Citizenship
Becoming Canadian, one calm step at a time
Citizenship is the moment Canada becomes yours for good. It can also feel like a lot to get right. Here is the whole road from permanent resident to citizen, in plain words, so you always know what comes next.
- New citizens in 2025
- 293,300
- People who became Canadian that year
- Days in Canada
- 1,095
- Within the 5 years before you apply
- Answers to get right
- 15
- Out of 20 on the citizenship test
Prepare for the test
Study, practise, and walk in ready
Free tools to help you feel confident on test day, in English or French.
- Practice test20 questions, 15 to pass, 45 minutes, just like the real test. See the answer and why for every question.Start practising
- Study notesEach part of Discover Canada in a few plain sentences, with a link to the full chapter.Open the notes
- FlashcardsFlip through questions topic by topic until the answers come easily.Start flipping
You will be in good company
How many people become Canadian each year
Every bar is a year of new citizens, counted by IRCC.
Your path
Step by step, in the order you will live it
Start with the overview, then take each step when you reach it.
Start here
Canadian Citizenship: Requirements, Timeline, and the Oath
Citizenship comes down to being physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days in the five years before you apply, plus taxes, basic language, and a short test.
Read the guide- 1
Are you eligible for Canadian citizenship? Physical presence, explained
Who can apply for citizenship, how to count your 1,095 days of physical presence (with worked examples), taxes, prohibitions, applying for children, and the mistakes that get applications returned.
Read the guide - 2
Proving your English or French for citizenship
Who needs language proof (ages 18 to 54), the CLB/NCLC 4 level in speaking and listening, every accepted kind of proof (tests, education, LINC/CLIC and provincial programs), and what to do if you do not have it yet.
Read the guide - 3
The citizenship test: what to expect and how to prepare
The citizenship test is 20 questions, you need 15 right to pass, and you have 45 minutes. Here is who takes it, how to study with the free Discover Canada guide, and how to get the online test right on the day.
Read the guide - 4
Your citizenship ceremony and your first steps as a Canadian
What to know about your virtual or in-person citizenship ceremony: the invitation, what to bring and the Oath, then your first practical steps as a Canadian: certificate, passport, voter registration and more.
Read the guide
Special situations
Born abroad, or need to prove it?
Two guides for citizenship you may already have, and for showing it.
Citizenship by descent after Bill C-3
Since December 15, 2025, Bill C-3 has changed the first-generation limit. Find out who is now a citizen automatically, how the 1,095-day test works for children born abroad, and how to get proof of citizenship.
Read the guideProof of citizenship: certificates, passports and records
Which documents prove Canadian citizenship, who needs a citizenship certificate, how to apply for one, track it and replace it, and how it differs from a passport.
Read the guide
Official tools
Handy tools from IRCC
Each opens on canada.ca in a new tab.
- Physical presence calculatorCount your days the way IRCC does, before you apply. (opens in a new tab)
- Discover CanadaThe free official study guide for the citizenship test. (opens in a new tab)
- About the citizenship testWho takes it, the format, and how to get ready. (opens in a new tab)
- Check processing timesIRCC’s current estimate for a citizenship grant. (opens in a new tab)
These guides are our plain-language summaries of IRCC’s rules, written with care but not legal advice. Please confirm anything important on canada.ca before you act.