What the citizenship test is
The Canadian citizenship test checks whether you know enough about Canada's history, values, symbols, geography, and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. It is one step in the adult citizenship application, alongside proving your language ability and meeting the residency requirement.
Every question comes from one source: Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship, the free study guide published by the Government of Canada. You do not need any other book, course, or paid material to pass. Everything that can be asked is in that guide.
Who has to take it
You must take the test if you are between 18 and 54 years old on the day you sign your citizenship application. Applicants who are under 18 or 55 and older on that day are not required to take it.
The requirement is tied to your age on the signing date, not the date the test is scheduled, so it does not change if your application takes a long time to process. Rules can change over time, so confirm the current requirement on the Government of Canada website before you apply.
How the test works now
The test is now taken online. You do it on a computer or tablet with a working webcam, using the Chrome or Safari browser. A phone is not accepted. You get an invitation from IRCC with a window to complete it.
There are 20 multiple-choice questions and you have 45 minutes. You cannot pause the test once it starts, and it submits automatically when the time runs out. You can answer in English or French.
What score you need to pass
You need to answer at least 15 of the 20 questions correctly. That is a passing score of 75%. In other words, you can get up to 5 questions wrong and still pass.
If you do not pass on your first attempt, you get up to 3 attempts to pass within 30 days of your test start date. Most people who study pass comfortably the first time, so the retakes are a safety net, not the plan.
What the test covers
The material is broad but shallow. The test is not trying to trick you with obscure detail. It rewards steady review of the main facts, especially dates, names, and how the parts of government fit together.
- History: early settlement, Confederation in 1867, the World Wars, and how modern Canada took shape.
- Government and elections: how Parliament works, the roles of the Sovereign, Governor General, Prime Minister, and how to vote.
- Geography: the provinces and territories, their capitals, and Canada's regions.
- Rights and responsibilities: the rights and freedoms of citizens and what is expected in return.
- Symbols and identity: the flag, the anthem, national holidays, and important national symbols.
How to prepare
Read Discover Canada once from start to finish so the big picture makes sense. Then switch to practice questions, because recall under test conditions is what actually gets tested.
Take practice tests until you are consistently scoring above 75%, and spend your review time on the topics where you keep making mistakes. That focused review is the fastest way to lift a borderline score into a comfortable pass.
The short version
If you are 18 to 54, you take a 20-question online test, you need 15 right to pass, and you get up to 3 attempts within 30 days. Study Discover Canada, drill practice questions until you are scoring in the 80s, and you will walk in ready.