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QUALIFIED ASSOCIATE FINANCIAL PLANNER certification: Accelerate your career!

A new generation of wealth builders is looking for financial planning expertise now. The reimagined QAFP® certification is the right match. In as little as 12 months, you can gain the knowledge, skills and ethics training you need to help clients navigate change and growth as their needs become more complex. 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.

  • Trusted not-for-profit FP Canada certification.
  • Exclusive QAFP Professional Education Program including ‘live discovery’ gets you client-ready sooner and keeps you relationship-strong career long.
  • QAFP certification positions you to continue on with CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification when the time is right.

A Day in the Life: Kali Cortus, QAFP, RPC – Sun Life




Glen Dilworth
QAFP® Professional RBC Financial Planning, Ontario

“I coach my clients all the time. I don’t play the game – they do – but I am helping them develop and reach their goals.”


Jay Mallari
QAFP® Professional Sun Life Advisor Cambria Financial Solutions, Inc. British Columbia

“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.”

FAQs

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.

You can learn more about courses and education programs on the course catalogue page. If you have specific questions you can book a free career consultation.

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.


One, clear education path.

The education pathway to QAFP certification is now straight-ahead, easy to follow and for the first time, available end-to-end from the FP Canada
Institute™. CE credits and exemptions are available to MFDA and IIROC advisors.

Pathway to QAFP Certification

Technical Education Fundamentals QAFP ProfessionalEducation Program QAFP Exam 12 CE Credits per Calendar Year One year of qualifying work experience & post secondary diploma OR five years of qualifying work experience Develop the knowledge and skills essential to high-value, holistic financial planning. Technicalcontent, developed by professionalfinancial planners for aspiringfinancial planners, positions youto meet the needs of today andtomorrow. Exclusive to QAFP certification, the QAFP Professional Education Program delivers the critical practices and skills needed to build deep, lifelong clientrelationships. Focus on financialplanning discovery, preparation and presentation to position you for success sooner. This three-hour exam is designedto test the competencies you will require to build your practice: Real-life scenarios, applicable to what you will encounter servingclients, a true test of your practical knowledge and skill.

Choose the education bundle that fits you best.

QAFP certification courses are written by successful professional financial planners for aspiring professional financial planners. You get the knowledge and the practical insights.

Have questions about a career in financial planning or FP Canada certifications?

Have all your questions answered at a free, live and interactive certification Q&A session.