You qualify for Category III academic equivalency if you have a
university education and 2 years of experience (within the last 5 years) in at least one of the 7 personal financial planning
areas, in Canada.
To qualify you need:
- A bachelor's degree or graduate diploma in administration,
economics, law or actuarial science or in another related
discipline recognized by the IQPF
or
- 3 certificates in one or more of these disciplines
(administration, economics, law or actuarial science) comprised of
at least 450 course-hours at the university level, with at least 25
different courses taken as part of the program
If you meet these requirements, to become a financial planner,
you have to pass the IQPF equivalency exam. This exam is given at a
date agreed by the IQPF and the applicant. It is made up of
multiple-choice questions divided up between the financial planning
areas. To pass the exam, you must achieve a grade of at least 70%
in each area. The price of the exam is $1,150 plus tax (prices may
change without notice).
If you do not achieve a passing grade in every tested area, you
will have to complete the IQPF Executive Program or a university course for each area you failed before
you can go any further.
Once you have completed this step, you will have to take the
IQPF Professional Training Course and pass the IQPF exam
(4 hours).
Finally, to be able to use the financial planner title, you will
have to obtain a representative’s certificate from the Autorité des
marchés financiers.
Download the academic equivalency application
form.