CTCS Designation

Eligibility Status

Certified Trade Compliance Specialist designation status is limited to:

• persons who successfully complete the CTCS program of study and who maintain their CTCS status.

To maintain the CTCS designation, an individual must:

• pay their renewal fees annually; and
• earn 50 professional development credits triennially.

Annual Fee

The annual fee is CDN $275 plus applicable taxes. Renewal opens in January, at which time CTCS designates are advised via email on how to remit their fees through their CSCB accounts. NOTE: Renewal fees are waived for CTCS program graduates in their year of graduation and in the first year following graduation.

Payment must be made online by February 28 of the same year. Designates will receive one overdue reminder notice in March. Any designates who have not paid their annual fee by end of May of that year will be converted to “expired” status, and their access to CSCB resources will be removed.

The CSCB will consider requests to reinstate status.

CSCB member firms are allowed a rebate of 10 percent of CTCS fees paid under the MOU, which is reflected in a reduction of CSCB membership dues.
 

Obtaining Professional Development Credits

CTCS designates need to obtain 50 professional development credits triennially for which proof of participation may be required. The current three-year cycle runs from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2027. Credits may be earned in many ways, including the following. 

NOTE: During a CTCS designate’s initial calendar year, the credit requirement will be pro-rated based on the number of months remaining in the 3 year period. 

Note: credits awarded will be based on factors including content and duration. Credits in excess of the required 50 cannot be “banked” for allocation in a future 3 year cycle.

* As part of the CTCS designation benefits, every CTCS designate is entitled to one CTCS module per 3 year credit-cycle, to be completed in that credit cycle, at no cost.

CTCS Credits Approved Activities

Please refer to a list of all CTCS Credits Approved Activities. This list is updated regularly.

Please do not assume that an event approved for credits in one year will be approved, or that the same number of credits will be assigned, in the following year.

Activity Eligibility

To be deemed as eligible for CTCS credits, an activity must be approved by the CSCB. To do this in advance of the activity, login to your CSCB account, and complete the External Event Approval. We will then advise you if taking part in the activity is eligible for CTCS Credits.

Proof of attendance at any non-CSCB events is required. Any valid evidence of participation will be accepted, as outlined above.

General Requirements for Event Eligibility for CTCS:

• The event must be educational in nature and directly related to customs, trade compliance, or border management topics.
• The duration and content of the session will determine the number of CTCS credits awarded.
• The content should expand upon or complement topics covered in the CTCS program such as:
  • CBSA programs and procedures
  • Canadian trade compliance and regulations
  • Tariff classification, valuation, rules of origin and trade agreements
  • Canadian trade policy or legislative updates
  • Other government department (OGD) requirements for import/export
• Webinars may include non-Canadian content if they contribute to a deeper understanding of trade compliance.

Examples of Non-Acceptable Topics:

• Sessions unrelated to trade, customs, or compliance (e.g., generic business development)
• Events focused primarily on product promotion or sales
• Unverifiable or informal training without proof of participation

Recording Credits

Here's what you can do to ensure that the CSCB has a record of your credits:

For CSCB activities:

• For CSCB events, CTCS credits will be added automatically based on attendance lists.
• For CSCB courses or designate quizzes, credits will be added automatically upon successful completion.

For non-CSCB activities pre-approved for CTCS credits:

• For non-CSCB activities, you must provide proof of attendance, as outlined above. Please log into your CSCB account and access the Activities Approved for Points/Credits page to submit your proof of attendance. Credits will then be added to your account.
• For in-house training offered by CSCB member firms, please have the training facilitator provide us with a list of CTCS designates who completed the in-house training. Credits will be added based on the provided attendance list.

Leave of Absence

If a designate is away from the workplace with authorized leave for three consecutive months within a calendar year, 7.5 CTCS credits will be waived. This waiver process may be access a maximum of  two times for a total of 15 CTCS points within the calendar year.

Proof of authorized leave from employer is required.

Please note, the annual renewal fee will still apply.

Re-certification

Former CTCS designates who wish to regain their designation may do so by re-certifying, as long as their designation has not lapsed for more than 6 years. For further details on fees and eligibility, please refer to the CTCS Re-certification Policy.

Individuals seizing this opportunity may do so only once.

CTCS Retired Status

The "CTCS Retired Status" is available for individuals who are no longer working in international trade.

Retired designates can still engage in professional development activities but are not required to earn points. For more details, visit CCS/CTCS Retired Status.