The citizenship test
Citizenship interview and hearing: how to prepare
Enter how many spoken knowledge questions and language questions you expect to get right: the tool tells you whether that would pass the hearing that follows three failed tests.
Would I pass the hearing?
Hearing
Passed
| Knowledge | 15 of 20 (15 needed): yes |
| Language | 6 of 9 (6 needed): yes |
| Expected length | 30 to 90 minutes |
Failing the hearing means refusal: you would apply again and pay again.
Two different meetings can follow the Canadian citizenship test. After a pass, IRCC may invite you to an interview with a citizenship official; it concerns adults aged 18 or over and minors aged 14 to 17 who apply without a parent, and you bring your original documents and the passports and travel documents you used in the 5 years before applying. If all 3 test attempts fail, IRCC instead schedules a hearing, which lasts 30 to 90 minutes. There the official checks three things: your knowledge of Canada with 20 spoken questions, of which 15 must be answered correctly; your residence in Canada; and your English or French, with up to 9 questions, of which 6 must be passed. Knowledge and language are scored separately, so strength in one does not make up for weakness in the other. Failing the hearing means the application is refused: you would have to apply again and pay the fees again, $653 for an adult today. Passing it, like passing the test, leads toward the citizenship ceremony and the oath.
Questions, counts and fees by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How questions and dates are built
Interview or hearing: two different situations
| Interview | Hearing | |
|---|---|---|
| When | may follow a passed test | follows three failed attempts |
| Who | adults; minors 14 to 17 applying without a parent | applicants who failed all attempts |
| Length | not stated by IRCC | 30 to 90 minutes |
| What is checked | documents and application details | knowledge (15 of 20), residence, language (6 of up to 9) |
| If it goes badly | depends on the file | application refused |
The interview after a pass
A pass on the test, confirmed after an officer reviews it, does not end the process. IRCC may ask you to meet a citizenship official. Bring the original documents you submitted copies of, plus the passports and travel documents used during the 5 years before you applied. The meeting is a chance for the official to confirm your identity and the information in your file. After it, the next step is an invitation to the ceremony, where you take the oath; the ceremony page covers what to bring that day.
The hearing after three failures
The written test gives you 3 attempts. If none reaches 15 out of 20, IRCC does not refuse the application straight away: it schedules a hearing. Think of it as an oral version of the test, plus two other checks. The knowledge part keeps the same ratio as the written test, 15 correct out of 20, but the questions are spoken, so you must understand them by ear and answer without seeing options. The language part assesses your English or French with up to 9 questions, 6 of which must be passed. The residence part reviews the time you spent in Canada. The tool at the top of this page shows whether a given pair of scores would pass.
Preparing for spoken knowledge questions
The facts are the same as for the written test, so the question bank remains the base. Change the way you use it: hide the options and answer each question aloud, in a full sentence, before checking. Ask someone to read questions to you at normal speed. Pay particular attention to chapters where answers are names or dates, such as history and symbols, since there are no options to jog your memory. If language is a concern, practise everyday conversation about your life in Canada as well, since the official will speak with you throughout.
Before you get there
The best way to avoid a hearing is to pass the written test. Our timed mock test follows its format, and the pass mark page explains how attempts are counted. If you take the test online, the online test page lists the device rules that cause invalidated results. Details on results and next steps are on IRCC's test results page; current fees are on its fee list.