What Is the CRSP? What Is the CRST?

What is the CRSP? (Canadian Registered Safety Professional)

The CRSP is the senior-level safety designation. It is aimed at people who design, run and lead safety programs: safety managers, directors and senior advisors.

• What it shows: you can apply broad safety knowledge to risk assessment, safety management systems, compliance, ethics and organizational leadership.
• The exam: 190–210 multiple-choice questions over 4 hours, covering 6 domains and 89 competencies, written on a computer at a Pearson VUE test centre.
• Accreditation: BCRSP’s CRSP certification has been accredited to ISO/IEC 17024, the international standard for certification bodies, by the Standards Council of Canada since 2005.

What is the CRST? (Canadian Registered Safety Technician)

The CRST is the technician-level designation. It is aimed at people who do hands-on safety work: safety officers, coordinators and specialists who run inspections, training and the day-to-day administration of an OHS program.

• What it shows: you can apply OHS knowledge on the job, from administrative processes and training to monitoring compliance and technical risk controls.
• History: BCRSP introduced the CRST in 2018, and the first exam was in 2019.
• The exam: 190–210 multiple-choice questions over 3.5 hours, covering 5 domains and 64 competencies.
• Accreditation: the CRST certification was accredited to ISO/IEC 17024 in 2021.

Who grants them?

BCRSP was founded on February 10, 1976. It is a not-for-profit certification body that sets the certification standards for the OHS profession in Canada. It is not a government agency and not a university. SPEP is not affiliated with BCRSP.

How do you earn one?

BCRSP describes eight steps, the same for both designations:

1. Check your eligibility (education, professional development and experience).
2. Submit your application (a non-refundable $525 fee).
3. BCRSP reviews your qualifications.
4. Some files are selected for a peer interview.
5. Sit the certification exam.
6. The Board approves your certification.
7. Sign the ethics declaration and pay the initial certification fee.
8. Renew each year and keep up your continuing professional development.

Details: CRSP vs CRST eligibility and format · exam dates · exam cost.

CRSP and CRST side by side

There is no direct upgrade from the CRST to the CRSP. To become a CRSP you apply separately and meet the CRSP requirements.

Why is it a good credential?

Five reasons, and one honest caveat.

1. It is independently accredited. Both certification schemes are accredited to ISO/IEC 17024 by the Standards Council of Canada, so the process is checked against an international standard for certification bodies.
2. It is a standard everyone is measured against. One exam, built from a published blueprint, plus an application review, an ethics declaration and yearly renewal with continuing professional development. It shows you have been tested and that you keep learning.
3. A large, growing professional community. BCRSP annual reports show active certificate holders growing from 5,231 in 2020 to 6,237 in 2025. The CRST grew from 149 holders in 2020 to 806 in 2025.
4. The pay data is strong. In BCRSP’s 2025 salary survey, 69.4% of CRSP holders reported a base salary above $100,000, compared with a non-certified OHS median of about $85,000 (Government of Canada Job Bank).
5. It is a clear signal to employers. A designation with a public standard, an ethics code and a renewal requirement tells an employer what you have proven, without them having to guess.

More on the numbers: The economic value of the CRSP and CRST.

Which should you aim for?

If you lead safety programs or want a management or director route, look at the CRSP. If you do hands-on safety work and want a recognized credential for that role, the CRST is the fit. Many professionals hold both, earned separately. The full comparison is in CRSP vs CRST, and you can try a free practice exam for either.

What is CRSP & CRST — Frequently asked questions