FP CanadaTM certifications, QUALIFIED ASSOCIATE FINANCIAL PLANNERTM certification and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification, prepare you to meet the challenges of a changing industry and help your clients seize new opportunities as their financial lives become more complex. QAFP® professionals will help a new generation of wealth builders reach their full potential. CFP® professionals will help Canadians with complex financial scenarios live life confidently. Explore the certification that most interests you:
QAFP Certification
CFP Certification
Helping more Canadians access professional financial planning sooner.
Start building a meaningful career helping Canadians navigate life’s important financial decisions with your Qualified Associate Financial Planner™ certification.
QAFP® certification prepares you for a career in professional financial planning with practical knowledge, applied skills and ethical grounding. In as little as 12 months, you can be ready to provide core financial planning guidance with confidence, clarity and professional expertise. Because Canadians want more than financial solutions; they want trusted guidance and long-term financial relationships.
Help clients make informed decisions about core financial challenges like budgeting, debt management, saving, and retirement.
Build long-term client relationships using professional skills like communication, critical thinking, and decision making.
Begin your career sooner in financial planning roles in banks, credit unions, or as an independent advisor.
Apply broad financial planning knowledge across the foundational areas of financial planning.
“The best part is when I hear a client tell me they’ve saved enough to buy a home. I know I’ve helped them achieve that dream, in a tough market.”
– Jay Mallari Jay Mallari, QAFP® Professional Worldsource Financial Management Inc. President/AGA, Cambria Wealth Management, British Columbia
Is QAFP Certification Right for You?
Earning QAFP certification prepares professionals to help Canadians make informed financial decisions at every stage of life — from budgeting and debt management, to saving, planning for life’s milestones, and building financial well-being. It’s ideal for professionals who want to provide practical, well-rounded financial planning guidance while building long-term client relationships.
Getting Certified with FP Canada
Education
• Technical education: fundamental program* • QAFP professional education program
Exam
• QAFP certification exam • Offered three times per year (February, May/June & October)
Experience Required
Post-secondary diploma/degree + one year work experience OR Five years work experience
Program Length
Under 12 months
Program Cost
$2,400 – $4,070 (includes education and exam)
Career Outcomes
Typical Roles
Associate financial planner, branch-based representative or advice-led planning roles
Employers
Banks, credit unions, wealth management firms
Career Growth
Build a long-term career in financial planning, with opportunities to grow within banking, wealth management or independent advisory.
“Helping clients isn’t about finding a single solution. It’s about connecting all the pieces of their financial life. That’s the perspective and structure I gained through QAFP certification.”
QAFP professionals provide financial planning advice and help clients make informed financial decisions related to core financial decisions, such as cash flow management, savings and debt management strategies. They work in a range of client-facing and planning-focused roles at banks, credit unions, insurance firms, and independent financial planning and advisory practices.
QAFP certification is designed for individuals who want to build a career in financial planning. It is a good fit for:
aspiring financial planning professionals,
banking professionals,
financial advisors,
insurance professionals,
career changers entering financial services.
The time required to earn QAFP certification depends on your education, work experience, and course schedule. Many candidates complete the required education and become exam eligible in as little as 12 months.
To earn QAFP certification, candidates must complete the education program which includes technical education (fundamentals) and professional education, pass the QAFP certification exam, demonstrate relevant professional experience (one to five years depending on postsecondary education) and meet ethics requirements.
Education exemptions or additional requirements may apply depending on your educational background and career path.
QAFP certification and Certified Financial Planner® certification are complementary certifications that support different client needs across the financial planning spectrum. QAFP professionals provide integrated financial planning and practical guidance to help Canadians navigate core financial decisions, such as budgeting, saving, debt management, and planning for life milestones. CFP professionals provide comprehensive and holistic financial planning for clients with more complex needs, including advanced wealth, tax, estate, retirement, business, and cross-border planning considerations. Both certifications are issued by FP Canada, the leader in financial planner certification in Canada.
QAFP certification is approved by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) as a valid credential for individuals using the Financial Planner title in Ontario. FP Canada is an approved credentialing body under Ontario’s Financial Professionals Title Protection framework.
You can learn more about courses and education programs on the course catalogue page. If you have specific questions, sign up for our free, interactive certification Q&A session to get real-time answers.
Get News and Updates from FP Canada
About FP Canada
Established in 1995, FP Canada is a national not-for-profit education, certification and professional oversight organization working in the public interest. FP Canada is dedicated to championing better financial wellness for all Canadians by leading the advancement of professional financial planning in Canada.
Professional financial planning at the highest level.
Build your career helping people navigate complex financial decisions confidently with Certified Financial Planner® certification.
CFP® certification is the world’s most recognized financial planning designation and the gold standard for the profession. CFP professionals provide in-depth, comprehensive financial advice for clients with more complex needs such as business ownership, tax planning involving residential ties outside Canada, retirement income strategies, multi-beneficiary estate planning, and multi-generational wealth planning. CFP professionals may collaborate with other professionals to implement strategies.
Develop advanced expertise across key financial planning disciplines including financial management planning, investment planning, retirement planning, tax planning, estate planning, and insurance and risk management planning
Lead client relationships at wealth management firms, banks and credit unions, or as an independent advisor
Create holistic financial plans by considering each client’s entire financial picture
Build the professional skills required to form trusted, long-term client relationships
“It’s really about how to make someone’s life better, and to make them feel better about what’s going to happen in the future.”
– Kelly Ho CFP® Professional DLD Financial, British Columbia
Is CFP Certification Right for You?
Earning CFP certification prepares professionals with the knowledge, skills, experience and ethics to examine their clients’ entire financial picture, at the highest level of complexity required of the profession. If you’re interested in advanced financial planning, helping people and building trusted long-term client relationships, CFP certification could be right for you.
Getting Certified with FP Canada
Education
• Technical education: fundamental and advanced programs* • CFP professional education program
Exam
• CFP certification exam • Offered twice a year: May/June & October
Experience Required
Post-secondary diploma/degree + three years work experience OR 10 years work experience
Create a financial planning career that grows with your ambition, whether in leadership, specialized planning, wealth management, banking or independent practice.
“Knowledge can be acquired. Soft skills, like empathy, compassion and the ability to communicate aren’t easily learned. You need to like being in front of people.”
– Fred Zhou CFP® Professional TD Wealth, British Columbia
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs
CFP professionals provide in-depth, comprehensive financial advice for clients with more complex needs such as business ownership, tax planning involving residential ties outside Canada, retirement income strategies, multi-beneficiary estate planning, and multi-generational wealth planning. CFP professionals may collaborate with other professionals to implement strategies.
CFP certification is designed for individuals who want to provide comprehensive financial planning advice and help clients navigate complex financial decisions with confidence.
professionals seeking advanced expertise in comprehensive financial planning,
career changers pursuing long-term careers in financial planning.
The time required to earn CFP certification depends on your education, professional experience, and course schedule. It involves more advanced education and experience requirements, so many candidates complete the process over several years while building their careers in financial planning. The education program and exams typically take between one and three years.
To earn CFP certification, candidates must complete the education program which includes technical education (fundamentals and advanced) and professional education, pass the CFP certification exam, demonstrate relevant professional experience (three to 10 years depending on postsecondary education) and meet ethics requirements.
Education exemptions or additional requirements may apply depending on your educational background and career path.
CFP certification prepares professionals to provide comprehensive financial planning for clients with more complex financial needs, including advanced investment, tax, estate and retirement planning. Qualified Associate Financial Planner™certification focuses on helping Canadians navigate core financial planning needs and everyday decisions with confidence.
CFP certification is approved by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) as a valid credential for individuals using the Financial Planner title in Ontario. FP Canada is an approved credentialing body under Ontario’s Financial Professionals Title Protection framework.
You can learn more about courses and education programs on the course catalogue page. If you have specific questions, sign up for our free, interactive certification Q&A session to get real-time answers.
Get News and Updates from FP Canada
About FP Canada
Established in 1995, FP Canada is a national not-for-profit education, certification and professional oversight organization working in the public interest. FP Canada is dedicated to championing better financial wellness for all Canadians by leading the advancement of professional financial planning in Canada.
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QAFP Designation
QAFP professionals are very satisfied with their career in financial planning with 93% responding ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’. Satisfaction of the designation is high with 86% responding ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’. Satisfaction scores are consistent across population segments.
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CFP Designation
94% of CFP professionals are satisfied with their designation. 93% of CFP professionals would recommend pursuing their certification to others seeking careers in financial planning.
If you already have a post-secondary degree or diploma, you can complete all your certification education within one year, with only 7 hours of study time per week.
About 58% of QAFP professionals reported earning over $100,000 per year and 26% of QAFP professionals reported earning over $200,000 per year. This is based on self-reported data from January 1 – December 31, 2022.
QAFP professionals work with some of the largest financial institutions in Canada. Here are some organizations that employ the largest number of QAFP professionals in Canada, based on self-reported data from January 1 – December 31, 2022: RBC, IG Wealth Management, TD Canada Trust, Sun Life, CIBC, BMO, Scotiabank, and Canada Life, among others.
The QAFP Certification Bridge Path to CFP Certification was created for individuals already holding QAFP certification who wish to continue in their career path to pursue CFP certification or for candidates who wish to obtain QAFP certification first, as a stepping stone to CFP certification. To Learn about the Bridge Path book a career consultation today.
About 55% of CFP professionals reported earning over $100,000 per year and 28% of CFP professionals reported earning over $200,000 per year, This is based on self-reported data from January 1 – December 31, 2022.
CFP professionals work with some of the largest financial institutions in Canada. Here are some organizations that employ the largest number of CFP professionals in Canada, based on self-reported data from January 1 – December 31, 2022: RBC, IG Wealth Management, TD Canada Trust, CIBC, BMO, Scotiabank, Sun Life and Canada Life, among others.
