Canadian Citizenship Test
Encyclopedia
Run by Citizenship and Immigration Canada
(CIC), the Canadian Citizenship Test is a test applicants for Canadian citizenship
that are aged between 18 and 54 who also meet the basic requirements for citizenship are required to take. The test is available in French
and English
, the official language
s of Canada
.
. Applicants for citizenship must answer at least 75%, or 15 questions, correctly in order to pass the test. They must also answer correctly two questions which deal with the electoral system
.
and language
abilities. The test asks questions on the following subject matter:
The test also assesses language
abilities. In order to pass the test, the applicant must understand simple statements and questions and communicate simple information to CIC staff in either French or English.
On March 15 2010, a new and more thorough test was introduced. This test is based on a thicker 63-page guide called Discover Canada. This gives immigrants a richer picture on Canada's history, culture, law and politics. At the same time, immigrants are required to memorize more facts for the test.
However, the failure rate for the new citizenship test is much higher. When it was first introduced on March 15, 2010, the failure rate rose to 30%. Later on, a reworked version of the test introduced on October 14, 2010 brought the national failure rate down to around 20%, but the rate was still significantly higher than that of the old test.
deems that the applicant meets all requirements for citizenship, the applicant will be asked to attend a citizenship ceremony
. There, the applicant will have to make an oath
and will then receive a certificate of citizenship.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Citizenship and Immigration Canada is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for issues dealing with immigration and citizenship...
(CIC), the Canadian Citizenship Test is a test applicants for Canadian citizenship
Canadian nationality law
Canadian citizenship is typically obtained by birth in Canada, birth abroad when at least one parent is a Canadian citizen and was born or naturalized in Canada, or by adoption abroad by at least one Canadian citizen. It can also be granted to a permanent resident who lives in Canada for three out...
that are aged between 18 and 54 who also meet the basic requirements for citizenship are required to take. The test is available in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, the official language
Official language
An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in a particular country, state, or other jurisdiction. Typically a nation's official language will be the one used in that nation's courts, parliament and administration. However, official status can also be used to give a...
s of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
The test
The test lasts for 30 minutes and contains 20 multiple choice questionsMultiple choice
Multiple choice is a form of assessment in which respondents are asked to select the best possible answer out of the choices from a list. The multiple choice format is most frequently used in educational testing, in market research, and in elections-- when a person chooses between multiple...
. Applicants for citizenship must answer at least 75%, or 15 questions, correctly in order to pass the test. They must also answer correctly two questions which deal with the electoral system
Canadian electoral system
The Canadian electoral system is based on a parliamentary system of government, modelled on that of the United Kingdom.The Canadian federal Parliament consists of:*The sovereign...
.
Content of the test
The test contains questions drawn from a pool of around 200 taken from the official guide "Discover Canada (The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship)" and assesses knowledgeKnowledge
Knowledge is a familiarity with someone or something unknown, which can include information, facts, descriptions, or skills acquired through experience or education. It can refer to the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject...
and language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
abilities. The test asks questions on the following subject matter:
- RightsRightsRights are legal, social, or ethical principles of freedom or entitlement; that is, rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people or owed to people, according to some legal system, social convention, or ethical theory...
and responsibilitiesSocial responsibilitySocial responsibility is an ethical ideology or theory that an entity, be it an organization or individual, has an obligation to act to benefit society at large. Social responsibility is a duty every individual or organization has to perform so as to maintain a balance between the economy and the...
of a CanadianCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
citizen - (e.g. "Name three legal rights protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and FreedomsCanadian Charter of Rights and FreedomsThe Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a bill of rights entrenched in the Constitution of Canada. It forms the first part of the Constitution Act, 1982...
.") - Canadian historyHistory of CanadaThe history of Canada covers the period from the arrival of Paleo-Indians thousands of years ago to the present day. Canada has been inhabited for millennia by distinctive groups of Aboriginal peoples, among whom evolved trade networks, spiritual beliefs, and social hierarchies...
- (e.g. "Who were the United Empire Loyalists?") - Canadian politicsPolitics of CanadaThe politics of Canada function within a framework of parliamentary democracy and a federal system of parliamentary government with strong democratic traditions. Canada is a constitutional monarchy, in which the Monarch is head of state...
- (e.g. "How are members of Parliament chosen?") - Canadian physicalPhysical geographyPhysical geography is one of the two major subfields of geography. Physical geography is that branch of natural science which deals with the study of processes and patterns in the natural environment like the atmosphere, biosphere and geosphere, as opposed to the cultural or built environment, the...
and politicalPolitical geographyPolitical geography is the field of human geography that is concerned with the study of both the spatially uneven outcomes of political processes and the ways in which political processes are themselves affected by spatial structures...
geographyGeographyGeography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
- (e.g. "Where are the Parliament buildingsParliament HillParliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
located?") - Specific questions about the applicant's region - (e.g. "What is the name of the premierPremier (Canada)In Canada, a premier is the head of government of a province or territory. There are currently ten provincial premiers and three territorial premiers in Canada....
of your province or territoryProvinces and territories of CanadaThe provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...
?")
The test also assesses language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
abilities. In order to pass the test, the applicant must understand simple statements and questions and communicate simple information to CIC staff in either French or English.
On March 15 2010, a new and more thorough test was introduced. This test is based on a thicker 63-page guide called Discover Canada. This gives immigrants a richer picture on Canada's history, culture, law and politics. At the same time, immigrants are required to memorize more facts for the test.
Failure rate
The failure rate on the citizenship test is low; in 2008, approximately 4% of the 145,000 test takers failed.However, the failure rate for the new citizenship test is much higher. When it was first introduced on March 15, 2010, the failure rate rose to 30%. Later on, a reworked version of the test introduced on October 14, 2010 brought the national failure rate down to around 20%, but the rate was still significantly higher than that of the old test.
After passing
If the applicant passes the exam and the citizenship judgeCitizenship judge
A citizenship judge is an official or judge of the Canadian government who reviews applications for Canadian citizenship.Citizenship judges are appointed by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration....
deems that the applicant meets all requirements for citizenship, the applicant will be asked to attend a citizenship ceremony
Ceremony
A ceremony is an event of ritual significance, performed on a special occasion. The word may be of Etruscan origin.-Ceremonial occasions:A ceremony may mark a rite of passage in a human life, marking the significance of, for example:* birth...
. There, the applicant will have to make an oath
Oath of citizenship (Canada)
The Oath of Citizenship, or Citizenship Oath , is a statement recited and signed by candidates who wish to become citizens of Canada...
and will then receive a certificate of citizenship.
After failing
If the applicant fails the citizenship test, then he or she will be invited to have an interview lasting 15-30 minutes with a citizenship judge. The judge will assess whether or not the applicant has the necessary knowledge and language abilities for citizenship. In 2008, approximately 20% of the interviewees were refused citizenship.Further reading
- Citizenship and Immigration : Becomming a Canadian! - by Frances Stanford - S&S Learning Materials, 2003 ISBN 1550357468
- From Sea to Sea to Sea: A Newcomer's Guide to Canada- by David DeRocco, John F. Chabot Full Blast Productions, 2008 ISBN 9780978473846