249 listening, 207 reading, and 310 in writing and speaking. See the TEF Canada score chart for the full bands.
Is the CEFR-to-CLB conversion official?
No. Only the exam-to-NCLC conversion (TEF/TCF to NCLC) is published by IRCC. CEFR-to-CLB is an approximation for planning, not an official equivalency.
What is FAQ?
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Does C1 French help my Canada PR more than B2?
Marginally. NCLC 7 (≈ B2) already unlocks the full French bonus and category-draw eligibility. Pushing to NCLC 9 (≈ C1) adds a few CRS points per ability — worth it only if you’re near a cut-off.
How do I convert a DELF level to NCLC?
Map the CEFR level of your DELF to the approximate NCLC band (B1 ≈ 5–6, B2 ≈ 7–8, C1 ≈ 9–10). For immigration, you’ll still need a TEF or TCF result, since federal Express Entry doesn’t accept DELF.
Know Your Level, then Close the Gap
Whether you’re aiming for a DELF diploma or NCLC 7 for Canada, LanguageNext takes you from A1 to B2 with one trainer, small batches, and exam formats built into every level. ₹14,000 per level · Sector 18, Noida · live online across India. See our online French courses →
Author and sources block
Built and reviewed by Vikash Gupta, founder and lead French trainer at LanguageNext. Sources: TEF/TCF-to-NCLC conversions from IRCC’s language test equivalency page; CEFR bands from the Council of Europe framework. CEFR-to-CLB links are approximate. Links: IRCC equivalency.