New members

Continuing education obligations

Continuing education reference period

The term “continuing education reference period” refers to one continuing education cycle, which restarts every 2 years. A reference period begins on December 1 of an odd-numbered year and ends two years later on November 30.

What is a professional development unit (PDU)?

How many PDUs do I have to earn per period?

The number of PDUs you are required to earn in each 2-year period varies depending on when you entered the profession (for new members) and the number of fields in which you are authorized to practice.

All continuing education activities, whether delivered by the CSF or accredited providers, earn PDUs in 3 categories:

• • General subjects
• • Compliance
• • Topics specific to your field of practice (group savings, insurance of persons, etc.)

To retain your right to practice, you must earn 10 PDUs in each of these categories in every 2-year reference period.

Mandatory compliance course: to be completed every 4 years

In addition to continuing education activities, you are also required to complete the CSF’s mandatory compliance course.

This continuing education activity, which earns you between 3 and 5 PDUs in compliance (depending on the chosen formula), is available for a period of 4 years. This means it covers 2 separate reference periods and can be completed during either of the 2 periods.

PDUs earned for completing the mandatory course are only attributed to 1 of the 2 continuing education reference periods.

Several formulas are offered for the mandatory compliance course.

Your PDU record

Activate your Member’s Area

If you haven’t already done so, activate your account and follow the instructions on the screen. You’ll need your AMF certificate number (*AMF Register) and a valid email address. After you submit your request, you will receive a password via email.

Log in to access your PDU record

If your account has been created in the Member’s Area, access the login page and follow the instructions on the screen. You’ll need to enter your AMF certificate number and password.

Where to find the content of your PDU record?

Once you have accessed your PDU record, your name will appear in the black banner on the top-right of the page. Click on it and select “My PDU record” from the drop-down menu. You can now access your record summary and view the continuing education activities enrolled for the current reference period.

Keeping your PDU record up to date

It is important to verify that your continuing education activities are recognized by the CSF and recorded in your PDU record no later than November 30 of an odd-numbered year.

To enter your continuing education activities,, log in to “My PDU record” and click on the “Training activity input” tab. You will need the identification number indicated on your proof of attendance (CSFXX-XX-XXXXX).

To be eligible for PDUs, a continuing education activity must be recognized by the CSF Make sure to verify this information with the provider.

Get PDUs

Carrying over extra PDUs

If you have accumulated excess PDUs in the last three months of the previous compliance period, you may carry over up to five PDUs into the current compliance period.

Extra PDUs earned in specific topics or compliance will be transferred to general subjects unless this category is already completed.

Earning PDUs for CEGEP or university courses

It is possible to earn PDUs for courses you have successfully completed as part of a CEGEP or university program. You will need to complete an application for recognition and attach a detailed course plan and your academic transcript.

Earning PDUs across Canada

Under a Canada-wide agreement, if you reside in another province, the CSF may approve PDUs for continuing education activities completed outside Quebec during a reference period. To do so, you will need to complete an application for recognition and attach the requested documents.

Exemption from continuing education

The CSF may authorize an exemption to the number of PDUs you are required to complete if you were absent from work for at least four consecutive weeks due to disability or parental leave. Your PDU requirement will then be recalculated to account for the duration of your absence.

To apply for an exemption request from the CSF:

• • Please log in to your member's area
• • Under your name, click on My PDU record
• • Click on Request for exemptions, and Add

The online form will then appear:

Please fill in the fields by clicking on the tabs on the right, then click on Save.

In order for the application to be processed, you must email all required proof to dispense@chambresf.com.

Am I compliant?

If, at the end of a 2-year continuing education reference period, you have not earned the required number of PDUs as set out in the Regulation of the Chambre de la sécurité financière respecting compulsory professional development, your status will be deemed non-compliant.

It is your responsibility to ensure that all continuing education activities completed during a reference period are recorded in your PDU record before the end of the reference period (no later than November 30 of an odd-numbered year).

After this date, an incomplete record could result to the suspension of your certificate or registration, as applicable.

Information notice

To prevent this situation from occurring, the CSF will send you an information notice no more than 30 days prior to the end of the reference period informing you that your record is incomplete. This notice will also indicate which PDUs you must earn in order to be compliant and inform you of the consequences of failing to remedy the situation.

Notice of non-compliance

If you have not accumulated the total PDUs required to meet your continuing education obligations, the CSF will send you a notice of non-compliance within 30 days of the end of the reference period. The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) will then be informed that a notice of non-compliance was sent to you.

You can restore your compliant status

If the AMF has suspended your licence to practice due to non-compliance with your continuing education obligations, all is not lost!

You can still remedy the situation by earning the missing PDUs, but only after the licence suspension date

This also means that any PDUs accumulated between the beginning of the new reference period and the licence suspension date will be applied only to the new period.