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National Knowledge Exam® (NKE) for CPHR in New Brunswick

The National Knowledge Exam (NKE) is your opportunity to showcase your mastery of the CPHR Competency Framework. This exam tests your grasp of essential academic knowledge – from basic facts and policies to methods and legislation. You’ll illustrate your experience on topics like management and labor rights during union organizing, innovative training methods, and critical human rights and employment equity laws. Get ready to demonstrate your expertise and take your HR career to the next level!

You must complete the NKE Mandatory Foundational Courses before registering for the National Knowledge Exam. If you have not graduated from a CPHR Canada Accreditation Program or completed equivalent courses from a Post-Secondary Institution (PSI), you will need to enroll in the nine accredited HR courses before being eligible to write the NKE.

You do not need to complete your full required length of experience (three to eight years) before taking the exam. It is recommended to register for and take the NKE as soon as possible after graduation.

For more details about the NKE content and structure, please visit the CPHR Canada website.

NKE Exam Information

The NKE exam is offered once a year in the fall. It can be written in-person at a test centre or remote proctored

  • Exam Date: November 6, 2025
  • Registration Deadline and Accommodation Requests: September 12, 2025
  • Deferral Deadline: October 30, 2025

Candidates can choose during enrollment to take the exam at a test centre or via remote proctoring. Once registered, candidates should email their preference to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Note: Selecting a test centre does not guarantee availability. If a test centre is unavailable, remote proctoring will be assigned. Test centres will be within a 2-hour driving distance (one-way) from each registrant. If a centre is not available, the exam will be conducted via remote proctoring, which can be taken anywhere globally, including home or office.

Exam times and instructions will be provided approximately 3 weeks before the exam date.

Registration and Fees 

When you are set to register for the NKE follow the steps below:

Exam Deferrals

We understand life happens. If you need to defer writing the NKE, review your options below.

  • Before the registration deadline, you can cancel or defer at no cost
  • Between the registration deadline up to 14 days before the exam: Defer with a $100 + HST penalty
  • Less than 14 days before the exam: Defer with a $200 + HST penalty. In the case of bereavement or illness, special exceptions can be made with proper validation
  • Within 5 days of the exam: Deferrals will only be made for extenuating circumstances. All deferrals are subject to approval
  • Registrants who have been assigned to complete their exam via remote proctoring will be required to book an exam time online. Failure to book your exam time by the annual deadline will result in an automatic deferral of your exam to the following year exam administration. This will result in forfeiture of your seat fee as well as a deferral fee charge.

To defer, submit an email request to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Include your full name (as registered), your national ID and location registered (or remote). Registrants can defer a maximum of two times before the application process is terminated. Membership fees are non-refundable.

Exam Attempts

Candidates who are unsuccessful passing the NKE three times are required to wait a full year before attempting the NKE for a fourth, and final, time. A fifth attempt may be permitted following a review process by your provincial HR association.

Exam Results

Exam results are emailed approximately eight weeks after each exam session. It also allows time for the results to be reviewed and the quality of the exam verified.

Overall scores are reported as scaled scores to ensure consistent reporting of scores between different versions of the NKE. It is achieved through mathematically converting raw scores into scaled scores with the passing scaled score always equal to 500.

To learn more about the scoring process, on our CPHR National Site.

Recognition as a CPHR Candidate

Members who have passed the National Knowledge Exam will be granted the ability to use “CPHR Candidate” as a professional title. CPHR Candidates must maintain a membership with CPHR NB and have 10 years from the date they have been awarded the CPHR Candidate status to apply for Validation of Experience to earn the CPHR designation.

The CPHR™ is valued by the employment community and the ability to be officially recognized as a CPHR Candidate will provide you with additional recognition. You may use this title in resumes, business cards, emails, Linked-In or any other public profiles.

NKE Resources