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Vancouver +1(604) 628-5783
March 21, 2022
Beginning the process to immigrate to Canada will include one (or possibly two) language test that will result in a language fluency score for your application. One of the many great things about Canada is that it is a bilingual country. That means you can choose whether to do your language test in English, French or both!
Obviously, you’ll go with your strongest language first, but if you are relatively fluent in both French and English, also testing for the second recognized Canadian language will add more to your overall language score for your application. Because applications are ranked on score when invitations to apply for immigration are sent out, getting the highest score possible is the goal.
Additionally, many immigration programs you might choose to apply through have a base line language score requirement. No matter what program you choose with your immigration consultant, you want a strong score on your language test.
One of the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) approved exams is the TCF Canada test (the Test de connaissance du français). There are multiple versions of the TCF exam. Picking the right one depends upon the immigration program you are applying through and where in Canada you wish to settle. They are not interchangeable.
There are a number of things you can do to study for your French language test. You may think because you can speak the language and understand it, you don’t need to study. You do.
Before doing your TCF Canada exam registration, take time to understand the test format. The TFC test is made up of four parts: Listening Comprehension, Reading Comprehension, Speaking and Writing. The listening section consists of 39 multiple choice questions as does the reading section. The three speaking tasks increase in difficulty as the test progresses and the three writing tasks also progress in difficulty.
One of the best ways to identify your strongest areas and weakest areas on the exam is to do French language practice tests.
Taking a practice test (or two or three) will help you understand your French language skills and gaps. While some are available for a fee, there are others that are free and will help you understand where you’re at in the score ranking. With this information, you’ll know if you need to put in more time for studying or if you’re ready to book your test now and study up until then.
One website with free practice tests that correspond to French language skill levels is at Savoirs. This site offers four different levels of free French language tests. They provide various styles of questions that focus on reading comprehension, listening comprehension and the ability to understand the language’s nuances – such are the correct nouns and pronouns.
Each sample test has 15 questions – enough to define your skills quickly and help you determine where to put your studying efforts.
If you don’t do great on your first attempt at your French language test, don’t worry. You can retake the test as long as you leave 30 days between each attempt. You will need to book each exam attempt separately and pay the fee, but this option allows you to improve your score.
Language tests can contribute greatly to your Canadian immigration application. Be sure to study whether you’re taking an English language test, French test or one for each language. A strong score will improve your overall immigration application score which can make the difference between being invited to apply for immigration to Canada or not. Learn more about TCF Canada and TCF Quebec.
Written by Ronda Payne