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Canadian Citizenship Test study guide

Is the Canadian citizenship test hard?

The questions are straightforward, but there are a lot of facts behind them. You need 15 out of 20 (75%), and the questions are based on Discover Canada. What makes it feel hard is the range: history, government, symbols and geography, all in one sitting.

The format

The format is fixed:

  • 20 multiple-choice questions
  • 15 correct answers to pass, which is 75%
  • 45 minutes for the online test

What makes it hard

History is the biggest chapter: 130 of the 410 questions in our bank come from it. How Canadians govern themselves comes next, with 97.

The regions chapter adds a list to learn outright: Canada has ten provinces and three territories, and each has its own capital. Then there are the dates — when each province joined, and the national holidays.

What makes it manageable

It is multiple choice, so you recognise the answer rather than recall it cold. The questions are based on one study guide, so the material is finite. And much of it is lists — capitals, dates, symbols, inventors — which reward plain memorising more than understanding.

How to know you are ready

Sit full-length practice tests at the real format and judge yourself on the last few, not the best one. Our readiness score calls you ready when your last five mock exams average at least 12 percentage points above the pass mark.

Test yourself on this

Reading it once is not the same as being able to answer it. The chapter test uses the same format as the real Canadian Citizenship Test.

Free to read, always

Questions on this topic

Every question here was checked by hand against Discover Canada. How we check

  1. 1.Which is the second largest country on earth?

    • AThe United States
    • BChina
    • CAustralia
    • DCanada

    Canada is the second largest country on earth, at 10 million square kilometres. (Canada’s size, oceans and regions)

    Think this is wrong? Tell us

  2. 2.Who was Canada’s first Prime Minister?

    • ASir Leonard Tilley
    • BSir Wilfrid Laurier
    • CSir George-Étienne Cartier
    • DSir John Alexander Macdonald

    Sir John Alexander Macdonald became Canada's first Prime Minister in 1867. (Macdonald, Cartier and expansion of the Dominion)

    Think this is wrong? Tell us

  3. 3.On what date is Canada Day?

    • A24 June
    • B1 January
    • C1 July
    • D11 November

    Canada Day is July 1. (National holidays and important dates)

    Think this is wrong? Tell us

  4. 4.Which three oceans border Canada?

    • AThe Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic
    • BThe Pacific, Arctic and Indian
    • CThe Atlantic, Arctic and Southern
    • DThe Pacific, Atlantic and Indian

    Oceans on three sides: Pacific to the west, Atlantic to the east, Arctic to the north. (Canada’s size, oceans and regions)

    Think this is wrong? Tell us

  5. 5.On which bill does Sir John A. Macdonald’s portrait appear?

    • AThe $50 bill
    • BThe $10 bill
    • CThe $20 bill
    • DThe $5 bill

    Sir John A. Macdonald's portrait is on the $10 bill. (Macdonald, Cartier and expansion of the Dominion)

    Think this is wrong? Tell us

  6. 6.Which holiday marks the Sovereign’s birthday?

    • ACanada Day
    • BVimy Day
    • CThanksgiving Day
    • DVictoria Day

    Victoria Day is the Monday preceding May 25 and marks the Sovereign's birthday. (National holidays and important dates)

    Think this is wrong? Tell us

More Canadian Citizenship Test topics, explained

Questions are original works testing facts published in Discover Canada (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada). Not affiliated with or endorsed by IRCC or the Government of Canada.