Does TEF Canada have negative marking?
No. In Listening and Reading, a correct answer is +1 and a wrong or blank answer is 0 — there is no penalty for a wrong guess. So always answer every question, even when you are unsure.
The forums are full of "does TEF deduct marks?" threads — one is literally titled "conflicting info — help!!". Here is the sourced answer: TEF Canada Listening and Reading use +1 for correct, 0 for wrong or unanswered. No penalty. That makes guessing strictly worth it: a blank is a guaranteed 0, a guess is a free shot at a point.
Each of the four skills is scored on the 0–699 scale, and the sections are not compensated against each other — a strong Reading score won't rescue a weak Listening one, because IRCC reads your lowest skill. So don't bank everything on your best skill; the weakest one decides your NCLC.
Practical upshot on test day: never leave a comprehension question blank, and pace yourself so you have time to put something down for every item.
Official CCI Paris / Le français des affaires, verified July 2026.