What happens if you fail the citizenship test?
Failing once is not the end of your application. Here is what the 2026 rules say, in plain words, and how to use the time before a retest.
Practise your weak chaptersYou get more than one try
Since March 2026 applicants have three attempts at the test. IRCC contacts you about the next attempt. The official pages do not publish a fixed waiting time that applies today, so follow the dates in your notice and do not rely on a number you read elsewhere.
If you do not pass a third time
You are scheduled for a knowledge hearing with a citizenship officer. An officer can also schedule a hearing earlier if they doubt your language level. Your application is not automatically refused: the hearing is a chance to show what you know.
How to use the time before a retest
- Look at which chapters you missed. Practise those first, then read the matching pages of Discover Canada.
- Take the timed 20-question simulation until you score 17 or more twice in a row.
- Practise in the language you will be tested in.
- Sleep, and re-read the instructions in your IRCC notice before the day.
One more thing to know
An online score is not final until IRCC reviews identity verification and the session. If an issue is found you can be asked to retake the test or attend an interview, so follow the test-day rules carefully.
Practise your weak chapters
Start free: the quiz shows which chapters to work on and where in the guide to read.
Practise your weak chaptersKeep reading
Facts checked on October 23, 2026 against IRCC’s pages. Rules change, so confirm on IRCC’s site.
CitiQuiz is not affiliated with the Government of Canada and this page is not legal or immigration advice.