PLP Transfer Credit Requirement

In addition to completing the required payroll courses, PLP designation applications must also complete three supplementary courses: Managerial Accounting, Organizational Behaviour Management, and Compensation & Benefits Management.

Since these courses are not offered by the National Payroll Institute, they must be taken through a recognized Canadian post-secondary institution and then submitted for transfer. 

Credits are assessed and processed six to eight weeks from the date complete documentation is received. You will receive confirmation emails when your application is submitted and when your transfer credit(s) are approved. You can also track your application status through the Online Transfer of Credit Portal.

Important Notes

• Successful completion of the Payroll Compliance Legislation course is a prerequisite for transferring credits. 
• Each course must:  
  • Be aligned with the required learning outcome listed on the course descriptions; 
  • Be a minimum of 30 hours in length; 
  • Be formally evaluated by an institute and have a final exam worth 20%;
  • Have been taken within the past 20 years for PCP courses;
  • Have been taken within the past 10 years for PLP courses; and 
  • Have been completed with a minimum grade of 65%. (Note: all transfer credit courses finished prior to January 1, 2013, must have a minimum grade of 60%.) 
• If your course is not recognized, an official course outline/syllabus must be provided containing: 
  • the title of the course; 
  • the course number; 
  • the amount of (credit) hours;
  • the content; and 
  • the method of evaluation. 

Required Documentation

1. Official Canadian Transcript 
   • Hardcopies must be mailed to the National Payroll Institute. 
   • Digital transcripts must be emailed directly from the post-secondary institution or shared via a secure third-party platform to the National Payroll Institute to transfercredit@payroll.ca. 
   • Copies of transcripts, including those downloaded from school websites or emailed to students, are not accepted. 
2. Official course outline/syllabus from the institution where the course was taken if the course you are transferring is not recognized. (Course descriptions are not acceptable.) 
3. Courses taken outside of Canada: 
   • an official, detailed, course-by-course, comprehensive Canadian Equivalency Assessment by a Canadian educational institution or an academic accreditation service. Note: International transcripts are not accepted 

All submitted documents and transcripts become the property of the National Payroll Institute and will not be returned. 

Steps to Transfer Credit

1. Review the Transfer of Credit Guide: Carefully read through the guide to understand the transfer process and requirements. 
2. Review Learning Outcomes: Ensure your course meets the required learning outcomes for the credit you are transferring. 
3. Check the Database of Colleges and Universities: Use the Database of Colleges and Universities to verify if the National Payroll Institute recognizes your course. If your course is not listed, include a detailed course outline or syllabus from your post-secondary institution with your submission. (Course descriptions are not acceptable.) 
4. Submit Your Request Online: Use the Online Transfer of Credit Portal to submit your request for assessment and approval. Note: Starting March 1, 2025, all transfer credit requests must be submitted online. 
5. Pay the Assessment Fee: A nonrefundable fee of $50, plus applicable taxes, is required for each course credit assessment. 
6. Submit Official Transcripts: 
   
   Mail official hardcopy Canadian transcripts or official detailed Canadian course-by-course assessment for courses taken outside of Canada. Copies will not be accepted.
   
   National Payroll Institute
   c/o Certification
   1600 - 250 Bloor Street East
   Toronto, ON M4W 1E6
   
   Digital transcripts must be emailed directly to the National Payroll Institute from your post-secondary institution or shared via a secure third-party platform to transfercredit@payroll.ca. 

Required Learning Outcomes – Supplementary Courses 

Managerial Accounting 

• Analyzing financial statements 
• Preparing budgets and differentiating between capital and operating budgets 
• Understanding cost accounting methodologies 
• Understanding responsibility and variance reporting and analysis 
• Achieving effective decision-making 
• Identifying the major differences between managerial reporting and financial reporting 
• Conducting Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis including: 
  • Calculation of break-even 
• Undertaking contingency planning 
• Identifying professional accounting codes of ethics and their relation to corporate governance 
• Explaining the use of a Balance Scorecard 

Organizational Behaviour Management 

• Understanding organizational behaviour and culture 
• Examining individual and group dynamics 
• Developing communication strategies, techniques and tools within various organizational structures 
• Understanding organizational power and politics, including differentiating leadership styles and theories 
• Understanding individual behaviour, personality and beliefs and motivational theories 
• Examining conflict and negotiations; and dealing with workplace emotions, attitudes, and stress 
• Investigating case studies (as a teaching methodology) 
• Understanding change management theories 
• Dealing with cross-cultural diversity and ethical issues 
• Exploring individual and organizational performance management 
• Understanding an organizational life cycle 
• Analyzing emerging issues such as demographics, societal and legislative changes 

Compensation & Benefits Management 

• Identifying monetary versus non-monetary rewards 
• Understanding compensation benefits management principals, including: 
  • Merit pay, surveys, pay for performance, pay equity 
  • Incentive plans 
  • Benefits (e.g., profit sharing, employee assistance programs) 
• Defining benefit programs based on: 
  • Principals of group insurance 
  • Understanding different pensions 
  • Advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing company benefits 
  • Reward and compensation systems 
  • General strategies for controlling benefit costs 
  • Group trusts 
• Building a competitive compensation package 
• Managing cost control 
• Undertaking job analysis and evaluation 
• Ensuring compliance with compensation legislation and the role of government in pay equity and employment equity