A certificate is not a guarantee of peace of mind
A case that is important to know about
(not for panic, but for awareness)
My former student allowed me to share her story confidentially.
I think this is an unusual situation, and hearing about it could be useful to anyone preparing for exams — or who has already passed them.
So, the person received invitation to apply from IRCC, collected documents, sent the dossier and waited for review.
The path to this stage was long: regular French classes for a year and a half, a large amount of independent work, targeted preparation for all parts of the exam.
The exam was not passed on the first try, but in the end we passed it: level B2 in all four skills, confirmed by the official certificate TCF Canada.
⚠And then a letter arrives from IRCC.
It expresses doubt: why are the scores for listening (464) and reading (489) ❗️significantly higher❗️ than for speaking (13) and writing (12).
Although, if you look closely at the TCF rating scale, all these results correspond to the level of B2 CEFR, in other words, the result is quite standard, without bias towards any individual skills. And on the Canadian scale, listening and reading (CLb7) are even a point lower than speaking and writing (CLB8).
What exactly the officer relied on is still unclear.
There is speculation that he misunderstood the TCF internal scale, which rates listening and reading in three digits and productive skills in two digits. Comparing these formats can indeed look visually contrasting, although in essence it is normal. But this is all lyrics.
Now IRCC asks for explanations and confirmation:
✅How was the preparation?
✅Why are no documents confirming training included?
✅How can you justify the “skew” towards receptive skills?
The student, of course, will prepare a detailed explanation with scales and arguments attached.
For my part, I also prepare all possible evidence of our regular, long-term and focused work.
But still, the situation is unpleasant and depressing.
And what can be concluded from it?
📌 Even if you have an exam certificate with a confirmed level in all components, this, alas, does not always protect against additional questions.
📌 And passing the exam may not be the final point, as it seemed.
In general, this is the case.
Cases are different.
Be prepared and be mindful of your preparation.
Update: within a month of the request for additional information, after submitting every available document and explanation to show that she had genuinely studied French, the student received the long-awaited approval of her application.