Paramedic applicants
CASPer Test for Paramedic Programs: Who Requires It and When to Book (2026–27)
For the 2026–27 cycle, Acuity lists four primary care paramedic programs that require CASPer (Centennial College, SAIT, Medavie HealthEd and the College of the North Atlantic), plus Medavie's Emergency Medical Responder program and Halton Paramedic Services' hiring process. All use Casper 2 (CSP-10211). The next sittings are November 29 and December 1, 2026, and for Medavie those are the last ones.
Which paramedic programs require CASPer in 2026–27?
These are the paramedic listings in Acuity's Dates and Fees tool for Canada, checked November 12, 2026. “Remaining” means sittings from November 12 onward; November and December dates are in 2026, and January to May dates are in 2027.
| Program | Remaining sittings | Deadline | ID asked for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centennial College – Paramedic (9101)Ontario college diplomaChoose 'Primary Care Paramedic' as the program in Acuity, per Centennial. | Nov 29, Dec 1, Jan 7, Jan 21, Feb 18, Mar 4, Apr 8, Apr 29 | May 12, 2027 | Centennial student ID or OCAS number |
| SAIT – Primary Care ParamedicAlberta certificateFall 2027 applicants should not book until SAIT confirms they meet academic requirements. | Nov 29, Dec 1, Jan 7, Jan 21, Feb 18 (Apr 8 also listed) | SAIT: Mar 5, 2027, 6 PM Alberta time | 9-digit SAIT ID |
| Medavie HealthEd – Primary Care ParamedicAtlantic Canada private collegeAcuity's dates are for PCP091 Dartmouth, April 2027 admission. | Nov 29, Dec 1 | Dec 14, 2026 | None listed |
| Medavie HealthEd – Emergency Medical ResponderEMR programListed separately from the PCP program in Acuity. | Nov 29, Dec 1 | Dec 14, 2026 | None listed |
| College of the North Atlantic – Primary Care ParamedicineNewfoundland and Labrador diplomaAcuity lists CASPer as required, but CNA's program page did not mention it when checked. Confirm with CNA. | Nov 29, Dec 1, Jan 7, Jan 21, Feb 18, Mar 4 | Mar 17, 2027 | None listed |
| Halton Paramedic ServicesEmployer recruitment (Ontario)For hiring qualified paramedics, not a training program. | Dec 1, Jan 7 | Jan 20, 2027 | None listed |
Sitting times: November 29 is 1:00 PM EST; the other sittings are 8:00 PM Eastern. The fee is $50 CAD for Casper 2 plus $20 CAD per additional program. Acuity lists no school under its “Paramedic – Advanced Care” category this cycle. For other allied health programs, see CASPer for college and allied health programs.
School-by-school details
The table gives the dates; these notes cover the rules that differ by school.
Centennial College
Centennial lists CASPer among the admission requirements for its two-year Paramedic diploma (program 9101, Morningside Campus), next to Grade 12 English, Grade 11 math and biology, and one more science (program page). Its CASPer page names Canada Casper 2 (CSP-10211) and says studying is not required because CASPer assesses non-cognitive skills. The September 2027 intake is listed for domestic applicants.
SAIT
SAIT requires CASPer for Primary Care Paramedic, Diagnostic Medical Sonography and Respiratory Therapy (SAIT CASPer page). For Fall 2027 Primary Care Paramedic, the application deadline is March 1, 2027 and the CASPer deadline is March 5, 2027 at 6 PM Alberta time, with Round 1 decisions January 18–22 and Round 2 decisions March 29 to April 2. SAIT says results reach programs about three weeks after the test, so write early if you want Round 1 review. SAIT also states that the CASPer can be completed only once in its academic year and that test fees are non-refundable.
Watch the mismatch: Acuity also shows an April 8 sitting for SAIT, but SAIT's own March 5 CASPer deadline is earlier. Follow the earlier date. Acuity's SAIT note also asks that your name and email match your Apply Alberta profile and SAIT application exactly, including accents and hyphens.
Medavie HealthEd
Medavie says all applicants to its Primary Care Paramedic program must complete CASPer for the 2026–27 cycle, and that it reduced its application fee to $55 to account for the test (Medavie PCP page). CASPer sits in Phase 1 of a three-phase process; applicants who pass the initial review then complete an asynchronous video interview within one week. Acuity's dates are for PCP091 Dartmouth, April 2027 admission, and it lists Medavie's Emergency Medical Responder program separately with the same last sittings.
College of the North Atlantic
Acuity lists CNA's Primary Care Paramedicine program as requiring CASPer, with sittings through March 4 and a March 17, 2027 distribution deadline. CNA's program page did not mention CASPer when we checked. Treat the requirement as likely but unconfirmed, and ask CNA admissions before you pay.
CASPer in paramedic hiring: Halton Paramedic Services
CASPer is not only an admissions test. Halton Region lists a situational judgement assessment (CASPer) in its paramedic selection process, alongside a knowledge assessment, panel interview, physical assessment (OPPAT or PFAT), references, a driver's abstract and a vulnerable sector check (Halton Paramedic Services careers). Its 2026–27 recruitment timeline lists:
- Job posting: October 2026
- CASPer: December 1, 2026 and January 7, 2027
- Written exam: December 15, 2026 and January 6, 2027
- Interviews: February 2027; offers: March 2027; orientation: May 2027
Halton says all applicants are required to complete CASPer and that candidates selected for its recruitment process are notified with instructions. Acuity's distribution deadline for Halton is January 20, 2027.
What CASPer tests for paramedic applicants
CASPer does not test clinical skills, protocols or medications. Paramedic applicants get the same standard 2026–27 test as everyone on Casper 2: four video-response scenarios with one minute per answer, then seven typed scenarios with 3.5 minutes per pair, about 65 to 85 minutes in total (Acuity format article). SAIT describes it as evaluating collaboration, communication, empathy, fairness, ethics, motivation, problem-solving, professionalism, resilience and self-awareness.
The trap for paramedic applicants, as an editorial observation, is answering like a clinician. If a scenario involves someone who is unwell, the strongest answers stay inside the role the prompt gives you, call for the right help and focus on communication, fairness and safety rather than treatment steps. The CASPer healthcare scenarios guide covers this in more depth.
Paramedic-style practice question
Original practice prompt
You are a volunteer at a busy community fun run. A runner collapses near your water station and a small crowd gathers. Two bystanders start arguing loudly about whether to move the runner into the shade. One is filming on their phone. You have basic first aid training, and the event's medical team is about five minutes away by cart.
- What would you do in the first few minutes, and why?
- Afterward, the runner's family asks you to send them the bystander's video. How would you respond?
Compare sample answers for paramedic-style practice question
A response to improve
I would take charge, tell everyone to back off and start first aid myself. I would tell the person filming to delete the video because it's illegal.
Stronger sample answers
Question 1: My first step is to get the right help coming: I'd radio or call the medical team and 911 if the runner isn't responsive or breathing normally, and give our exact location. Then I'd ask the crowd calmly to give space and ask one bystander to meet the cart and guide it in. I'd only give care within my first aid training and follow the dispatcher's instructions about moving the runner. I'd settle the argument by explaining that we'll follow what the medical team or dispatcher advises.
Question 2: I'd tell the family I understand they want to know what happened, but the video belongs to the bystander and I don't have it. I wouldn't share or request it on their behalf without the bystander's consent, because it shows someone in a vulnerable moment. I'd suggest they ask the event organizers, who can contact the bystander or provide their own incident report, and I'd offer to share what I personally saw.
Why this reasoning is stronger
The stronger answers start by getting qualified help, manage the crowd and stay within the volunteer's training rather than taking over. The second answer respects both the family's need and the privacy of a person filmed in a vulnerable moment, and points to the people who can actually help. The weaker answer asserts authority it does not have and states a legal claim it cannot support.
Change one fact: The medical team is delayed by fifteen minutes and the runner is now awake and wants to leave. What would you do differently?
Time it with the limits in the format guide above. This is an original CasperCoach exercise, not a question from any paramedic program or Acuity.
When to book and how to prepare
- Check each program's rule first. SAIT asks Fall 2027 applicants to wait for academic confirmation before booking; Medavie sends sign-up details after you apply.
- Pick a sitting before your earliest deadline. Medavie applicants have only November 29 and December 1 left. Book at least three days ahead.
- Add every program as a distribution with the ID it asks for. One Casper 2 covers them all this cycle.
- Practise both response modes. Take Acuity's free official practice test, then work through video response examples and a timed practice test.
Every remaining sitting by test type is in our CASPer test dates guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all paramedic programs in Canada require CASPer?+
No. For 2026–27, Acuity lists primary care paramedic programs at Centennial College, SAIT, Medavie HealthEd and the College of the North Atlantic, plus Medavie's EMR program and Halton Paramedic Services' recruitment. Many other paramedic programs do not appear. Check each program's own admission page.
Which CASPer test do paramedic applicants take?+
Casper 2 (CSP-10211), the Canadian test for health-profession programs, in English. Centennial's own page names Canada Casper 2 (CSP-10211) and tells applicants to choose 'Primary Care Paramedic' as the program.
Are there paramedic-specific CASPer questions?+
No. Acuity's test uses everyday interpersonal scenarios and does not test clinical knowledge, so paramedic applicants answer the same kinds of scenarios as nursing or medical applicants on the same test type. Practising scenarios about pressure, teamwork and the public is still useful because they mirror the judgment paramedics need.
How much does CASPer cost for paramedic programs?+
Acuity lists $50 CAD for Casper 2 plus $20 CAD for each additional program distribution. SAIT's own page quotes $18 per program; if the amount at checkout differs, the Acuity checkout price is what you pay.
Does one CASPer cover several paramedic programs?+
Yes, if they use the same test type in the same cycle. Take Casper 2 once and add each program as a distribution before its deadline. You cannot take the same test type twice in a cycle.
Sources and scope
Checked November 12, 2026 against Acuity's Dates and Fees tool (Canada, English, 2026–27: Primary Care Paramedicine, Paramedic Professional Services, Emergency Medical Responder and Advanced Care listings), Centennial, SAIT, Medavie HealthEd, CNA and Halton Region. Programs not listed by Acuity may still change their requirements; each program's admissions page is the final word. The practice exercise is original AI-assisted CasperCoach material. CasperCoach is independent of these schools, employers and Acuity Insights.