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; and
- persons who were grandfathered into the designation and 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 $275 plus applicable taxes. Renewal opens in February. Details will be emailed to eligible designates. NOTE: Renewal fees are waived for CTCS program graduates in their year of graduation and in the first year following graduation.
CSCB member firms which have signed a CTCS MOU with the CSCB are allowed a rebate of 10 percent of CTCS fees paid under the MOU 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, 2022 to December 31, 2024. 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.
| Activity | CTCS Credits | Proof of attendance required? Examples | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Successful completion of an online designate quiz. Three (3) free quizzes are offered each year. | 5 per quiz | No |
| 2. | Successful completion of a CTCS module*, if taken:
| 10 | No |
| 3. | NEW! Successful completion of the CCS Course: Designate Version | 20 (applicable for credits in the year of completion) | No |
| 4. | Attendance at a CSCB-hosted webinar | to be determined on a case-by-case basis | No |
| 5. | Attendance at a CSCB national conference | 20 | No |
| 6. | Attendance at a CSCB national or regional educational seminar | to be determined on a case-by-case basis | No |
| 7. | Attendance at a CSCB regional annual conference or general meeting | to be determined on a case-by-case basis | No |
| 8. | Maintenance of the Canadian CCS designation | 5 per year | No |
| 9. | Acquisition of one of the following professional designations or certifications: CCS, PFF, CITP, CCLP, U.S. CCS, CSCP, U.S. CES | 10 | Yes; copy of certificate of completion or transcript |
| 10. | Attendance at a CSCB pre-approved international trade compliance conference or seminar | to be determined on a case-by-case basis | Yes; confirmation from organizer in a form of email or signed Professional Development Credits Record form |
| 11. | Attendance at pre-approved webinars hosted by other organizations | to be determined on a case-by-case basis | Yes; a screenshot of the presentation or a 'thank you for attending' email |
| 12. | Successful completion of a CSCB pre-approved university or college course | 20 for a single-term course; 40 for a course running over two terms | Yes; copy of certificate of completion or transcript |
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 form. 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.
Please note: viewing a recorded webinar after the webinar was originally shown does not qualify for credits.
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. 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
A CTCS designate must collect 35 credits in a 3-year cycle if they’ve been away on parental or sick leave for at least 6 consecutive months in a credit cycle. Proof of leave from employer or medical professional is required.
Absences from the workplace for any reason other than parental leave or illness resulting in a failure to accumulate the required credits will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
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.