Jules-nearly-inCanada

I think, having looked at the paperwork again today, that you can take the test as soon as you have submitted your short form application and it will remain valid until your other documents are requested. Had I realised that before I would have got organised! Suddenly there seems to be so much to do! Anyway, good luck to you too, if it's any use the LSI in Paris were delighted to speak with me in English today and they make it very easy to understand the whole process, it's chepaer too, only 200 Euros, which makes the eurostar fare justifiable. Good luck!

fledermaus

I took mine well over a year before we had our 90 day letter and no update was requested.

Have fun in Paris Jules. The atmosphere may help you with the test, a mini immersion.

canduc996

Hello again, I don't doubt what you say as you have already been there and taken that test.
My reasoning for thinking that you could sit only the compulsory part was threefold. 1. The other part was called optional. 2. An approved centre (LSI) in London breaks down different prices for the compulsory part and the optional part, suggesting that you can pay for and sit one part. 3. The CIC website breaks down the points available for the 4 categories you have listed as opposed to granting points for all categories combined. However, that said, you have already learnt from experience and that is what counts. Thanks
Can you tell me where you took the TEF and your opinion on if it was a good centre to use. Easy to find, well organised etc, etc.

fledermaus

Hi, I went to the London one, near Baker Street and Marylebone, and it was ok. My problem was that the listening part involves then playing a tape which you had to answer questions on. It was very poor quality and as I rely on lip reading I only scored 3 marks or something on that. Generally they were helpful and friendly and the site is pretty central so you can wizz down to Selfridges for some quality time.

The amount of info you have to absorb for this Canadian lark is confusing but the thing to remember is that the TEF isn't only for CIC, and when they say optional they mean for Alliance Francaise's purposes.

Its even more confusing when you try to work out the mark brackets allocated by TEF, and the brackets allocated by CIC, they aren't the same. I think its on that webpage somewhere.

mclauchlan35

I believe Edinburgh Alliance Francaise can organise it with 4 weeks notice if it helps.

richmag69

When I took the TEF last year in London I only completed the compulsory section as I just needed 2 points. I managed it on the 3rd attempt and got 1 pt in written comprehension and 1 pt in oral comprehension. I received my PR visa at the beginning of this year. Unfortunately if you are successful in getting your visa they don't give you a breakdown of where you scored the points! So I can't confirm if they did credit me with 2 points for french but I can't see where else I got the points from. I like you was only claiming french in oral and written comprehension so didn't see the point in paying extra money to take an exam in something I wasn't claiming points for and knew that I would fail just to get a null report to comply with the wording. Good Luck.

Jules-nearly-inCanada

I spoke with them today and they can do it in February, incredibly helpful up there, I'm thinking that perhaps if the Canadan Embassy gets wind of the problems they might put a little more pressure on the UK institutions to open up more dates - the London agency had a sitting last Thursday and don't have another until 15th January, I suspect they may have to 'up' the ante a little to cover demand.....

fledermaus

Maybe if you had taken the whole thing first time you would have got points for the other sections?? That would have saved time, money and effort surely.

adele

I've just read the whole of this thread and as far as I am aware everything Fledermaus has stated is correct. They ask you to sit all 4 sections, including the 'optional' ones - all are requested by CIC for the purposes of Canadian immigration. I sat the TEF at Alliance Francaise in Manchester in April 2006, well over a year before my 90 day letter arrived. I managed to get 6 out of the 8 available points, I was very pleasantly surprised! I even managed 1 point for speaking and 2 for listening which I would definitely say I felt least confident about. The style for the listening section can catch you out as it comes so fast so it's easy to miss it - although the tapes and books really help prepare you for that without a doubt.

I would think that you can't avoid going to a testing centre as the speaking section is with a real person even if you do this other e-TEF for the written sections...

Hope you get something sorted,

Adele

Jules-nearly-inCanada

...LOVING your maple leaf tattoo....! J )

adele

Thanks! It's near the top of my left thigh. I got it done in Vancouver on 1st August (Yorkshire Day!) in 2004 - sort of as a symbol of determination to return as a PR...and I will finally land on 20th January 2009

A x

Jules-nearly-inCanada

Fab! Funnily enough I had one done by a one-legged native american man called Percy in Vancouver in 2000... no really, I did!! Waiting to get back (hopefully by July 2009) to get it covered up with something as I don't like it anymore, maple leaves seem wonderfully appropriate. Good luck with your move, are you all booked up? Where are you moving to?

mclauchlan35

When I spoke to them they told me that they could arrange it with 4 weeks notice. Must be one of those places where it depends who you speak too

richmag69

If you knew how bad my french was you wouldn't say that! I had no knowledge of french before the exam so knew that I would not be able to write an essay or hold a conversation. There is a whole lot of difference between picking out written or spoken words to get the gist of the sentence compared to forming a sentence and using the correct vowel tense etc. Even if I had taken all 4 parts and passed the most points I can be awarded at the basic level is 2 pts anyway. The fact that it took me 3 attempts shows how bad I am and you must admit that speaking and writing are harder than listening and reading.
However, I would say that if anyone has at least a basic grasp of french it probably is worth trying all 4 parts. I am just saying what I did and I know that the CIC site says you have to take all 4 as did Alliance Francais when I spoke to them but I just applied a bit of common sense and it seemed to work for me.
Anyway none of this helps canduc and jules as I agree with biiiiink that there is no way you can do it online from home because of the proof of identity problem - looks like it is Paris for both of you.

adele

Thanks, yes all booked up - moving back to Vancouver on 20th Jan, flying with BA out of Manchester. Lots of sorting out still to do, and time is going so fast...!

All the best with your plans,

Adele