Quick Answer
For the online test, IRCC says you need a desktop computer, laptop or tablet with a webcam, Chrome or Safari, your application number and UCI, and ID: your PR card or a valid photo ID with your signature. You take the test alone, in a well-lit room, within 45 minutes. Practise with our free practice test.
Last verified: October 22, 2026 against IRCC's Take the online test, Test results and next steps and How the test works pages.
The night before my citizenship test, I couldn't sleep. I kept imagining a room full of strangers, an exam invigilator pacing the aisles, and a stack of paper that would decide whether I was Canadian enough.
The actual experience was much calmer than that. I sat at my own kitchen table, opened my laptop, and answered 20 questions in about 15 minutes. There was no pacing invigilator. There wasn't even a paper test.
If you're staring down your own test invitation and your stomach is doing the same flip mine did, this is the walkthrough I wish I'd read. It covers what to set up, what shows up on your screen, what happens if you pass, and what happens if you don't — checked against IRCC's online test pages.
The Week Before
IRCC emails your test invitation as a PDF attachment, usually 1 to 3 months after your acknowledgment of receipt. It gives you a 30-day window with a start and end date, plus your application number and unique client identifier (UCI), which you'll need to sign in. Look for mail from an address ending in "@cic.gc.ca" or "@canada.ca", and check your spam folder. Mark the end date on your calendar the day it arrives.
IRCC says it invites most citizenship applicants to take the online test, unless an accommodation is needed. In some cases it asks you to take the test in person or on Microsoft Teams instead (for example, for an accommodation, or if you can't take it online), but unless you've been told otherwise, assume online.
A small thing that helped me: I treated "the week before" as a logistics week, not a study week. By that point I'd already done my studying. The week before was for getting my space ready, double-checking my documents, and not panicking.
If you want a quick refresher on the test format itself before reading the rest of this, our complete guide to the citizenship test covers the basics.
What Do You Need for the Online Test?
You need a desktop computer, laptop or tablet with a webcam, Chrome or Safari, your application number and UCI, and an accepted ID. The technical requirements are simple — but they are strict, and a wrong browser or a dead webcam on test day is the kind of avoidable disaster that can chew through a chunk of your 30-day window.
Here's what IRCC actually requires for the online test:
- A working webcam. Built-in or external. IRCC says the webcam takes "random photos to confirm your identity and ensure you're working alone", and compares them with your test photo and the photos from your application. Keep your face in frame the whole time.
- A device with that webcam. A desktop, a laptop, or a tablet. Not a phone: IRCC tells you not to take the test on a mobile phone, even though you may have studied on one. It also tells you not to use a Microsoft Surface Pro.
- A reliable internet connection. Wired is ideal. If you're on Wi-Fi, sit close to your router.
- Chrome or Safari. This one trips people up. IRCC lists only Chrome and Safari, so don't use Firefox, Edge, or any other browser. On an iPad, use Safari: IRCC tells you not to use Chrome on an iPad. If you usually use another browser, open Chrome or Safari ahead of time (install Chrome if you need to).
- No VPN. IRCC tells you not to take the test on a virtual private network. Turn yours off before you start.
- No other tabs, windows or programs open. Close them before you begin.
- A well-lit room. Not a film set — just enough natural or overhead light that the webcam can clearly see your face for the identity-verification photos.
- Your application number and UCI. You sign in with them, and you enter them again to confirm your identity.
- Your ID. Your permanent resident card (even if it's expired), or a valid photo ID with your signature, such as a driver's licence or health card. Before the test starts, you photograph your ID and yourself with the webcam, so have it on the desk in front of you. For more on ID, see our test-day documents checklist.
A few things you do not need:
- A microphone isn't on IRCC's list. The requirements name a webcam, not a microphone.
- You do not need a special exam room. IRCC says you can take the test in a public library or on a public computer, and you don't need to be in Canada. What matters is that you're alone, you stay in the place where you took your photos, and nothing in the background shows your personal information (like a diploma).
The first time I read the requirements I assumed a person would be watching me on camera the whole time. IRCC describes webcam monitoring with random photos instead. Knowing that took the edge off.
Starting the test follows IRCC's steps:
- Sign in to the online test with your application number and UCI, only after you've received your invitation, and accept the privacy notice and terms.
- Request the test link by email. The link expires after 15 minutes; if you request it more than once, use the most recent one.
- Confirm your identity by entering your application number and UCI again.
- Take photos of your ID and yourself. Your face must be clearly visible; religious or traditional clothing, head coverings, and reading or prescription glasses are allowed.
- Select "Start the test". The 45-minute countdown begins.
If you want to try the question style first, take our free practice test: 10 multiple-choice questions based on Discover Canada.
What's Not Allowed During the Online Test?
IRCC says you must not use any other device, look at any study materials, or use your browser's back button during the test. For your result to be valid, you must also take the test alone, in the same place where you took the photos of yourself and your ID, with no items in the background that show your personal information.
If IRCC finds technical issues or signs of cheating, it says your test may be invalid, and it will ask you to take the test again.
What's on Your Screen During the Test
Once your identity is verified, the test begins. Here's what you see:
- 20 questions.
- Questions that are either multiple choice or true/false.
- A timer counting down from 45 minutes. IRCC warns you when 5 minutes are left.
- Random webcam photos taken throughout the test. Just sit normally, look at the screen, and let the system do its thing.
IRCC bases every question on the official Discover Canada study guide, and the test doesn't assess your English or French. If you've read the guide and done some practice tests, you've seen the source material for everything you'll be asked.
The 45 Minutes
Forty-five minutes for 20 questions sounds tight on paper. In practice it's generous: CIC News reported that the median time to finish was 12 minutes. I finished in 12 and spent another 5 reviewing.
A simple pacing approach:
- Read each question carefully — twice. The questions I got weren't tricky, but they were precise. The difference between "the head of state" and "the head of government" is one of those distinctions where rushing costs you a point.
- Answer the easy ones first. If a question makes you hesitate, flag it (if the interface allows) and move on. Lock in the points you know.
- Come back to the hard ones with fresh eyes, if the test lets you. Sometimes a later question jogs the answer to an earlier one — for example, a Confederation question might remind you of a province-related fact you couldn't pull up the first time.
- Don't second-guess yourself into a worse answer. If your first instinct is solid, leave it.
The timer can't be paused, and it keeps running if you're disconnected. If you finish early, you submit and get a preliminary score on the spot. If the timer runs out, the system auto-submits whatever you've answered. There's no penalty for unanswered questions beyond the missed points themselves, but there's also no reason to leave any blank — a blank is worth nothing, and a guess is worth something: one in four on a four-option multiple-choice question, one in two on a true/false.
If you're disconnected, IRCC says to go back to the test as soon as possible using the most recent test link. If you can't finish because of a technical problem, email the address in your invitation with a detailed explanation, your application number and UCI; you have 30 days from the start date in your invitation to contact IRCC.
When Is Your Result Official?
For an online test, your result is official only after an IRCC officer reviews it, which IRCC says "could take a few days or a few weeks". If you take the test in person or on Microsoft Teams, you get your official score right after the test.
Right after you submit online, you'll see a preliminary score on the screen. You need at least 15 out of 20 correct (75%) to pass. IRCC doesn't send a confirmation email, and you can't sign in to see the result again, so print the results page or email it to yourself with the buttons at the bottom.
The official result is a pass, a fail, or an invalidated test. IRCC doesn't send email updates about it, so check your application status: it shows "Completed" once you have a pass or fail.
When my preliminary score showed 18/20, I closed the laptop and immediately texted three people. Then I checked my application status every day for a week. The final confirmation took about 10 days for me. Yours will land when it lands.
If the final result confirms a pass, IRCC may invite you to an interview, depending on your case, and then invites you to the oath ceremony. We've mapped out what happens after you pass in detail, including the oath, the certificate, and applying for your first Canadian passport. For a wider view of where the test fits in the broader timeline from application to oath, our Canadian citizenship application stages walkthrough covers every step in order.
What If You Don't Pass
First: it's not the end of your application. Failing attempt 1 costs you neither your file nor your fee — IRCC's own process assumes some people will need more than one try.
Here's how the failure path actually works:
- Attempts 1, 2, and 3 all fall within the same 30-day testing window. In IRCC's words, "Within your 30-day test period, you have up to 3 chances to pass the test (whether online, on Microsoft Teams, or in person)." All three have 20 questions. Online, you sign in again; in person or on Microsoft Teams, IRCC sends a new invitation. IRCC's fee list has no fee for the test or a retest, so a retake inside your window costs nothing.
- If you fail all 3 attempts, IRCC then invites you to a 30-to-90-minute hearing with a citizenship officer. The hearing isn't another timed multiple-choice test. IRCC says it may cover three things: an oral knowledge test, questions about your residence in Canada, and an assessment of your language skills. Where it includes the oral knowledge test, the published rule is the same as the written one: 20 questions, and you must pass 15 of them. The language assessment is where the smaller threshold lives — the officer can ask up to 9 questions, and you must pass 6. The two are different assessments.
- The hearing is the last step, so take it seriously. IRCC is explicit about what happens if it goes badly: "If you fail the hearing, we'll refuse your application. You need to reapply and pay the fees again if you still want to become a citizen." Treat the hearing as an exam, not a chat.
So if you've heard "you get three tries on the test," that's accurate — three tries, then a separate hearing if all three fail. We've broken down the full failure-recovery flow, including what the hearing is actually like, in what happens if you fail the citizenship test.
If you fail attempt 1, don't spiral. Use the days before attempt 2 to drill your weakest chapters with practice tests. Up to two more attempts are still ahead of you, inside the same window, at no extra cost.
What If Your Test Is In Person or on Microsoft Teams?
If IRCC schedules you for an in-person or Microsoft Teams test, for example because of an accommodation, your invitation gives the details, such as the time and location. IRCC says an in-person test can be written on paper, alone or with other test takers, or taken orally, and it can be given in another format such as Braille. A Microsoft Teams test is oral, on a video call.
A few things differ from the online test:
- You get your official score right after the test. There's no preliminary result.
- At an in-person test, you can't bring your child into the testing room. Only the person taking the test can be in the room. Contact the office that sent your invitation if you need help; it may let someone supervise your child in the waiting room, or you can ask to reschedule.
- An accommodation can change the format or timing. IRCC's accommodations include Braille, large-print or oral versions of the test and more time to take it. You can request an accommodation in your application or after you get your invitation.
The questions are still based on Discover Canada, you still need 15 of 20 to pass, and you still get up to 3 chances.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need for the online citizenship test? A desktop computer, laptop or tablet with a webcam, Chrome or Safari, your application number and UCI, and ID: your permanent resident card (even if expired) or a valid photo ID with your signature.
Can I take the online test outside Canada? Yes. IRCC says you don't need to be in Canada to take the online test.
Can I use my phone for the online test? No. IRCC tells you not to take the test on a mobile phone. Use a desktop computer, laptop or tablet.
What happens if I get disconnected during the test? Go back to the test as soon as possible with the most recent test link. The 45-minute timer keeps running, and the test submits itself when time runs out. If you can't finish because of a technical problem, email the address in your invitation with a detailed explanation, your application number and UCI within 30 days of the start date in your invitation. If needed, IRCC reschedules your test, which usually takes 4 to 8 weeks but may take longer.
When will I know if I passed? For an online test, you see a preliminary score right away, but the result is official only after an IRCC officer reviews it, which can take a few days or a few weeks. Check your application status for the update.
You're More Ready Than You Think
The hardest part of test day, for me, was the day before. The actual test — once I was sitting in front of my laptop with my coffee — was calmer and shorter than every imagined version of it. I think the same is true for most people. The format is fair, the source material is finite, and study time pays off.
If you've read Discover Canada, done a few timed practice runs, and confirmed your laptop's webcam works in Chrome or Safari, you're already in good shape. Get a normal night of sleep. Drink water. Sit down at your kitchen table when the test invitation says it's time, and answer 20 questions about the country you're about to officially call yours.