Seasonal influenza virus infection is a leading cause of illness and mortality in young children and the elderly each year. Current influenza vaccines generate protective antibody responses; however, these must be given annually to provide protection against serologically distinct viruses. By contrast, CD8⁺ T cells are capable of recognizing conserved antigenic determinants within the influenza virion and, as such, may provide protection against a number of variant strains of the virus. CD8⁺ T cells play a critical key role in controlling and resolving influenza virus infections via the production of cytokines and cytolytic mediators. This article focuses on the induction of the influenza-specific CD8⁺ T-cell response and how these cells acquire and maintain effector function after induction. Moreover, we discuss how cytotoxic T-lymphocyte function correlates with protection following vaccination.