Canadian citizenship test · Learn · 2 November 2026 · 5 min read
Canadian citizenship test format: 20 questions, 15 to pass
How the Canadian citizenship test works: 20 multiple-choice or true-or-false questions, 45 minutes, 15 to pass, ages 18 to 54, online rules, 3 chances.
The Canadian citizenship test has 20 questions, each either multiple choice or true or false. You have 45 minutes, and you need at least 15 correct answers to pass. Every question is based on the official study guide, Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship, and you can take the test in English or French. In most cases, applicants aged 18 to 54 on the day they sign their application must take it.
This guide sets out the format, who has to sit the test, how the online version works and how to prepare.
The format at a glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Questions | 20 |
| Question types | Multiple choice or true or false |
| Time | 45 minutes |
| Pass mark | At least 15 of 20 correct (75%) |
| Languages | English or French |
| Chances to pass | 3 |
| Study material | Discover Canada, free from IRCC |
| Delivery | Mostly online; sometimes in person or on Microsoft Teams |
What 15 out of 20 really means
You can get five questions wrong and still pass. That sounds generous, but five slips come quickly if you are unsure of dates, the levels of government or the roles in Parliament. A safe target before your real test is 18 or more on timed practice tests, so a couple of unlucky questions do not decide the result.
What 45 minutes really means
Forty-five minutes for 20 questions is a little over two minutes a question. Most questions are short, so time is rarely the problem. The online timer cannot be stopped, you get a warning when 5 minutes are left, and the test is submitted automatically at 45 minutes. Answer every question; a blank answer cannot earn a mark.
Who has to take the test
IRCC says that in most cases you must take the test if you are 18 to 54 years old on the day you sign your application. You do not need to take it if you are under 18, if you are 55 or older, or if you have been given a waiver.
The test does not check your English or French as such. There are no questions that assess language skills. If you are invited to an interview, the officer will note how well you communicate in English or French, but that is separate from the test.
What the questions cover
IRCC bases all test questions on information in Discover Canada. The topics are:
- the rights and responsibilities of citizenship;
- Canada's history and geography;
- the economy;
- government and laws;
- symbols.
The guide has ten sections, and we have study notes for each one, starting with Chapter 1: Rights and responsibilities of citizenship and running to Chapter 10: Canada's regions. IRCC does not say how many questions come from each section, so do not skip any of them.
How the online test works
Most people now take the test online. After you apply, IRCC sends an email invitation. Once you have it, you have 30 days to take the online test, and you can take it from anywhere: you do not need to be in Canada.
Practical rules from IRCC's online test page:
- Sign in with your application number and UCI. The test link sent by email expires after 15 minutes, so be ready to start as soon as it arrives.
- Device: a desktop, laptop or tablet with a webcam, using Chrome or Safari. You cannot use a mobile phone, Chrome on an iPad, a Microsoft Surface Pro or a VPN.
- ID: your permanent resident card (even if it has expired) or valid photo ID with a signature, such as a driver's licence or health card.
- Supervision: the webcam takes random photos, which are compared with your application photos. Signs of cheating may invalidate the test.
- Conduct: take the test alone, in the same place as your ID photo, with no other devices, study materials, tabs or programs, and do not use the back button.
If you need accommodations, IRCC offers in-person options (paper, alone or with others, or oral, with Braille and other formats) and an oral test on Microsoft Teams.
Results and the 3 chances
You have 3 chances to pass, whatever the format. Results arrive within a few weeks or months. Depending on the outcome, the next step may be a citizenship ceremony, an interview, a re-test or a hearing.
How to prepare
- Read the guide once from start to finish, without trying to memorize. It is free online, as a PDF or eBook, as audio and on paper.
- Take a full practice test under real conditions: 20 questions, 45 minutes, no notes. Start with Canadian citizenship practice test 1.
- Mark every wrong answer and go back to the matching chapter. Note the date, name or number you missed.
- Drill one section at a time. Each chapter has its own drill, such as the Canadian symbols drill.
- Repeat with new tests until you score 18 or more three times in a row.
Our guide to studying Discover Canada gives a fuller plan, and our list of key dates and symbols covers the facts that catch people out. All 12 practice tests, chapter notes and drills are on the Canadian citizenship hub.
A note on dated facts
The current guide was written before 2022. It names a Queen, an older count of electoral districts and an older population figure. Our tests avoid such dated figures or treat them as history, and our chapter notes flag them. Use the guide as your main source, but do not worry about memorizing figures that have since changed.
Quick checklist
- Aged 18 to 54 on the day you signed? Expect the test.
- 20 questions, 45 minutes, 15 to pass, 3 chances.
- Online: invitation, 30 days to take it, approved device and browser, ID ready.
- Scoring 18+ out of 20 on timed practice before the real test.
Official sources: IRCC citizenship test pages on canada.ca ("Study for the test", "How the citizenship test works", "Take the test online"), pages dated 2026-03-31, read on 1 November 2026, and the study guide Discover Canada.