Quick facts (official CSI exam structure)
- Proctored (remote or in-person at a test centre)
- Duration: 3 hours
- Question format: Multiple-choice
- Questions: 100
- Attempts allowed per exam: 3
- Passing grade: 60%
- Hours of study (CSI estimate): 50 – 60 Hours
What CCO is really testing
CCO rewards “defensible compliance leader” thinking:
- Can you translate high-level rules into operational controls (policies, procedures, supervision, monitoring)?
- Can you apply a risk-based approach (prioritize the biggest risks, show your rationale)?
- Do you know the first correct action (hold, document, escalate, investigate, remediate)?
- Can you communicate what matters to management and the board in a concise, actionable way?
Official topic weighting (and target question counts)
Source: CSI CCO Exam & Credits page. Target questions are proportional to 100 questions.
| Exam Topics | Weight | Target questions (out of 100) | Chapters (CSI curriculum) |
|---|
| The Role of Compliance and Formal Compliance Structure | 15% | 15 | 1–2 |
| Canada’s Regulatory Environment and Basic Securities Law | 13% | 13 | 3–4 |
| CCO Skill Requirements | 21% | 21 | 5–8 |
| Implementation of Skills | 39% | 39 | 9–14 |
| Regulatory Investigations and Reporting | 12% | 12 | 15–16 |
How to prepare (practical strategy)
- Use the Syllabus as your checklist by weighting.
- Build a “compliance program playbook” from the Cheatsheet: controls → evidence → escalation paths.
- Drill scenarios: “What is the risk?” → “What control is missing?” → “What is the first correct action?” → “What must be documented?”
- Do weekly timed mixed sets; keep a miss log with: cue, rule/theme, first correct action, evidence.
✅ Next: open the Study Plan or jump into the Syllabus.
Sources: https://www.csi.ca/en/learning/courses/cco/curriculum and https://www.csi.ca/en/learning/courses/cco/exam-credits