Canadian Citizenship Test 2026: How It Works and How to Pass
Most adults who apply for Canadian citizenship must pass a short knowledge test about Canada. Here is how the test works in 2026, what to study and a simple plan to prepare.
Who takes the test
Citizenship applicants aged 18 to 54 usually have to take the knowledge test. After you apply, IRCC sends you an invitation with instructions and the dates you can take it.
Test format
- 20 questions, multiple choice or true/false.
- 45 minutes to answer them.
- You pass with at least 15 correct answers (75%).
- The test is in English or French.
The online test
Since IRCC updated its instructions in March 2026, the online test is the usual format. You take it on a computer with a webcam, which takes photos during the test. Your identity is checked with an accepted ID. Phones and VPN connections are not supported, and you cannot open other tabs or programs during the test.
Your score appears right away, but it is only final after IRCC reviews the test.
What to study
All questions come from the official study guide, Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship, plus questions about your own province. The main topics are:
- Rights and responsibilities of citizens and the Oath of Citizenship
- Indigenous peoples, English and French Canada, and diversity
- Canada's history and modern Canada
- How Canadians govern themselves, federal elections and the justice system
- Canadian symbols, the economy and the regions
- Your province: for Ontario, its capital, government and geography
Discover Canada was written in 2009, so some facts have changed. For example, Canada's Sovereign is now King Charles III. Learn the current facts for anything about people in office.
A simple study plan
- Read one chapter of Discover Canada a day. Note names, dates and numbers.
- After each chapter, do practice questions in practice mode to check what you remember.
- Use My mistakes to repeat the questions you got wrong.
- In the last week, take full mock tests in exam mode with the 45-minute timer until you score 15/20 or more every time.
If English is not your first language, you can switch a practice question to Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, French, Chinese, Arabic, Spanish, Tagalog, Gujarati or Tamil to understand it. The English stays on screen, because the real test is in English or French.
If you do not pass
According to IRCC's 2026 instructions, applicants usually get up to three attempts within 30 days. If you do not pass, you are usually invited to a hearing with a citizenship official.