To be selected, you must demonstrate minimum proficiency in spoken French, which corresponds to level 7 on the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes (in French) or its equivalent. Knowledge of spoken French includes both oral comprehension and oral expression.
Your de facto spouse or spouse who is accompanying you must have knowledge of oral French equivalent to Level 4 on the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes (in French).
When you submit your application for permanent selection, you must complete a declaration on your knowledge of French. One of the following documents must also accompany your declaration:
The final transcripts that are accepted are:
- A final transcript attesting that you successfully completed at least three years of studies:
- at the secondary or post-secondary level;
- full-time;
- entirely in French.
You must also provide an attestation from your educational institution that indicates the duration of your program of study and the language of instruction if:
- the national language in your country of origin is not French;
- your educational institution is not entirely Francophone.
If you are applying under the Québec graduate stream, a final transcript attesting that you successfully completed a Programme d’expérience québécoise (PEQ – Québec experience program) eligible study program in Québec and entirely in French. If you have written a master’s thesis or doctorate dissertation, it must have been written entirely in French and an original letter from the registrar’s office must confirm it.
The documents that are accepted are :
- The regular licence to practise from a professional order in Québec.
- An attestation proving that you meet the language requirements of a professional order in Québec.
- An attestation of successful completion of the French language exam by the Office québécois de la langue française for professional orders.
You must submit attestations of French test results or diplomas that are accepted by the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration. These are:
- Test de connaissance du français pour le Québec
(TCF-Québec), France Éducation international;
- Test de connaissance du français pour le Canada
(TCF-Canada), France Éducation international;
- Test de connaissance du français
(TCF), France Éducation international;
- Diplôme approfondi de langue française
(DALF), France Éducation international;
- Diplôme d’études en langue française
(DELF), France Éducation international;
- Test d’évaluation du français adapté pour le Québec
(TEFAQ), Chambre de commerce et d’industrie de Paris Île-de-France (CCIP-IDF);
- Test d’évaluation du français pour le Canada
(TEF Canada), CCIP-IDF;
- Test d’évaluation du français
(TEF),CCIP-IDF.
If you submit attestation results for the DELF and DALF, you may have to provide the original diploma or a certified copy issued by France Éducation international. The minimum passing grades to satisfy the PEQ requirement for these two tests are:
- DELF B2: 16/25 or more for the two oral exams
- DALF C1: 8/25 or more for the two oral exams
- DALF C2: 16/50 or more for the oral exam
Important:
- Electronic versions of the above-mentioned tests are also recognized. You must pass these tests in a centre approved by the organization that provides them.
- Only results issued by the providers of these tests (France Éducation international and the Chambre de commerce et d’industrie de Paris Île-de-France) are accepted by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration.
- Your results must date from within two years of the date you submit your application.
- The Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration may at any time verify or assess your knowledge of spoken French in an interview.
You must submit an attestation that you have successfully completed a French course:
- level 7 or higher in spoken French on the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes
(in French);
- in Québec;
- in a recognized education institution;
- listed among the French courses admissible for the PEQ (PDF 272 Kb) (in French), and. as of July 21, 2020:
- you had passed the course;
- you were in the process of completing it;
- you were registered for it.
Knowledge of French for the spouse
Since July 22, 2021, your de facto spouse or spouse who is accompanying you must have knowledge of oral French that corresponds to at least level 4 on the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes (in French). If not, your application will be refused.
He or she must also complete a declaration of knowledge of French and must submit the declaration with one of the supporting documents listed below:
The final transcripts that are accepted are:
- A final transcript attesting that your de facto spouse or spouse successfully completed at least three years of studies:
- at the secondary or post-secondary level;
- full-time;
- entirely in French.
Your de facto spouse or spouse must also provide an attestation from his or her educational institution that indicates the duration of his or her program of study and the language of instruction if:
- the national language in his or her country of origin is not French;
- his or her educational institution is not entirely Francophone.
The documents that are accepted are:
- the regular licence to practise from a professional order in Québec;
- an attestation proving that you meet the language requirements of a professional order in Québec;
- an attestation of successful completion of the French language exam by the Office québécois de la langue française for professional orders.
Your de facto spouse or spouse who is accompanying you must submit attestations of French test results or diplomas that are accepted by the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration. These are:
- Test d’évaluation du français adapté pour le Québec
(TEFAQ), Chambre de commerce et d’industrie de Paris Île-de-France (CCIP-IDF)
Minimum pass mark: 260/699 or over for the two oral exams - Test de connaissance du français pour le Québec
(TCF-Québec), France Éducation international
Minimum pass mark:- Oral comprehension: 260/699 or over
- Oral expression: 3/20 or over
- Test d’évaluation du français
(TEF), CCIP-IDF
Minimum pass mark: 260/699 or over for the two oral exams - Test d’évaluation du français pour le Canada
(TEF Canada), CCIP-IDF
Minimum pass mark:- Oral comprehension: 145/360 or over
- Oral expression: 181/450 or over
- Test de connaissance du français
(TCF), France Éducation international
Minimum pass mark:- Oral comprehension: 260/699 or over
- Oral expression: 3/20 or over
- Diplôme d’études en langue française
(DELF), France Éducation international
Minimum pass mark:- DELF A2: 16/25 or over for the two oral exams
- DELF B1: 12.5/25 or over for the two oral exams
- DELF B2: 12.5/25 or over for the two oral exams
- Diplôme approfondi de langue française
(DALF), France Éducation international
Minimum pass mark:- DALF C1: 12.5/25 or over for the two oral exams
- DALF C2: 25/50 or over for the oral exam
Important
- Electronic versions of the above-mentioned tests are also recognized. These exams must be taken in a centre approved by the organization that provides them.
- Only results issued by the providers of these tests (France Éducation international and the Chambre de commerce et d’industrie de Paris Île-de-France) are accepted by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration.
- The date of the results of your de facto spouse or spouse who is accompanying you must be within two years of the date of submission of your application.
- The Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration may at any time verify or assess your de facto spouse’s or spouse’s knowledge of oral French in an interview.
Your de facto spouse or spouse who is accompanying you must submit an attestation that he or she has successfully completed a French course:
- at Level 4 or higher in oral French on the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes (PDF 1.88 Mb) (in French);
- in Québec;
- in a recognized education institution;
- listed among the French courses admissible for the PEQ (PDF 272 Kb) (in French), and, as of July 21, 2020, he or she:
- had passed the course;
- was in the process of completing it;
- was registered for it.
Exceptions
If you submit your application under the temporary foreign worker stream, your de facto spouse or spouse will not have to demonstrate knowledge of French if you had a work permit that is valid on July 21, 2020, and you were living in Québec on this date.
If you submit your application under the Québec graduate stream, your de facto spouse or spouse will not have to demonstrate knowledge of French if you obtained your admissible diploma by December 31, 2020.
Contact the ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration
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Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: from 8:00 to 16:00
Wednesday: from 10:00 to 16:30
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Montreal area: 514-864-9191
Elsewhere in Québec (toll free): 1-877-864-9191
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Last update: May 26, 2023