A member who passed both IELTS and TEF Canada shared advice for applicants considering French after IRCC's push toward French-speaking candidates. The thread's useful substance:
- Expect a 1–2 year journey from scratch. The poster's honest calibration: reaching the "magic scores" on TEF Canada varies by person — study time, absorption speed — but with consistent effort and help, most learners can get there within one to two years. Don't plan a CRS boost around French on a 3-month horizon.
- The payoff can be a whole draw category. A member pointed out the poster's scores were enough to qualify under the French-speaking stream — strong French doesn't just add points, it can move you into category-based draws with much lower effective cut-offs.
- How to evaluate your level before booking the test: take mock tests. Reading and listening are multiple-choice, so you can self-evaluate; writing and speaking need feedback from someone else — a teacher, tutor, or fluent partner — because self-scoring productive skills doesn't work.
- A caution from a native speaker: even lifelong French speakers noted the Québécois accent takes adjustment — build listening practice with Canadian French audio, not only European French materials.
Historical note: IRCC's emphasis on French-speaking candidates and the associated draw categories are policy choices that evolve — check current category-based draw rules before committing to the strategy.