Information Technology Certified Professional

8/4/2019 Information Technology Certified Professional

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This is a general guide and does not cover every individual situation. For the official and most

current information about the licensing process and fees, please contact the regulatory body.

I.S.P. (INFORMATION SYSTEMS PROFESSIONAL) &ITCP (INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL)

Last Updated: March 2010

Prior to your arrival in Canada, contact the Canadian Information Processing Society of Saskatchewan

(CIPS) to find out about the provincial professional certification requirements and seek general

information about working as an Information Systems Professional or an Information Technology CertifiedProfessional in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Page 1

Do you hold an academic (undergraduate) credential that is recognized underthe Seoul Accord?

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Prior to Your Arrival in Saskatchewan, Canadaa) Obtain an informal assessment of your academic qualification through a Canadian CIPS recognized academic

credentials evaluation service. Submit the assessment to CIPS Registrar for evaluation.Page 4

b) Ensure that your previous clients or employers are able and willing to act as your reference.Page 5

Meets CIPSeducational

requirements.

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Does not meet CIPSeducational requirements.

Meets Career Pathroutes

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Upon Arrival in Saskatchewan, Canadaa) Determine what certification most appropriately fits your career profile.

Page 9b) Apply for the appropriate certification.

Page 12

Meets CIPS Educational and ExperienceRequirements or Career Path

Requirements for I.S.P.

Meets CIPS Educational and ExperienceRequirements or Career Path Requirements

for ITCP

Does not meetCIPS educational or

Career Pathrequirements forI.S.P. or ITCP

Follow

recommendations

provided by CIPS

Saskatchewan

(Optional) Develop or improve your speaking, listening, writing or grammarskills by enrolling in English language courses.

Page 2

YesNo

Professional DevelopmentPage 13


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This is a general guide and does not cover every individual situation. For the official and mostcurrent information about the licensing process and fees, please contact the regulatory body.

Page 1 Last Updated: March 2010

PROCESS MAP FOR INTERNATIONALLY -TRAINED INFORMATIONTECHNOLOGY PRACTITIONERS WISHING TO WORK IN SASKATCHEWAN,

CANADA

This PROCESS MAP will provide internationally-trained Information Technologyprofessionals with details about the most efficient pathway to obtain professionalcertification by the Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS) of Saskatchewan.This process map is meant as a guide only, but is based on the experience of manyInformation Technology professionals who have been through the registration process.

Prior to your arrival in Canada, contact the Canadian Information Processing Society ofSaskatchewan to inquire about the provincial certification requirements and seekgeneral information about being an Information Systems Professional (I.S.P.) or anInformation Technology Certified Professional (ITCP)www.cips.ca

When deciding to settle in Saskatchewan, it is important to contact CIPS Saskatchewanto find out the steps that are required to become certified in the province. Before leavingyour home country, contact CIPS Saskatchewan to find out about the provincialcertification requirements and seek general information about being an IT professionalin Saskatchewan.

You may write to CIPS Saskatchewan to inquire about the requirements and costs forcertification, registration, and the recommended procedure for an informal academicassessment prior to your arrival in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Be sure to ask specifically for information on what parts of the process you can do or

start before you leave your home country. For example, you may need to:

Prepare or obtain documents from your home professional associationbody or educational institution;

Obtain and complete forms that are available online;

Obtain personal or work references; Begin necessary educational assessments; or

Begin applications to programs or examinations.

CIPS SaskatchewanBox 20073

Cornwall Center RPORegina, SK, Canada S4P 4J7Email:[email protected]:http://local.cips.ca/saskatchewan
http://www.cips.ca/http://www.cips.ca/http://www.cips.ca/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://local.cips.ca/saskatchewanhttp://local.cips.ca/saskatchewanhttp://local.cips.ca/saskatchewanhttp://local.cips.ca/saskatchewanmailto:[email protected]://www.cips.ca/


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(Optional) Develop or improve your speaking, listening, writing or grammar skillsby enrolling in English language courses

Although you are not required to pass a language proficiency examination formembership in the CIPS of Saskatchewan, working in the Information Technology fielddoes require excellent language skills. Most businesses require you to communicatefluently orally and in writing, and be able to present complex technical information toboth technical and non-technical audiences. Knowledge of English orFrenchis astrong asset.

You may wish to develop or improve your English skills by enrolling in English languagecourses before you come or after you arrive in Saskatchewan. For more information onhow you can improve your English skills, visit:

http://www.saskimmigrationcanada.ca/learning-english
http://www.saskimmigrationcanada.ca/learning-englishhttp://www.saskimmigrationcanada.ca/learning-englishhttp://www.saskimmigrationcanada.ca/learning-english


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Do you hold academic (undergraduate) credentials that arerecognized under the Seoul Accord?

CIPS will recognize undergraduate computing programs accredited by members of theSeoul Accord (www.seoulaccord.org) as equivalent for the purposes of professionalcertification.

Signatories to the Accord include South Korea, United States, Australia, UnitedKingdom, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and Canada. The agencies in these countrieshave chosen to work together to assist the mobility of Computing and IT-relatedprofessionals holding suitable qualifications and to improve the quality of tertiary-levelComputing and IT-related education.

Individuals applying for CIPS certification under the Seoul Accord may be eligible foradvanced standing.

For more information contact:

CIPS SaskatchewanBox 20073Cornwall Center RPORegina, SK, Canada S4P 4J7Email:[email protected]:http://local.cips.ca/saskatchewan
http://www.seoulaccord.org/http://www.seoulaccord.org/http://www.seoulaccord.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://local.cips.ca/saskatchewanhttp://local.cips.ca/saskatchewanhttp://local.cips.ca/saskatchewanhttp://local.cips.ca/saskatchewanmailto:[email protected]://www.seoulaccord.org/


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Comprehensive Evaluation Report

CIPS Saskatchewan requires that applicants who completed their post-secondary ITrelevant education at an institution outside North America and whose education doesnot fall under the Seoul Accord must have their educational transcripts officiallytranslated (if the transcript is in a language other than English or French) and mustsubmit a course-by-course analysis and a statement of equivalency from a recognizedCanadian academic credential assessment service.

Following is a website link which provides more information regarding equivalencyassessment agencies:http://www.cicic.ca/415/credential-assessment-services.canada

The comprehensive report normally takes a minimum of seven weeks to complete. Thecost associated with the review differs depending on the agency used.

All pre-assessment and official applications are processed by the CIPS Office of theRegistrar. The comprehensive evaluation report should be send to the CIPS Office ofthe Registrar ([email protected]) for an informal pre-assessment.
http://www.cicic.ca/415/credential-assessment-services.canadahttp://www.cicic.ca/415/credential-assessment-services.canadahttp://www.cicic.ca/415/credential-assessment-services.canadamailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.cicic.ca/415/credential-assessment-services.canada


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Previous clients or employers to act as your reference

Certification application references must be able to comment on your competence andconfirm your work history over the last 24 months as documented by you in theapplication. The referee(s) should be at a similar or higher professional level to you andcannot be someone who reports to you or who is a family member.

The reference information should be supplied via a letter (on company letterhead) andinclude your job title, a detailed job description and precise dates of employment orclient relationship. Letters of appointment or contracts are not accepted.CIPS reserves the right to contact employers/clients to verify information.


mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://local.cips.ca/saskatchewanhttp://local.cips.ca/saskatchewanhttp://local.cips.ca/saskatchewanhttp://local.cips.ca/saskatchewanmailto:[email protected]


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Education or Career Path Assessment

The CIPS professional certification criteria are based on either a combination of relevantpost-secondary education plus years of professional experience or on a Career Pathroute.

CIPS accreditation is a non-governmental autonomous process for assessment ofeducational programs against industry accepted standards. A full listing of CIPSaccredited programs can be found athttp://www.cips.ca/accredited.

For more information on the professional experience requirement visit:http://www.cips.ca/isp?q=ispCriteria andhttp://www.cips.ca/itcproutesfor the ITCP.

*Programs from privately-funded educational institutions need to meet the followingminimum criteria:

1. Only Canadian baccalaureate (Bachelor) degrees will be considered.2. The baccalaureate degree needs to have received official provincial/territorial

government accreditation. The baccalaureate program needs to be a minimum of3 academic years in length (or equivalent to six full course load terms).

3. The C.I.S./C.I.T. specific course content of a program needs to be a minimum of60% over three academic years.

4. Transfer credits must be from an educational institution that has comparable or

mutually acceptable standards and requirements.
http://www.cips.ca/accreditedhttp://www.cips.ca/accreditedhttp://www.cips.ca/accreditedhttp://www.cips.ca/isp?q=ispCriteriahttp://www.cips.ca/isp?q=ispCriteriahttp://www.cips.ca/itcprouteshttp://www.cips.ca/itcprouteshttp://www.cips.ca/itcprouteshttp://www.cips.ca/itcprouteshttp://www.cips.ca/isp?q=ispCriteriahttp://www.cips.ca/accredited


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Career Path Routes

CIPS certification offers entry routes for applicants who do not hold a relevant

computing degree or diploma and are based on an assessment of an applicantspractical experience.

For I.S.P. Applicants

The Established IT ProfessionalsRoute (seewww.cips.ca/EstablishedITProfessionals)provides a competency-based review and assessment methodology and allowsapplicants to demonstrate mastery against the CIPS Body of Knowledge (BOKhttp://www.cips.ca/bok).

The principles that apply to this route are:

A point-based scoring system linked to competency levels is used tomeasure mastery of the Body Of Knowledge (BOK).

A minimum BOK Competency Score (BCS) of 21 points is required, with aminimum of Level 2 (3 points) in the core of the BOK (the professionalissues in IT) and additional 18 points (minimum) from at least 6 technicalareas of the BOK need to be achieved.

An overall familiarity with the CIPS BOK areas.

For ITCP Applicants

The IT Industry Leader Route

The IT Industry LeaderRoute is designed to facilitate the application and reviewprocess for individuals who have a level of professional competence above theminimum required for those applying under the post-secondary education plusexperience entry routes. The review and assessment methodology is based on adefined career path.

The IT Industry Leader entry route is directed specifically for senior IT professionalswho hold a non-IT university degree, but possess the required experience to practice inthe field. Individuals who are interested in this entry route must have a level ofprofessional competence above the minimum requirements and hold a senior executivelevel position in a large firm.
http://www.cips.ca/EstablishedITProfessionalshttp://www.cips.ca/EstablishedITProfessionalshttp://www.cips.ca/EstablishedITProfessionalshttp://www.cips.ca/bokhttp://www.cips.ca/bokhttp://www.cips.ca/bokhttp://www.cips.ca/EstablishedITProfessionals


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The Information Technology (IT) Industry Leader application route is available toprofessionals who:

Already have an established career in IT (generally not less than 12years);

Are responsible for IT strategies, resources, and operations at theorganizational level; and

Are sponsored by existing I.S.P. holders who are able to guarantee theirprofessional competence and integrity.

For the full IT Industry Leader criteria visit:http://www.cips.ca/ITCPITLeader

The Established Academic Route

The Established Academic entry route is designed to facilitate the application andreview process for individuals who have a level of professional competence above theminimum required for those applying under the post-secondary education plusexperienceentry routes. The review and assessment methodology is based on adefined career path.

This application route is available to professionals who:

Have a full-time academic position in a Computer Science (CS), SoftwareEngineering (SE) Information Systems (IS) (or equivalent) department at arecognized University (or equivalent);

Hold the rank of Associate Professor or higher, or are eligible to hold thisrank;

Are established in her/his field, both as a teacher and as a researcher, andwho will have contributed some service to her/his discipline and/orprofession.

For the full Established Academic criteria visit:http://www.cips.ca/ITCPacademicRoute
http://www.cips.ca/ITCPITLeaderhttp://www.cips.ca/ITCPITLeaderhttp://www.cips.ca/ITCPITLeaderhttp://www.cips.ca/ITCPacademicRoutehttp://www.cips.ca/ITCPacademicRoutehttp://www.cips.ca/ITCPacademicRoutehttp://www.cips.ca/ITCPacademicRoutehttp://www.cips.ca/ITCPITLeader


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Determine which certification most appropriately fits your career profile

CIPS offers professional recognition at two levels the Information SystemsProfessional (I.S.P.) and the Information Technology Certified Professional (ITCP). Thefollowing chart outlines the key differences and commonalities between the twodesignations.


mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://local.cips.ca/saskatchewanhttp://local.cips.ca/saskatchewanhttp://local.cips.ca/saskatchewanhttp://local.cips.ca/saskatchewanmailto:[email protected]


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CIPS uses the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIAwww.sfia.org.uk) todetermine an applicants competence, skills, knowledge and level of responsibility andautonomy. The following is a list of SFIA Level 4, 5, and 6 responsibility levels. It willprovide you with a tool to assess which designation most appropriately fits your currentprofessional status. Level 4 pertains to the I.S.P., levels 5 and 6 pertain to the ITCP.

SFIA Level 4 I.S.P. SFIA Level 5 ITCP SFIA Level 6 ITCP

AutonomyWorks under general directionwithin a clear framework ofaccountability. Exercisessubstantial personalresponsibility and autonomy.Plans own work to meet givenobjectives and processes.

InfluenceInfluences team and specialistpeers internally. Influencescustomers at account leveland suppliers. Has someresponsibility for the work ofothers and for the allocation ofresources. Participates inexternal activities related toown specialization. Makesdecisions which influence thesuccess of projects and teamobjectives.

AutonomyWorks under broad direction.Full accountability for owntechnical work orproject/supervisoryresponsibilities. Receivesassignments in the form ofobjectives. Establishes ownmilestones, team objectivesand delegates assignments.Work is often self-initiated.

InfluenceInfluences organization,customers, suppliers andpeers within industry oncontribution of specialization.Significant responsibility forthe work of others and for theallocation of resources.Decisions impact on successof assigned projects, such asresults, deadlines and budget.Develops businessrelationships with customers.

AutonomyHas defined authority andresponsibility for a significantarea of work, includingtechnical, financial and qualityaspects. Establishesorganizational objectives anddelegates responsibilities. Isaccountable for actions anddecisions taken by self andsubordinates.

InfluenceInfluences policy formation onthe contribution of ownspecialization to businessobjectives. Influences asignificant part of ownorganization and influencescustomers/suppliers andindustry at seniormanagement level. Makesdecisions which impact thework of employingorganizations, achievement oforganizational objectives andfinancial performance.Develops high-levelrelationships with customers,

suppliers and industryleaders.
http://www.sfia.org.uk/http://www.sfia.org.uk/http://www.sfia.org.uk/http://www.sfia.org.uk/


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Apply for Professional Membership

Apply for either the I.S.P. (seehttp://www.cips.ca/applications) or the ITCP (seehttp://www.cips.ca/ITCPapplication ). There is a requirement to obtain and maintainCIPS Saskatchewan membership in order to use the certification. One can apply forcertification without CIPS membership, however when the application has beenapproved you will be required to subscribe to CIPS Saskatchewan membership.
http://www.cips.ca/applicationshttp://www.cips.ca/applicationshttp://www.cips.ca/applicationshttp://www.cips.ca/ITCPapplicationhttp://www.cips.ca/ITCPapplicationhttp://www.cips.ca/ITCPapplicationhttp://www.cips.ca/applications


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Continued Professional Development Program

To retain certified membership status, members must maintain their professionalcurrency in IT. Averaged over three years, they must obtain a minimum of 300education credits and at least 3,000 hours have to be spent on IT professional-levelactivities. Work experience must be at least 60% IT-related.

The full re certification guidelines are available on the CIPS website:http://www.cips.ca

Learning credits have been designed to provide a great deal of flexibility within the re-certification guidelines to allow one to achieve the minimum requirement.
http://www.cips.ca/http://www.cips.ca/http://www.cips.ca/http://www.cips.ca/

Documents

Information Technology Certified Professional