If you work in HR or want to start a career in human resources, getting your Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation is a great step.
The CHRP certification is recognized across Canada and shows that you have the basic knowledge and professional skills needed to succeed in HR roles today.
If you’re wondering how to get CHRP Certification in Canada, you’re in luck.
In this guide, we will show you step-by-step instructions on how to get CHRP certified in Canada.
The Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) is a professional designation managed by provincial HR associations like HRPA (Human Resources Professionals Association) in Ontario or CPHR Canada in other provinces.
This certification is perfect for people in HR roles, such as:
The CHRP shows that the holder understands essential HR functions, employment law, and ethical standards.
They are ready to help organizations with hiring, compliance, compensation, and employee relations.
If you want to learn more about what a CHRP Certification is, go to our guide.
At TROIS Collective, we support HR professionals and business leaders through strategic help and education.
If you want to improve as a business partner or grow in your HR career as a strategic ally, follow these steps to get your CHRP when you're ready.
(Keep in mind that to get your CHRP, you must have an active HRPA membership)
The first thing to know about getting the CHRP designation is that it involves three main exams.
To start your CHRP journey, you need to take HR-related courses approved by your HR association.
You can choose between two options: a course-by-course approach or an alternate route.
With the course-by-course approach, you must complete the following courses and achieve an overall average of 70%.
You cannot score less than 65% in any single course.
These courses are:
- Labour Relations
- Finance & Accounting
- Training & Development
- Organizational Behaviour
- Occupational Health & Safety
Where can you take these courses?
The HRPA has a site to help you check if your courses are approved. As we pointed out above, to take the exam, you must first become an HRPA member.
Once you finish your coursework, you can go ahead and schedule your exam. Each exam costs $200, and 65% is needed to pass the challenge exam.
The alternate route is for experienced HR professionals or those with significant HR education. This approach uses a points system, and you need 50 points to qualify for the CHRP knowledge exam.
The CHRP exams happen twice a year, and you can register a few months before the exam dates.
The CHRP-KE exam costs $310 CAD, and the CHRP-ELE costs $260 CAD, plus HST.
To get ready for the exam, you can use your school notes and any materials from your academic institution, along with the prep modules. The HRPA also provides a list of useful textbooks to read.
You can also join the HRPA Exam Prep Program. It's self-paced, online, and has modules to work through, plus full practice exams.
The prep program is very useful for the CHRP-KE exam. This exam tests knowledge of various HR laws and rules. T
On the other hand, the CHRP-ELE exam focuses specifically on employment law and includes case-based scenarios along with knowledge questions.
This one really puts your judgment to the test and shows how well you can apply your HR know-how to real-life situations.
You have signed up for your exams and spent months studying, so you are ready to take them.
Good luck!
After you pass the exams, you will need to show that you can use your HR knowledge in real work situations.
This is where the Job Ready Program (JRP) helps you out.
The JRP is a test that uses simulations to check your judgment, professionalism, and understanding of HR issues. These issues include:
After you pass the exam and the JRP, you will get your CHRP designation, but your journey doesn’t end there.
To keep your certification, you need to:
Now that you understand how to get CHRP certification in Canada, are you ready to start?
Whether you work in a large enterprise, a mid-sized company, or as part of a fractional HR team like at TROIS Collective, having the CHRP designation can make you stand out as a trustworthy HR partner.
If you want to learn more about a career in HR, check out our blog.