The Oath of Citizenship: Full Text and What It Means

Taking the Oath of Citizenship is the final legal step to becoming a Canadian citizen, spoken aloud at your citizenship ceremony after you have passed the test (or hearing) and been approved.

The oath itself

"I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles the Third, King of Canada, His Heirs and Successors, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada, including the Constitution, which recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen."

Swear or affirm: both are valid

You may choose to "swear" the oath, typically while holding a religious text of your choosing, or to "affirm" it without any religious reference, a purely secular alternative with exactly the same legal effect. Neither option is treated as more or less valid than the other.

Why the oath mentions the King

Because Canada is a constitutional monarchy, the oath includes allegiance to the reigning monarch, currently King Charles III, who serves as Canada's Head of State (a largely ceremonial role, as covered in our guide to how Canadians govern themselves), rather than allegiance to any specific government or political party.

Why the oath mentions Indigenous rights

The reference to Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples was added to formally acknowledge that these rights, recognized in Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, are part of the legal framework every citizen commits to upholding, not a separate or optional consideration.

When and where you take it

The oath is administered at a citizenship ceremony, in a group setting, after IRCC has confirmed you passed your test (or hearing) and approved your application. Once you take the oath, you legally become a Canadian citizen immediately, the same day.