The DELF (Diplôme d'Études en Langue Française) is issued by the French Ministry of Education and administered by France Éducation International. The most important fact: once you pass, the certificate never expires. It is a permanent credential.
DELF B2 format — exact durations
Listening (Compréhension de l'Oral): 30 minutes. Two documents — a long document heard twice, a shorter document heard once. Answers are written, not multiple choice.
Reading (Compréhension des Écrits): 60 minutes. Two documents with written comprehension questions. Also written answers, not MCQ.
Writing (Production Écrite): 60 minutes. One task — a formal letter, article, or essay expressing and justifying your position. Minimum 250 words.
Speaking (Production Orale): 20 minutes of performance plus 30 minutes of preparation. A monologue on a document you reviewed during preparation, followed by a debate with the examiner.
Scoring rules
DELF B2 is scored out of 100 — 25 points per skill. To pass: 50 out of 100 minimum overall AND at least 5 out of 25 in every individual skill. A score of 4 out of 25 in any one skill fails you regardless of your total. You cannot compensate a weak section with strong performance elsewhere.
Does DELF help for Canadian immigration?
Directly, no. IRCC does not accept DELF for Express Entry language scoring — only TEF Canada and TCF Canada are accepted for CRS points. However, DELF B2 is recognised by French universities, some Quebec institutions, and many employers globally as verifiable lifetime proof of French proficiency. If your goal is Express Entry CRS points, prepare for TEF or TCF. If you want a permanent academic and professional credential, DELF B2 is worth pursuing alongside your TEF result.
