After a Canadian citizenship application is submitted and the physical presence calculation is verified, most adult applicants are required to take a citizenship knowledge test. The test assesses knowledge of Canada's history, values, institutions, and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship — based on the Discover Canada study guide. Most applicants take an online written test of 20 questions; applicants who fail the written test are invited to an oral hearing with a citizenship officer. Once an application is approved, the applicant must take the Oath of Citizenship at a citizenship ceremony before citizenship is formally granted. This page explains the test format, study requirements, the oral hearing process, and the ceremony.

For the current test process, the Discover Canada guide, and ceremony scheduling, refer to the IRCC citizenship test page and the IRCC citizenship ceremony page.

• Citizenship Act, RSC 1985, c C-29, s 5(1)(e) — applicants must demonstrate an adequate knowledge of Canada and the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship
• Citizenship Act, s 5(1)(d) — applicants must have an adequate knowledge of one of the official languages (English or French)
• Citizenship Regulations, SOR/93-246 — procedural rules for the citizenship application, test, and oath
• Citizenship Act, s 24 — the Oath of Citizenship; citizenship is not granted until the Oath is taken
• IRCC: Citizenship test — canada.ca/citizenship-test
• IRCC: Citizenship ceremony — canada.ca/citizenship-ceremony
• Discover Canada study guide — canada.ca/discover-canada

Who must take the citizenship test

The citizenship knowledge test requirement applies to applicants who are aged 18 to 54 at the time they sign the citizenship application. Applicants who are:

• Under 18 at signing — do not take the test; minor children are included in a parent's application or apply separately without the knowledge requirement
• 55 or older at signing — do not take the test; the knowledge requirement does not apply to this age group

The language ability requirement (adequate knowledge of English or French) applies to applicants aged 18 to 54 as well — IRCC assesses language adequacy through the application and, if necessary, at a hearing.

The written online test

Once the citizenship application is in processing and IRCC is ready to schedule the test, applicants aged 18 to 54 are invited to take an online written test. Key features:

• 20 questions — drawn from the content of the Discover Canada study guide
• Pass mark: 15 out of 20 (75%) — applicants who answer fewer than 15 correctly fail the written test
• The test covers Canadian history, geography, government and democracy, laws and rights, and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship
• The test is taken online through the IRCC portal — applicants must be physically present in Canada to take it
• The test is timed and must be completed in one sitting

Applicants should study the Discover Canada guide thoroughly before the test — the guide is available free on the IRCC website and covers all topics on which the test questions are based.

Oral hearing — if the written test is failed

Applicants who fail the written test are not automatically refused — they are invited to an oral hearing with a citizenship officer. The oral hearing is also used where IRCC has concerns about an applicant's language ability or other aspects of the application. At the oral hearing:

• The citizenship officer asks the applicant 20 knowledge questions — the applicant must answer at least 15 correctly to pass this component
• The officer may also ask up to 9 additional questions — the applicant must answer at least 6 of these correctly
• The hearing lasts approximately 30 to 90 minutes
• The officer also assesses language ability during the hearing — the ability to understand and respond in English or French must be demonstrated

If the applicant passes the oral hearing, the application continues toward approval. If the applicant fails the oral hearing, the application will be refused on the knowledge or language requirement.

Application approval — invitation to ceremony

Once IRCC is satisfied that all requirements are met (physical presence, test/knowledge, language, and no prohibitions), the application is approved in principle and the applicant is invited to a citizenship ceremony. Key points:

• Approval in principle does not make the applicant a citizen — citizenship is not granted until the Oath of Citizenship is taken at the ceremony
• The applicant must continue to meet all citizenship requirements (including physical presence and no prohibitions) up to the date of the ceremony
• If circumstances change between approval and the ceremony (for example, a new criminal conviction), the applicant must notify IRCC

The citizenship ceremony — taking the Oath

The citizenship ceremony is the final step in the citizenship process. At the ceremony:

• The applicant takes the Oath of Citizenship — the oath affirms allegiance to the King of Canada, observance of the laws of Canada, and fulfillment of the duties of a Canadian citizen
• Ceremonies may be conducted in person at an IRCC office or community venue, or online (virtual ceremony) — both formats have been in use since the introduction of virtual ceremonies during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Adult applicants typically attend in person; virtual ceremonies are available in certain circumstances
• The applicant receives the Canadian citizenship certificate at the ceremony — this is the official document confirming citizenship

Applicants who cannot attend their scheduled ceremony must contact IRCC to reschedule — missing a ceremony without rescheduling can delay the process.

After the ceremony — citizenship certificate and passport

Once the Oath is taken and the citizenship certificate is issued:

• The certificate is proof of Canadian citizenship — it is used for passport applications, employment, and other purposes requiring proof of status
• The applicant may immediately apply for a Canadian passport — there is no waiting period after citizenship is granted
• Former permanent residents who held a PR card must note that the PR card ceases to have effect once citizenship is granted — a Canadian passport (or citizenship certificate) replaces it for travel purposes

For current test scheduling, the Discover Canada study guide, and ceremony formats, refer to the IRCC citizenship test page.

The most common reason applicants are called for an oral hearing (beyond failing the written test) is IRCC having concerns about language ability — either because the application showed limited language evidence or because of a low written test score suggesting a language barrier rather than a knowledge gap. Applicants invited to an oral hearing should treat it seriously and prepare as thoroughly as for the written test — both knowledge and language ability are assessed. Virtual citizenship ceremonies introduced during the pandemic have continued as a permanent option for certain applicants, though in-person ceremonies remain the norm in most cities. Applicants should not make irrevocable travel arrangements for the period after their expected ceremony date, as ceremony scheduling can shift. For current processing times from application to ceremony, the Discover Canada guide, and instructions for the online test, refer to the IRCC Canadian citizenship page.