French Requirements for Quebec Immigration: Levels, Tests and Tips

Under Quebec's Charter of the French Language, French is the official and common language of Quebec and its public institutions. Quebec says knowledge of French is an essential requirement for permanent immigration. Since June 1, 2023, Quebec public services have been offered in French, with some exceptions.

In practice, French affects three things:

• whether you are eligible for a program,
• whether you receive an invitation (French can be an invitation criterion in the PSTQ), and
• whether you can work in a regulated profession, since most professional orders require a French exam.

Levels below are on the Quebec scale, as of September 2026. "Oral" covers listening and speaking. "Written" covers reading and writing.

TEER stands for Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities, the skill level in Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC).

Quebec uses its own scale, the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français. It has 12 levels, from beginner to advanced, and it matches the federal Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) closely. That means oral level 7 in Quebec is roughly NCLC 7 in listening and speaking.

Quebec does not use the European CEFR levels (A1 to C2) for its decisions, so always check your actual test scores against Quebec's own equivalence tables.

Use our CLB and NCLC converter to translate TEF or TCF scores into NCLC levels, and our language test guide to compare formats.

Quebec's business program pages list these tests and diplomas, and the PSTQ uses similar proof:

• TCF Québec (Test de connaissance du français pour le Québec), France Éducation international
• TCF Canada and TCF, France Éducation international
• DELF and DALF diplomas, France Éducation international
• TEFAQ (Test d'évaluation du français adapté au Québec), Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Paris Île-de-France
• TEF Canada and TEF, same provider

Rules to know:

• Results must be less than two years old when you submit your application.
• Quebec only accepts results issued directly by the test providers. Electronic versions of the tests are accepted if taken at an approved center.
• For business programs, some French-language secondary diplomas are also accepted, such as a French baccalauréat, the Belgian CESS, or a Swiss certificat de maturité from a French-speaking canton.
• Even if French is your first language, you must submit accepted proof. Quebec may also call you for an interview to check the level you declared.

Which test to pick? TEF Canada and TCF Canada are also accepted by the federal government, which helps if you are keeping Express Entry open as a backup. TEFAQ and TCF Québec are designed for Quebec immigration. Whichever test you choose, make sure you take every section your program needs (oral only, or oral and written).

Usually, yes. Many professions in Quebec, such as nursing, engineering, and accounting, are run by professional orders. To join an order and work under that title, you generally must show knowledge of French, often by passing the exam of the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF).

This is separate from the immigration test. Passing TEF or TCF does not replace the OQLF exam. Plan for both if you are in PSTQ Stream 3.

• Before you arrive: Quebec works with partner language schools abroad. If you hold a valid CSQ or a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ), some course fees may be reimbursed after you arrive, under conditions.
• In Quebec: the government offers free French courses to people 16 and older who live in Quebec (and to people planning to settle there) and are not in mandatory schooling. Financial help may be available.

Set a clear target: if you need oral 7 and written 5, practice all four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), not just conversation.

French speakers have strong options elsewhere in Canada:

• The French-language Express Entry category invites candidates with strong French.
• Francophone Mobility work permits are for jobs outside Quebec.
• The New Brunswick Strategic Initiative targets French speakers.
• The Francophone Community Immigration Pilot covers several French-speaking communities outside Quebec.