Key takeaways
- →Since May 1, 2020, mortgage brokerage in Quebec has been regulated by the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), not a separate mortgage regulator like the other provinces use.
- →The AMF path runs in a fixed order: AMF-recognized training, then the AMF's examinations, then a probationary period, then an application for a representative's certificate.
- →Quebec's regulator-correct term is courtier hypothécaire (mortgage broker) — the province doesn't use “mortgage agent” the way Ontario does.
- →A certificate holder must be attached to an AMF-registered firm to practise; Quebec brokerage is structured around firms, not solo licensing.
Every other province routes mortgage licensing through a dedicated financial-services regulator — FSRA in Ontario, BCFSA in British Columbia, RECA in Alberta. Quebec routes it through the AMF, the same body that oversees insurance, securities, and financial planning in the province, because mortgage brokerage joined the AMF's mandate on May 1, 2020.
That single structural difference changes the vocabulary and the process, but the underlying idea is familiar: recognized training, a regulator-set exam, a supervised entry period, then a certificate. Here's the sequence as the AMF itself lays it out, with the pieces worth planning around.
01 · Who regulates mortgage brokers in Quebec?
The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) has regulated mortgage brokerage in Quebec since May 1, 2020, when the activity moved under the AMF's umbrella alongside insurance and financial planning. The regulator-correct term for a licensed individual is courtier hypothécaire — not “mortgage agent,” which is an Ontario term, and not “mortgage associate,” which is Alberta's.
That matters for anyone moving into Quebec from elsewhere in Canada, or building content and conversations for Quebec brokers: the license category, the exam, and the compliance vocabulary are all AMF-specific, and don't map one-for-one onto what a broker in the rest of Canada is used to.
02 · What training does the AMF require before you can write the exams?
The first step is AMF-recognized compulsory training, built on the curriculum for the Programme de qualification en courtage hypothécaire (PQCH). Several recognized providers deliver this training, in-class or online — the AMF does not deliver it directly.
Plan the sequence, not just the course: Completing recognized training is only step one. It exists to make you eligible to sit the AMF's examinations — it isn't itself a licence, and it doesn't authorize you to deal in mortgages.
03 · What happens after training — the examinations and the probationary period?
Next comes the AMF's own examinations for mortgage brokerage — the regulator's site lists this step in the plural, since more than one exam is involved. Check the AMF's exams page directly for current format, fees, and scheduling, since these are administrative details the regulator updates independently of any third-party course provider.
After passing, candidates move into the probationary period — a supervised stretch working under a probationary certificate. During that period, a candidate's activities are covered by their employer's professional liability insurance and by the Financial Services Compensation Fund, rather than by the candidate's own coverage.
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04 · How do you get your representative's certificate, and who do you practise through?
Once training, examinations, and the probationary period are complete, the final step is the application for a representative's certificate through the AMF. Quebec brokerage is structured around registered firms: a certificate holder practises attached to an AMF-registered mortgage brokerage firm, not as an independent solo operator from day one.
That firm attachment is also where the province's continuing obligations start to matter — professional development hours, professional liability insurance, and AMF oversight of both the individual and the firm run in parallel for as long as the certificate stays active.
05 · What should a newly certified Quebec broker plan for next?
Certification isn't the finish line — it's the start of a two-year professional development cycle and an ongoing insurance obligation, both of which are worth mapping out before they become deadline pressure. See our companion piece on Quebec mortgage broker continuing obligations for what comes due and when.
From there, the work is the same as it is everywhere in Canada: build a pipeline, process files cleanly, and free up time for client relationships instead of paperwork. That's the gap Treadstone's fulfillment support for Canadian mortgage professionals is built to close for newly certified and established brokers alike.
Frequently asked questions
This article is general information to help you scale — not a substitute for tailored advice on your specific business, licensing, or compliance obligations. All figures are illustrative examples for planning purposes; actual costs vary by province, market, and brokerage.