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100+ Free CBSA OTEE Practice Questions

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: CBSA OTEE Exam

117 questions

The OTEE is a 117-question multiple-choice online exam

CBSA - Entrance exam for officer trainees

135 minutes

Total time to complete the OTEE once started, about 69 seconds per question

CBSA - Become a student border services officer

4 competencies

Reasoning skills, analytical thinking, client service orientation and writing skills

CBSA - Entrance exam for officer trainees

Online

The OTEE is written online with a one-week window to begin the test

CBSA - Entrance exam for officer trainees

No prior knowledge

All OTEE questions are hypothetical and need no prior CBSA knowledge

CBSA - Entrance exam for officer trainees

1-year wait

Unsuccessful candidates must wait one full year before re-writing the OTEE

CBSA - Selection steps and timelines

Valid indefinitely

A successful OTEE result remains valid indefinitely

CBSA - Entrance exam for officer trainees

100

Free original practice questions available here

OpenExamPrep

The CBSA Officer Trainee Entrance Examination (OTEE) is an online screening test for Canada Border Services Agency officer trainee applicants. It has 117 multiple-choice questions completed in 135 minutes (about 69 seconds per question) and assesses four competencies: reasoning skills, analytical thinking, client service orientation and writing skills. All questions are hypothetical and require no prior CBSA knowledge. There is no published single pass mark; each competency is scored separately and a fail means a mandatory one-year wait before re-writing. This 100-question bank provides original practice modelled on the four official competency areas with full explanations.

Sample CBSA OTEE Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your CBSA OTEE exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1All officers on night shift carry a flashlight. Marc is an officer on night shift. Which conclusion must be true?
A.Marc carries a flashlight
B.Marc works only at night
C.Only night-shift officers carry flashlights
D.Marc never works in daylight
Explanation: The first statement says every night-shift officer carries a flashlight. Since Marc is an officer on night shift, he must carry a flashlight. This is a valid deduction from the general rule applied to a specific case.
2Some travellers in the line have passports. No one with a passport is sent to secondary inspection. Which statement must be true?
A.Some travellers in the line are not sent to secondary inspection
B.All travellers have passports
C.No traveller is sent to secondary inspection
D.Everyone with a passport is sent to secondary inspection
Explanation: Some travellers have passports, and no one with a passport is sent to secondary inspection. Therefore at least those passport-holders are not sent to secondary, so 'some travellers are not sent to secondary' must be true.
3What number most logically continues the series: 3, 6, 12, 24, ___ ?
A.30
B.36
C.48
D.60
Explanation: Each term is double the previous term: 3, 6, 12, 24. Doubling 24 gives 48, so the next number is 48.
4Find the next letters in the series: AB, DE, GH, JK, ___ ?
A.LM
B.MN
C.KL
D.NO
Explanation: Each pair skips one letter between pairs: AB (skip C) DE (skip F) GH (skip I) JK (skip L) MN. After JK we skip L, giving the pair MN.
5If every package that beeps is rescanned, and a package was not rescanned, what can you conclude about that package?
A.It did not beep
B.It beeped
C.It was inspected by hand
D.It contained metal
Explanation: The rule is: if a package beeps, it is rescanned. The package was not rescanned, so by the contrapositive it did not beep. A true conditional and a false consequent force a false antecedent.
6Four officers finish a report in this order: Priya before Sam, Sam before Lee, Lee before Omar. Who finished last?
A.Priya
B.Sam
C.Lee
D.Omar
Explanation: Ordering the clues gives Priya, then Sam, then Lee, then Omar. Omar is after everyone else, so Omar finished last.
7A rule states: 'Anyone entering the secure area must show a badge.' Dana entered the secure area. What follows?
A.Dana showed a badge
B.Dana works in the secure area
C.Dana has a security clearance
D.Dana entered without a badge
Explanation: The rule requires everyone entering the secure area to show a badge. Dana entered the secure area, so Dana showed a badge. The rule applies to the specific case directly.
8Pattern: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, ___ . What comes next?
A.30
B.32
C.36
D.49
Explanation: These are the squares of consecutive whole numbers: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25 are 1 to 5 squared. The next term is 6 squared, which is 36.
9Hand is to glove as foot is to ___ ?
A.Sock
B.Leg
C.Shoe
D.Toe
Explanation: A glove is the outer covering worn on a hand; the matching outer covering worn on a foot is a shoe. The analogy is the worn covering for the body part.
10If no morning flights are delayed, and Flight 22 is delayed, what can be concluded about Flight 22?
A.It is not a morning flight
B.It is a morning flight
C.It was cancelled
D.It is an international flight
Explanation: No morning flight is delayed, but Flight 22 is delayed. Therefore Flight 22 cannot be a morning flight, otherwise it would not be delayed. This is the contrapositive of the rule.

About the CBSA OTEE Exam

The CBSA Officer Trainee Entrance Examination (OTEE) is one of the first formal assessment steps to becoming a Canada Border Services Agency officer trainee. It is an online exam of 117 multiple-choice questions that candidates complete in 135 minutes. The OTEE assesses four required competencies: reasoning skills (drawing conclusions and inferences to solve problems), analytical thinking (using logical thought to break down a situation and reach an outcome), client service orientation (providing the best possible service to internal and external clients), and writing skills (producing clear, correct written documents in plain language). All questions are hypothetical, so no prior knowledge of the CBSA is required. Successful results are valid indefinitely, while unsuccessful candidates must wait one full year before re-writing.

Assessment

117 multiple-choice questions assessing four competencies: reasoning skills, analytical thinking, client service orientation and writing skills. All questions are hypothetical and require no prior CBSA knowledge.

Time Limit

135 minutes (about 2 hours 15 minutes) once the exam is started, roughly 69 seconds per question. Candidates have a one-week window to begin and must finish in a single sitting.

Passing Score

No single published pass mark. Each of the four competencies is scored separately and candidates must meet the required standard in every area; an unsuccessful result ends the candidacy and the OTEE may only be re-written one full year later.

Exam Fee

There is no fee to write the OTEE; it is part of the CBSA's federal recruitment process. (Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) National Recruitment)

CBSA OTEE Exam Content Outline

35%

Reasoning Skills

The ability to draw conclusions or inferences from information to solve problems. Practice here covers deductive and inductive reasoning, syllogisms, applying rules and conditions to specific cases, valid and invalid conclusions, number and letter series, analogies, and analytical logic puzzles.

25%

Analytical Thinking

The ability to use a logical thought process to break down and work through a situation or problem to arrive at an outcome. Practice here covers interpreting tables and passages, prioritizing tasks against rules, comparing data for discrepancies, and evaluating multi-factor scenarios to reach a well-supported decision.

20%

Client Service Orientation

Situational-judgment questions on providing the best possible service to internal and external clients - quality, timeliness, completeness, courtesy, fairness and sound outcome. Practice here asks candidates to choose the most appropriate, professional response in hypothetical border-service and public-interaction scenarios, balancing integrity, teamwork and protocol.

20%

Writing Skills

Knowledge of clear, correct written communication produced in plain language. Practice here covers grammar, subject-verb agreement, pronoun and tense use, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure and clarity, conciseness and vocabulary - all tested through multiple-choice questions.

How to Pass the CBSA OTEE Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: No single published pass mark. Each of the four competencies is scored separately and candidates must meet the required standard in every area; an unsuccessful result ends the candidacy and the OTEE may only be re-written one full year later.
  • Assessment: 117 multiple-choice questions assessing four competencies: reasoning skills, analytical thinking, client service orientation and writing skills. All questions are hypothetical and require no prior CBSA knowledge.
  • Time limit: 135 minutes (about 2 hours 15 minutes) once the exam is started, roughly 69 seconds per question. Candidates have a one-week window to begin and must finish in a single sitting.
  • Exam fee: There is no fee to write the OTEE; it is part of the CBSA's federal recruitment process.

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

CBSA OTEE Study Tips from Top Performers

1Practise under a timer set to about 69 seconds per question so you build the pacing needed to finish all 117 questions inside the 135-minute window.
2For reasoning items, underline rule words such as all, some, only, must and unless, then test each answer against exactly what the passage states - do not add outside assumptions.
3For analytical and data items, slow down and compare details character by character (for example Smith versus Smyth); the exam rewards accuracy over speed when spotting discrepancies.
4For client service questions, choose the response that follows policy, security and fairness first - the most professional answer, not simply the most polite or most helpful-sounding one.
5For writing-skills questions, read the whole sentence before choosing; look for agreement errors, run-ons, misplaced modifiers and wordiness, and prefer clear plain language.
6Review the official CBSA sample questions to confirm the wording and style, then use the 30-second rule: if a hard item does not click, mark it, make your best choice and keep moving.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the CBSA OTEE and how long is it?

The OTEE has 117 multiple-choice questions and you have 135 minutes (about 2 hours 15 minutes) to complete it once you start - roughly 69 seconds per question. You have a one-week window to begin and must finish in a single sitting.

What competencies does the OTEE assess?

Four competencies: reasoning skills, analytical thinking, client service orientation and writing skills. All questions are hypothetical, so no prior knowledge of the Canada Border Services Agency is required.

Is there a pass mark for the OTEE?

The CBSA does not publish a single pass percentage. Each of the four competencies is assessed separately and you must meet the required standard in every area. An unsuccessful result ends your candidacy in that process.

Can I re-write the OTEE if I fail?

Yes, but you must wait one full year after your first attempt. If you re-write before the waiting period ends, the new results are invalid and a fresh one-year wait begins from that date. Successful results are valid indefinitely.

Is there a fee to write the OTEE?

No. The OTEE is part of the CBSA's federal recruitment process and there is no fee for candidates to write it.

Are these official CBSA practice questions?

No. These are original OpenExamPrep questions modelled on the four official OTEE competency areas. The CBSA provides its own sample questions on the official entrance-exam page, which you should also review.