Starting fresh in 2026 and trying to figure out whether I should still knock out the Canadian Securities Course first, or go straight to the CIRE. Does the CSC still count for anything?
The CSC stopped being a licensing requirement on January 1, 2026 — the CIRE replaced the old CSC + CPH combination as the entry exam for CIRO investment-dealer registration. If you're starting from scratch, there's no regulatory reason to take the CSC anymore. The old course-centric model had you spending months and a couple thousand dollars before you could even apply for registration; the CIRE is a single $475 exam with no mandatory coursework, and you can prepare for it however you want.
A few caveats. If you already hold the CSC and CPH, those stay valid — CIRO isn't forcing existing reps to requalify, so you don't need the CIRE. Some people still choose the CSC for the educational depth, which is a legitimate personal choice, but it buys you nothing on the licensing side now. And if you started the CSC but haven't finished, the credit rules get messy — check with your firm's compliance team or CIRO directly rather than guessing.
One thing worth checking if you enrolled in the CSC before 2026: there may be a narrow transition window where it's still recognized, but only if the course and its exams are done and your dealer's approval application is filed before January 1, 2027. Outside that window, the CSC no longer qualifies you for CIRO approval at an investment dealer — CSI's own course page carries that notice. If a job posting still lists 'CSC required,' it's almost certainly running on an outdated checklist. Worth asking the employer directly whether it's still current under CIRO's new proficiency rules before you pay for a course you may not need.
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