How Many Questions Are on the Canadian Citizenship Exam?
The Canadian citizenship exam has 20 questions, and you need 15 correct answers to pass. Here's exactly how the official format works.
4 min read
The short answer
The Canadian citizenship exam consists of 20 multiple-choice or true-or-false questions. To pass, you need to answer at least 15 out of 20 correctly, a threshold of 75%. Citizenship Success is an independent study tool, not affiliated with IRCC or the Government of Canada; the information below reflects how the exam generally works according to official sources, and it's worth double-checking directly on canada.ca if you have questions about your own file.
Question type and time allowed
The questions are drawn from the *Discover Canada* guide, covering history, geography, the political system, rights and responsibilities, and national symbols. They're drawn from a bank of several hundred questions based on the official guide, balanced by topic and difficulty; that's why two applicants won't necessarily see the same set of questions. Most applicants today take a self-administered online test, for which 45 minutes is generally allotted; in-person or video-call formats can follow slightly different rules, which will be spelled out in your invitation letter. Either way, the number of questions and the passing threshold stay the same, regardless of the format you're given.
Who takes the written test, and who's exempt
The exam applies to applicants who are between 18 and 54 years old at the time of application. Applicants 55 and older, as well as minors, are exempt and don't need to demonstrate language ability for this requirement. Accommodations are available for applicants with specific needs: IRCC may offer a different format, such as an in-person test, a test by Microsoft Teams, or an oral assessment with a citizenship officer instead of the standard written format.
What happens if you don't pass?
The self-administered online format generally allows up to three attempts within a single 30-day window. If all three attempts fail, the applicant is invited to a hearing with a citizenship officer, who assesses their knowledge orally under conditions comparable to the written test. The result shown right after a self-administered online test is generally provisional: in every case, only IRCC officially confirms the result and the exact rules that apply to your file; if in doubt, check your invitation letter or canada.ca.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the 20 questions the same for every applicant?
No. The questions are drawn from a bank of several hundred questions based on the official guide, balanced by topic and difficulty, so two applicants won't necessarily see the same set of questions.
Can you go back to a question you've already answered during the test?
The exact rules depend on which test format you were invited to take; your invitation letter and the online test interface will make clear whether this option is available.
Is the passing threshold the same for everyone?
Yes, the threshold of 15 correct answers out of 20 applies uniformly to all applicants taking the written test, regardless of the format it's administered in.
Can you find out exactly which questions you got wrong?
IRCC generally communicates a pass or fail result rather than a question-by-question breakdown. For anything specific to your own result, IRCC remains the only source to contact.