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Quick answer
Can IRCC check my TEF or TCF results?
Yes. You enter your language result, certificate number, and test PIN, and IRCC verifies those submitted results with the test owner if needed. Express Entry results must also be less than 2 years old at both profile creation and the permanent residence application.
The short version: your French result is not a self-reported number. IRCC can match what you typed against the official certificate held by the test owner, so the safest entry is an exact copy of the official document, not a close estimate.
Key Takeaways
- IRCC verifies submitted language test results and can ask for the certificate number and test PIN.
- For TEF Canada, enter the "Old score equivalence" column, not the Score / 699 column.
- The certificate number is the part before the hyphen; the NIP is the part after it.
- Express Entry results must be less than 2 years old at profile creation and at the PR application, or the application is refused.
Can IRCC verify French language test results?
Yes, and the guidance is explicit. Applicants must enter approved language test results into the Express Entry profile, including the result form or certificate number and the test PIN if the system asks, and IRCC verifies the submitted results (IRCC, 2026). Verification means a typed-in approximation is a real risk, not a harmless shortcut.
So the working rule is exact entry. Use the accepted test name, the correct score column, the test date, and the certificate details copied straight from the official result document. What you should never enter: practice scores, screenshots from a prep platform, or results from a non-accepted version of a French test.
- Use TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French Express Entry proof.
- Type the official result details exactly as printed.
- Keep the certificate available after you submit the profile.
- Check expiry before accepting an invitation or submitting after one.
What number do I enter for TEF Canada?
The split is precise. Le francais des affaires, the TEF owner, states that the language proficiency test result form or certificate number is the first part of the attestation number, before the hyphen, and the NIP is the second part, after the hyphen (Le francais des affaires, 2026). Mix those two up and the profile cannot match your real result.
One scoring detail trips up many TEF Canada candidates. The same TEF certificate guidance tells candidates to use the scores in the "Old score equivalence" column for the IRCC online profile. IRCC mirrors this: enter only the previous score equivalency results, because the "Score / 699" column is not compatible with the Express Entry system at this time. Reading the wrong column can place a strong result in the wrong grid.
| Field | Where to find it | Risk if you get it wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate number | First part of the attestation number, before the hyphen | Wrong proof identifier |
| NIP / test PIN | Second part of the attestation number, after the hyphen | Profile cannot match the result |
| Scores | "Old score equivalence" column | Result lands in the wrong score grid |
Citation capsule: Le francais des affaires states the TEF Canada certificate number is the part of the attestation number before the hyphen and the NIP is the part after it, and that candidates must use the "Old score equivalence" column for the IRCC profile (Le francais des affaires, 2026). IRCC confirms the Score / 699 column is not Express-Entry compatible. Drill the format itself with our TEF Canada practice guide.
Do French test results expire for Express Entry?
Yes, on a strict two-year clock. Express Entry language results must be less than two years old when the applicant completes the profile and again when they submit the permanent residence application; if expired results are used for PR, the application is refused (IRCC, 2026). The rule is checked twice, not once.
This timing bites hardest in the pool. A result that's valid the day you create the profile can turn risky if an invitation arrives close to its expiry date. Before you accept an invitation, line up the expiry date against your expected submission timing. If the result might lapse before you submit, plan a retake or get professional advice before you proceed. Re-check the level with our CLB conversion tool before you rebook.
What mistakes can cause problems?
Most failures here are clerical, not linguistic. The highest-risk errors are entering non-official scores, using the wrong TEF column, submitting expired results, or mismatching personal details, because verification depends on accurate official test data, not on CLB levels estimated from practice material (IRCC, 2026).
In our experience helping candidates check entries, the recurring problem is a name or date that doesn't match the certificate, or old and new section scores blended after a retake. If your personal details differ across documents, gather supporting evidence before submission and keep copies of the test provider's emails and the official certificate. If you retake, replace the whole result with the new one. Don't cherry-pick the higher section from each sitting.
Here's the part candidates underrate: a 9-band speaking score gives you zero protection if it's entered under the wrong field or against an expired date. Verification doesn't grade your French. It checks whether the record you submitted matches the record the test owner holds. Treat the entry screen with the same care you gave the exam. See how the score feeds your profile in our French Express Entry strategy.
Sources checked on 2026-05-15
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