Becoming a PADI instructor if you trained with BSAC, CMAS, SSI, NAUI & SAA
Dive Agency Crossovers
Crossing Over from BSAC, CMAS, SSI, NAUI & SAA
Its very possible that you may have been trained by another certifying agency like NAUI, SSI, CMAS & BSAC. However, most divers certified with those and other agencies want to crossover to PADI. Why? It's simple economics.
The vast, overwhelming majority of dive centre -- in excess of 75% worldwide -- are PADI dive centres and want only PADI certified instructors. If you want to find a lucrative job easily, you need to be a PADI instructor. If you hold a certification from one of the agencies below (non-PADI certification) then refer to the chart to find out where you can enter the PADI diver education system.
| BSAC | PADI Equivalent |
| Ocean Diver or Club Diver | Open Water Diver |
| Sport Diver | Open Water Diver |
| Sport Diver with at least 20 logged dives | Advanced Open Water Diver |
| Dive Leader | Rescue Diver |
| Advanced Diver | Divemaster or IDC Candidate |
| Club Instructor | IDC Candidate |
| Open Water Instructor | IDC Candidate |
| Advanced Instructor | IDC Candidate |
| SSI | PADI Equivalent |
| SSI Open Water | Open Water Diver |
| SSI Advanced Open Water | Advanced Open Water |
| SSI Stress & Rescue Techniques | Rescue Diver |
| SSI Master Diver | Rescue Diver |
| SSI Dive Con | Divemaster |
| SSI Master Diver | Rescue Diver |
| SSI Open Water / Dive Con Instructor | IDC Candidate if instructor certified for 6 months |
| CMAS | PADI Equivalent |
| CMAS 1 Star Diver | Open Water Diver |
| CMAS 2 Star Diver (with verification of Night and Navigation dive) | Rescue Diver |
| CMAS 3 Star Diver | Divemaster or IDC Candidate |
| CMAS 1 Star Instructor | IDC Candidate |
| CMAS 2 Star Instructor | IDC Candidate |
| SSI | PADI Equivalent |
| SSI Open Water | Open Water Diver |
| SSI Advanced open Water | Advanced Open Water Diver |
| SSI Stress & Rescue Techniques | Rescue Diver |
| SSI Master Diver | Rescue Diver |
| SSI Dive Con | Divemaster |
| SSI O/W / Dive Con Instructor | IDC Candidate if instructor certified for 6 months. |
| NAUI | PADI Equivalent |
| NAUI Scuba Diver | Open Water Diver |
| Advanced Scuba Diver | Advanced Open Water Diver |
| NAUI Master Scuba Diver | Rescue Diver |
| NAUI Divemaster | Divemaster |
| Scuba Instructor | IDC Candidate |
| SAA | PADI Equivalent |
| Club Diver | Open Water Diver |
| Club Diver (with at least 20 dives and Experience in Deep and Navigation) | Advanced Open Water Diver |
| Dive Leader (with at least 20 logged dives) | Advanced Open Water Diver |
| Dive Leader (with Diver Rescue) | Rescue Diver |
| Dive Supervisor (with Diver Rescue) | Divemaster |
| Assistant and Club Instructor (with Diver Rescue) | IDC Candidate |
| SAA Regional Instructor | IDC Candidate |
