About the test

What canada.ca says about the citizenship test itself, with a link to every page.

This is a summary of official pages, not the official pages themselves. Rules change — always confirm on canada.ca before your test.

Format and passing score

The citizenship test has 20 questions that are either multiple choice or true or false.
The test is in English or French, and is 45 minutes long.
You need to get at least 15 of the 20 questions right to pass, and you have 3 chances to pass.
IRCC bases all the test questions on information found in the official study guide, Discover Canada.

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You are asked about the rights and responsibilities of being a Canadian citizen, and about Canada’s history, geography, economy, government, laws and symbols.
The citizenship test does not have questions to assess your language skills in English or French. If you are invited to an interview, a citizenship officer will note how well you communicate in one of the official languages.

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In most cases, if you are between 18 and 54 years old on the day you sign your application, you have to take the citizenship test.
You do not have to take the test if you are under 18 or over 55, or if you asked for and received a waiver.

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IRCC sends an email invitation to take the test within a few weeks or months of the day you submit your application. Most applicants are invited to take the test online, and have 30 days to take it.
The online test is taken on a desktop computer, laptop or tablet with a webcam, using a Chrome or Safari browser. You must take it alone, and IRCC takes random webcam photos to confirm your identity.
Once the timer starts it cannot be stopped; the test is submitted automatically when time runs out, and you get a warning when 5 minutes remain.
If you need an accommodation, the test can be taken in person — on paper or orally, or in another format such as Braille — or on Microsoft Teams.

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After the online test the result page immediately shows your score, but that score is temporary and not official. An officer reviews it, which can take a few days or a few weeks.
You pass if you correctly answered at least 15 of the 20 questions (75%).
For tests taken in person or on Microsoft Teams you get your official score right after the test. After passing, IRCC may invite you to an interview and will invite you to the citizenship ceremony.
At the ceremony you take the Oath of Citizenship, sign the oath form and receive your Canadian Citizenship Certificate.

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