August 19, 2024
Can I Take Canadian Citizenship Test outside Canada?
For applicants between the ages of 18 and 54 (inclusive), when they apply for Canadian citizenship, they must take the citizenship test to demonstrate that they have adequate knowledge of Canada and the responsibilities and privileges of Canadian citizenship. The only official study guide for the citizenship test is Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship, which is available from IRCC at no cost.
During the COVID-19 pandemic period, all in-person citizenship tests have been cancelled. In the interim, IRCC developed the process of taking the citizenship application online and this approach continues to be online. If you receive the invitation to complete the online citizenship test and want to take the test from outside of Canada, this is allowed. However, you must contact IRCC at the email address listed under the Eligibility section of the invitation letter. In the subject line of the email, indicate “Outside Canada – Citizenship Test”. In the text of the email, include the following information:
- Your name
- Your application number
- Start and end date for your online test
Upon receipt of the applicant’s email, IRCC will contact you with the next steps.
After receiving the invitation, you have 30 days to complete the test between the test start date and end date listed in the invitation letter. Note that you can take the online test at any time during the 30-day period (including weekends and holidays). If you do not pass your first test, you will have up to 3 chances to take the test during the 30-day peiod. Thus, you can try again 2 more times to pass the citizenship test, but be mindful of the 30-day timeframe as specified in the invitation letter. You cannot do the test outside the 30-day period specified in the IRCC invitation letter or after you submit the test.
This article is prepared for information only and it is not intended to be legal advice. For further advice on the topic, please consult one of our team members.
Lijing Cao
Lijing’s practice encompasses a broad range of Canadian immigration matters, including all categories of work permit applications under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and the International Mobility Program, citizenship, labour market impact assessments, study permits, temporary resident permits, and sponsorship applications. She also advises entrepreneurs, business owners, international students and skilled workers on the options for permanent residence to Canada, including provincial nominee programs, Start-up Visa, Federal Skilled Worker, and Canadian Experience Class programs.
Lijing graduated from the University of Toronto with a Master of Laws (LL.M.) and holds a Juris Doctor degree from Hong Kong. She is fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese Chinese. Prior to joining Bellissimo Law Group, Lijing worked as an associate lawyer at a boutique business immigration firm, where she provided advice to corporate clients to fulfill their workforce mobility and labour shortage needs.