On March 24, 2025, CPATA’s Board of Directors adopted the new Professional Foundations Competency Profile, following the profile’s approval by the Registration Committee at the end of 2024.
Before CPATA came into force, there were no competency profiles for Canadian patent agents and trademark agents, making it more difficult for the public to understand the role of these vital professionals, and for prospective practitioners to know what they must learn in order to become an agent.
With significant input from the professions, CPATA created two kinds of Competency Profiles. The Technical Competency Profiles for Patent Agents and Trademark Agents was adopted by the Board in March 2023. This document describes the technical knowledge and skills agents need to provide competent IP services to their clients.
In 2024, CPATA focused on the creation of the Professional Foundations Competency Profile, relying on working groups of licensees and a profession-wide survey completed by 108 licensees to do so. This profile defines the professional skills (such as communication, etc.) that must complement an agents’ technical knowledge for competent practice. CPATA’s Board of Directors adopted the Professional Foundations Competency Profile on March 24, 2025.
