Aspiring life insurance and accident and sickness insurance agents in Ontario will soon be required to take an in-person exam to get licensed, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) announced on Monday.
Currently, candidates are able to take the life licence qualification program (LLQP) at Durham College either online or in person. But as of July 1, online exams will be discontinued “to combat misconduct and cheating,” FSRA said in a release.
The regulator noted that accommodations will still be made for candidates facing “distance-related limitations.”
“This approach is in line with other professions, including Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario and Law Society of Ontario,” the release said.
This is not the first time FSRA has announced tightening of LLQP test-taking procedures following reports of widespread cheating on the exam.
In 2024, the regulator introduced tougher consequences for cheaters, such as requiring students to respond in writing to alleged breaches before they could retake the exam and introducing a longer waiting period for candidates that repeatedly failed the exam.
Also, in June 2023, FSRA said it had required candidates from World Financial Group to begin taking the exam in person after receiving reports of cheating.