What Is the Passing Score for the Canadian Citizenship Test?

The passing score for the Canadian citizenship test is 75% (15 out of 20 questions). Here is everything you need to know about scoring and what happens if you fail.

The passing score for the Canadian citizenship test is **75% — that means 15 out of 20 questions correct**. You can get up to 5 questions wrong and still pass.

Scoring Breakdown

ScoreResult

|-------|--------|

20/20Pass — Perfect score15–19/20Pass14/20 or belowFail

Is 75% Hard to Achieve?

For most prepared test-takers, 75% is very achievable. The overall pass rate is approximately 87–90%. If you have read the Discover Canada guide and taken practice tests, you should aim for 18+/20 to give yourself a comfortable margin.

What Happens at Different Scores

20/20: Congratulations — you aced it. Next step is the citizenship ceremony.

17–19/20: Excellent. You clearly prepared well.

15–16/20: You passed, but some topics need more review if you are curious.

14/20: You are one question short. Study your weak areas and retake.

Below 12/20: Significant study is needed. Use chapter tests to identify gaps.

If You Do Not Pass

You receive up to three attempts. After a first failure, IRCC schedules a second test. If you fail all three, your application may be refused, but you can reapply.

Most people who fail once pass on their second attempt after focused studying.

Your Next Step

Take a practice test and see if you are above the 75% threshold right now. If not, you know exactly where to focus.

**Related reading:** [What Happens If You Fail](/blog/what-happens-if-you-fail-citizenship-test) | [How Many Questions](/blog/how-many-questions-citizenship-test)