You Passed the CAEC — What Happens Next?

What "passing" means, exactly

You earn the CAEC by scoring at least 55 percent on each of the five subject tests: Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. The tests do not have to be passed in one sitting, or even in one year — your passed subjects stay banked while you finish the rest.

If you have passed some subjects and missed one, you have not "failed the CAEC." You simply retake the subject you missed (retake rules and fees vary by province — see our guide to retake fees and rescores). Once the fifth subject is passed, you have earned the credential.

Getting your credential and proof of it

The paperwork side is run by your province or territory, so the details differ depending on where you tested, but the general shape is the same everywhere:

• Your results appear in the same candidate account you used to register, subject by subject.
• Your credential is issued by the province or territory once all five subjects are passed. Depending on where you live, this may arrive automatically or require a request through your candidate account or the testing office.
• Transcripts and duplicates can be requested later if a school or employer wants official documentation, or if you lose the original.

Two practical tips: confirm the exact process on your provincial education website (the same place you registered), and once you have your certificate, scan it and keep a digital copy somewhere safe. Future-you, filling out an application at 11 p.m., will be grateful.

Using it: jobs

The CAEC is Canada’s high school equivalency credential, so it answers the "high school diploma or equivalent" line that appears in so many job postings. Concretely:

• Update your resume. Add the CAEC under education, with the year completed. You no longer need to leave that section thin.
• Revisit postings that screened you out before. Entry-level roles in health care support, transportation, security, manufacturing, retail management tracks, and government jobs commonly ask for a diploma or equivalent.
• If an employer is unsure what the CAEC is (it is still newer than the GED it replaced), a one-line explanation works: "the Canadian Adult Education Credential, Canada’s high school equivalency."

Our guide to CAEC career paths walks through the kinds of roles the credential can unlock.

Using it: college and apprenticeships

For many people the CAEC is not the finish line but the bridge to the next thing:

• College programs. Many college and continuing-education programs accept a high school equivalency for admission. Check the specific program’s requirements — some also want particular subject strengths or placement tests, so contact admissions early and ask exactly what they need from you.
• Apprenticeships. Skilled trades typically require a diploma or equivalent to register as an apprentice. Your provincial apprenticeship office can confirm how the CAEC fits the entry requirements for the trade you want.
• Upgrading. If a program asks for specific courses (say, a senior math credit), adult learning centres can help you add those on top of your CAEC.

We cover this path in detail in from CAEC to college or apprenticeship, and if you are wondering how the credential compares to a diploma in employers’ and schools’ eyes, see is the CAEC equivalent to a high school diploma.

One last thing

You studied for this while living a full life, and you finished. Whatever you do next — a better job, a college seat, a trade, or simply the satisfaction of having done it — you have proven to yourself that you can learn hard things on your own schedule. That is worth more than the certificate. Tell the people who supported you, celebrate properly, and then go use it.