Chartered Accountant (CA)

Working in Ontario

You must be a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario in order to use the title “Chartered Accountant” or to use the “CA” designation in Ontario. Under the Public Accountancy Act, membership in the Institute is ordinarily required to obtain a licence to practice public accounting and to do most types of audit work in Ontario. Chartered Accountants also hold positions in business, commerce, industry, government, and education.

Accounting in Ontario

It is important to understand that accounting in Ontario covers a wide variety of work. For some types of work, strict regulation and special qualifications are required. Designations such as Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Certified General Accountant (CGA) are separate from Chartered Accountant (CA) and have different professional bodies, qualification requirements, and areas of practice.

Tools and Information

The Ontario Government has partnered with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (ICAO) to create a Career Map for internationally trained chartered accountants. The Career Map explains in detail every step of the registration process including the language requirements, industry trends, labour market conditions, credential assessment process, licensing fees and other important information.

You can also view the e-career map for internationally trained chartered accountants. E-career maps are interactive guides that outline the process for registering in a profession or trade.

Getting Help

Bridge training programs: If you are qualified in your profession but new to Ontario, you may benefit from a bridging program. Bridging programs help qualified immigrants move more quickly into their professions without duplicating what they have already learned.

Algonquin College

Settlement to Employment Program (STEP)

STEP is a unique partnership between Algonquin College and the Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (OCISO), the National Capital Region’s YMCA-YWCA, LASI World Skills, and Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

This program is for internationally trained individuals in the engineering, financial services, accounting and information technology fields as well as in the trades. It provides language assessment, job counselling, educational pathways and occupation-specific language training. Participants can also access mentorship and work placement opportunities.

Algonquin College
Website: www.algonquincollege.com/STEP/index.htm
Telephone: (613) 727-4723 ext. 7381
Location: Ottawa

Bridging for Accounting, Banking and Finance

Settlement and Integration Services Organization (SISO)

This program helps internationally trained individuals in the accounting, banking and finance sectors obtain employment in their field by providing them with academic and skills development training, occupation-specific language and communications training, work placement, internship, mentorship, career development and direct employment services.

Website: www.siso-ham.org/EN/EngineersandInternationalMedialGrads.aspx
E-mail: employment@sisohamilton.org
Telephone: 905-667-7478 or 905-667-7479
Location: Hamilton

Chinese Professionals Association of Canada

Gateway for Accounting and Finance Professionals

This program offers occupation-specific language and business culture training to help internationally trained accounting professionals work towards obtaining a Certified General Accountants designation and find work in their field. It also offers placements that provide Canadian work experience.

Website: www.chineseprofessionals.ca/index.php
Telephone: (416) 298-7885
Email: office@chineseprofessionals.ca
Location: Toronto

Fanshawe College of Applied Arts and Technology

Bridge to Accounting Credentials

This program offers training in occupation-specific language, math and computer skills to help internationally trained accounting professionals find a job in their field. Participants may apply credits earned through this program towards obtaining a Certified General Accountants designation. The program also offers Canadian work experience opportunities.

Website: www.fanshawec.ca/EN/BridgingPrograms/79409/225730/bridge-accounting.asp
Contact: Kathy Vincent, Program Coordinator
Telephone: (519) 452-4430 ext. 4608
E-mail: kvincent@fanshawec.ca
Location: London

Halton Multicultural Council

Bridge-to-Work Service for Internationally Trained Accountants and Bookkeepers

This program provides internationally trained accountants and bookkeepers with information and referral on licensing and registration requirements for employment, occupation-specific language training, as well as sector-specific computer application training. Participants have the opportunity to gain experience in the Ontario workplace through paid or volunteer work placements with area employers.

Website: http://www.halton-multicultural.org/pages.asp?REF=17&menu=3&sub=13

Contact: Margarita Cardona, Program Coordinator
Telephone: (905) 842-2486, ext. 228
Email: mcardona@halton-multicultural.org
Location: London

Mississauga: Norma Emberley
Phone: 905-290-2365
Email: nemberley@halton-multicultural.org
Website: www.halton-multicultural.org

International Accounting and Finance Professionals (IAFP) Program

Ryerson University

This program helps internationally trained accountants and financial professionals obtain licensure and find jobs in Ontario. This program includes occupation-specific language support, academic training, workplace culture and communication assessment and training. Participants also have access to mentorships, and work placements, in order to get the Canadian work experience needed to practice in Ontario. Outcomes for participants will be professional development, which leads to employment and advancement towards certification.

Website: www.ryerson.ca/ce/gateway/
E-mail: iafp@ryerson.ca
Telephone: 416-979-5000 ext. 2628
Location: Toronto

Project North/Nord

Laurentian University

This program helps internationally trained professionals with backgrounds in accounting and finance obtain licensure and find jobs in their fields. The program includes technical skills upgrading, language, culture and workplace communications skills training. Through this program, participants will be able to begin to develop a network with employers to help them advance into job placement. Services will be provided in both English and French.

Website: www.laurentian.ca
E-mail: salbert@laurentian.ca
Telephone: 705-693-7951
Location: Sudbury

Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor, Inc.

Financial Management Certificate Program

This one-year program, offered by the University of Windsor - Odette School of Business in partnership with the Certified Management Accountants (CMA) of Ontario, helps internationally trained individuals obtain employment in the finance sector. The program offers academic training that bridges international experience to Canadian business practices. The courses offered through this program also fulfill the academic prerequisites for writing the CMA National Entrance Examination and the Level 2 Certified General Accountants Examination.

Website: www.westofwindsor.com/ecom.asp
Telephone: (519) 256-6621
E-mail: info@westofwindsor.com
Location: Windsor

See also: Bridge training programs in the financial services sector.

Regulatory Body

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario
69 Bloor Street East
Toronto, ON M4W 1B3
Phone: 416-962-1841
Toll Free (in Canada and the U.S.A.) 1-800-387-0735
Fax: 416-962-8900
Email: custserv@icao.on.ca
Website: www.icao.on.ca

Learning More

To learn about the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA), contact:
Phone: 416-977-3222
Toll Free: 1-800-268-3793
Website: www.cica.ca

To learn about occupations in Canada, visit the Working in Canada website. This site will help you identify the name of your occupation in Canada. It will also give you important information about your profession in many regions of Canada, including job duties, skill requirements and wage rates. To learn about your occupation, visit the website and click the ‘Start’ button on the main page.

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