OFFICIALlast verified 2026-10-18Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR) — Special Forces Operator
CANSOFCOM PFSE 3
PFSE 3 is the physical fitness screening evaluation for the CSOR Special Forces Operator trade. It is a step in the application process for CANSOFCOM selection, not selection itself: relative handgrip, loaded squats, pull-ups, sit-ups, push-ups and a 20 m shuttle run, plus a combat swim test and a 12 km march with 35 kg. Every event must be met; there is no points system.
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What a CSOR Special Forces Operator earns
- Land Duty Allowance (CBI 205.335), max. $3,000 a month provisionalCA$100 per day
- Military Service Pay by length of service (from Dec 2026)CA$2,000 – CA$6,000 per year
Special Forces Operators are paid on a separate grid (CBI 204.31, Table A). Special operations, assaulter, paratroop and diving allowances are built in and are not paid on top. No 2026 economic increase had been published as of 18 Oct 2026.
provisional = official source with a provisional legal status, a secondary source or our own calculation; see the sources.
- CBI 204.31 — Pay: Special Forces and Search and Rescue Specialist, Tables A and B (effective 11 Jun 2026) (Oct 18, 2026)
- Regular Force pay by rank (effective 1 Apr 2025) (Oct 18, 2026)
- CBI chapter 205 — Allowances, 205.335 Land Duty Allowance (eligibility on the CBI 204.31 grids: our reading) (Oct 18, 2026) provisional
- The Maple Leaf — New military service pay (29 Jun 2026) (Oct 18, 2026)
The test, event by event
| Event | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Relative handgrip (both hands, % of body mass + 20 kg) | 100 % |
| Standard load squats (72 kg, 42 bpm metronome) | 11 |
| Pull-ups (continuous) | 5 |
| Sit-ups (1 min) | 40 |
| Push-ups (continuous, no time limit) | 40 |
| 20 m shuttle run (level reached) | 9 |
| Ruck march 12 km with 35 kg (minutes) | 144 min |
Also required
- Combat Swim Test: pass/fail, in combat uniform and boots with a C7 rifle replica and no flotation aid; jump in feet first, swim 12.5 m freestyle, turn and swim 12.5 m back, no time limit, without touching the bottom or walls.
- Ruck march: 12 km with a 35 kg (± 1 kg) pack, no helmet or weapon, walking or shuffling only (no running) — the standard is 2 h 24 min or less, timed to the second.
- Order: handgrip, squats, pull-ups, sit-ups, push-ups, 20 m shuttle run (75–90 min), with 5–8 min rest between events; Combat Swim Test on day 1 or 2; ruck march on day 1 or 3, preferably the day after the other events.
- Results are valid only for the current NOI/APS cycle; a retest repeats all events, with at least 30 days of training recommended.
Questions
Where do the numbers come from?
From Table 1.3 of the CANSOFCOM Physical Fitness Screening Evaluations — Operations Manual (CFMWS, 2nd edition, July 2025, last edit March 2026), the single PFSE document for all CANSOFCOM trades. The standards are the same for everyone: the manual has no age or sex adjustments.
How is relative handgrip scored?
Best left plus best right grip (kg, JAMAR dynamometer, 2 trials per hand) divided by body mass plus 20 kg of mission-essential gear. The pass mark is 1.00, shown here as 100 %: at 80 kg body mass you need at least 100 kg combined grip.
How does PFSE 3 differ from the JTF 2 test?
Handgrip, squats, pull-ups, sit-ups and push-ups have the same standards as PFSE 1 (JTF 2 Assaulter). Instead of the 1.5-mile run in 9:45, CSOR requires 20 m shuttle-run level 9.0 (PFSE 2 asks for 8.0), and instead of the Basic Military Swim Standard it uses the Combat Swim Test plus the 12 km ruck march.
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