How to Take the Canadian Citizenship Test

If you are between 18 and 54 years old on the day you sign your citizenship application, you must take the Canadian Citizenship Test. It is administered by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The test consists of 20 multiple-choice or true/false questions, and you have 45 minutes to complete it.

To pass, you need at least 15 correct answers (75%). The questions are based on the official study guide “Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship” and cover the rights and responsibilities of citizens and Canada's history, geography, economy, government, laws, and symbols.

You do not register for the test separately. After you submit your citizenship application and it is processed, IRCC will send you an invitation to take the test. The invitation will include:

• A link to the online test, which you can take at any time within 30 days
• Instructions on how to prepare

Some applicants are asked to take the test in person or on a Microsoft Teams video call instead. If that is you, IRCC will contact you to set a date and time.

There is no additional fee for the citizenship test, as it is included in your citizenship application fee. Within your 30-day test period you have up to 3 chances to pass.

Have one piece of ID ready: your permanent resident card (even if it has expired), or a valid ID with your photo and your signature on it.

For the online test, use a desktop computer, laptop or tablet with a webcam, and the Chrome or Safari web browser. You cannot use a mobile phone, and on an iPad use Safari rather than Chrome. Find a well lit spot, check your internet connection, and close all other tabs, windows and programs before you start.

Take the test alone. Do not use any other devices or look at any study materials while you take it.

Most applicants take the test online, from anywhere, and IRCC monitors you through your webcam while you take it. Some applicants are asked to take it in person, on paper or orally, or orally on a Microsoft Teams video call. The test has 20 questions, which may be multiple-choice or true/false. Questions are drawn from the entire “Discover Canada” study guide.

You can take the test in English or French, and you have 45 minutes to answer all the questions. Online, once the timer starts you cannot pause or stop it, and your test is submitted automatically after 45 minutes.

Online, your score appears as soon as you submit the test, but it is temporary. An IRCC officer reviews it to make it official, which can take a few days or a few weeks. If you take the test in person or on Microsoft Teams, you get your official score right after the test.

If you pass, IRCC may invite you to an interview with a citizenship official, depending on your case, and then invites you to a citizenship ceremony where you take the Oath of Citizenship and receive your citizenship certificate.

If you do not pass, you can try again within your 30-day test period, up to 3 times in total. If you fail all 3 times, IRCC invites you to a hearing with a citizenship official, which lasts 30 to 90 minutes. If you fail the hearing, your application is refused, and you would need to reapply and pay the fees again.