IMT Exam 2 Overview — Case Strategy, Weightings, and What’s Tested

Overview of CSI Investment Management Techniques (IMT) Exam 2: official case-based format and topic weightings, what it’s really testing, and a practical vignette-first prep strategy.

Official exam snapshot (CSI)

ItemOfficial value
Exam formatProctored (remote or in-person at a test centre)
Question formatMultiple cases with multiple-choice questions
Questions per exam50
Exam duration3 Hours
Passing grade60%
Attempts allowed per exam3
Hours of study80 – 100 Hours
Enrolment period1 Year

Official exam weightings (IMT Exam 2)

Exam topicWeighting
Investment Policy and Understanding Risk Profile16%
Asset Allocation and Investment Management14%
Equity Securities14%
Debt Securities18%
Managed Products14%
International Investing, Investment Risk and Impediments to Wealth Accumulation16%
Portfolio Monitoring and Performance Evaluation8%

What IMT Exam 2 is really testing

Exam 2 is not “more trivia.” It’s more integration:

  • Identify constraints and missing facts quickly.
  • Apply IPS logic (what is allowed, what fits, what is next).
  • Use the right tool (allocation, valuation, duration, fees/after-tax).
  • Communicate and document like a professional.

Vignette strategy (high scoring habits)

  1. Extract the client objective + constraints first (horizon, liquidity, tax, risk capacity).
  2. Identify the domain: allocation? equity? fixed income? product structure? monitoring?
  3. Eliminate answers that violate IPS/suitability or assume missing facts.
  4. Prefer answers that improve process quality: clarify → document → act within policy.

Sources: https://www.csi.ca/en/learning/courses/imt/curriculum and https://www.csi.ca/en/learning/courses/imt/exam-credits