Hire with confidence, verify your candidate's credentials with the Payroll Standards Canada Registry
Sponsorship note: This article was provided by National Payroll Institute
When hiring a payroll professional, having confidence in your candidate’s qualifications is essential. After all, accurate and timely pay is one of the primary factors that drives trust in an organization among employees. It’s the reason employees do the work they do. Trusting that the individual you hire can deliver payroll with the highest degree of professionalism is non-negotiable.
How do you ensure your candidate is up to the task?
The value of PCP and PLP designations
Start by looking for candidates who hold Canada’s only payroll designations – the Payroll Compliance Professional (PCP) and Payroll Leadership Professional (PLP). These designations are the gold standard for professionalism — signaling a candidate’s in-depth knowledge of payroll legislation and regulations, as well as their readiness to manage complex payroll functions.
PCP holders are job-ready professionals, fully versed in current payroll best practices. With knowledge of legislative requirements, PCP holders can be trusted to keep your organization compliant. PLP holders go a step further, demonstrating strategic leadership and payroll management capabilities. With advanced expertise in compliance, payroll technology, and data analytics, PLP holders are equipped to lead teams, support strategic decision-making, and optimize business processes.
As payroll evolves into a more strategic business function, these designations have become the benchmark for excellence in the field. If you want to ensure your payroll is protected, make it a policy for your payroll team to hold a payroll designation.
Verify credentials with the Payroll Standards Canada Registry
In 2023, the National Payroll Institute introduced Payroll Standards Canada, an industry-led regulatory body dedicated to raising the bar for professionalism in payroll. It upholds the standards for payroll designations and is home to a public registry with over 17,000 listed designated payroll professions.
Payroll Standards Canada makes it easy for HR and recruitment professionals to validate a payroll professionals’ credentials. The searchable registry of over 17,000 designated payroll professionals confirms that those listed have completed the rigorous academic and practical requirements to earn a payroll designation and continue to meet the requirements to maintain that designation — including continuing professional education (CPE). These requirements ensure designated payroll professionals remain current and competent year after year.
“The Registry is more than just a verification tool— it’s a benchmark for professionalism in payroll. Our Registry of Payroll Designation holders serve as a record of accomplishment, demonstrating expertise and a commitment to professional growth," says Steven Van Alstine, Vice President of Professional Standards & Education, National Payroll Institute. “Employers deserve the assurance that their payroll team meets the highest standards of excellence. Consulting the Registry provides confidence with clarity and transparency.”
To use the Registry, visit standards.payroll.ca/registry. Simply enter the candidate’s name and province to confirm their designation status within seconds. The PCP and PLP designations represent the skills your payroll team needs and standards you can trust. Before making your next payroll hiring decision, ensure you consult the registry to confirm your candidate holds the necessary credentials.
Assess skills with the Payroll Competency Framework
To make informed hiring decisions, employers can also turn to the Payroll Competency Framework, a valuable tool designed to evaluate the essential competencies payroll professionals need to succeed and grow in their careers. At the core of the framework is a competency map that outlines four key areas of performance critical to payroll excellence, they are:
- Delivers payroll — by executing payroll accurately and on time.
- Ensures compliance — by being accountable for payroll regulatory and business compliance.
- Embodies a service mindset — by fostering a customer-centric approach and continuously seeking to improve service offerings.
- Partners strategically with the business — by supporting the achievement of business objectives as a trusted and respected partner and advisor.
The Framework helps employers evaluate a candidate’s strengths and areas for growth, aligning hiring decisions with the skills needed to succeed in today’s payroll landscape.
Payroll matters. Hire the best.
Payroll is essential to the financial health of every business, the well-being of employees, and the strength of the economy. It matters who you hire. By verifying designations through the Registry and using the Competency Framework to assess skills, you can build a payroll team that meets today’s standards.
Strive for excellence. Hire with confidence. And always confirm that your next payroll hire is among Canada’s 17,000+ designated professionals.
Please note: All designated payroll professionals have the option to opt out of inclusion in the registry. Employers or professionals requiring additional proof of designation should contact [email protected].
