Certified General Accountant (CGA)

Working in Ontario

Certified General Accountants (CGAs) are highly skilled financial management professionals who analyze and interpret financial information, think creatively and solve complex problems, and plan, forecast and carry out corporate strategies.

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 Certified General Accountants Association of Ontario to create a Career Map for internationally trained accountants. The Career Map explains in detail every step of the registration process including language requirements, industry trends, labour market conditions, credential recognition, licensing fees and other important information.

Getting Help

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

Bridge Training for Internationally Educated Professionals

The Bridge Training for Internationally Educated Professionals program helps internationally trained professionals with backgrounds in accounting, business, finance, management, marketing, public administration and information technology find employment in their field of expertise. The program provides training in Canadian business culture and communication, occupation-specific language training, and technical upgrading in participants’ area of professional focus. Participants also receive career coaching and opportunities to connect with employers through mentoring, networking and internships. Participants who complete the program can earn a certificate from York University.

Website: www.yorku.ca/makemore
Telephone: 416-736-5620
Email: makemore@yorku.ca
Location: Toronto

Interactive Online Bridge Training Project:
Communication Skills for Professionals (CSP) for CGA Online

An interactive online communication skills training program delivered by the Certified General Accountants of Ontario (CGA) that assists internationally trained accounting professionals enrolled in the CGA program to improve their English language, culture and communications skills. The program provides participants with career development support, coaching and mentoring to obtain professional level practical work experience, concurrent with the study of conceptual knowledge, which are both requirements in achieving the CGA designation.

Program components include:

• Language assessment
• Occupation-specific language training
• Workplace culture and communication training
• Employment services, including job search strategies, resume preparation, mentoring, and interview coaching; and
• Work experience that will enable internationally trained accounting professionals to meet the one year senior level work experience requirement for certification.

Website: www.cga-ontario.org
E-mail: cjacques@cga-ontario.org
Location: Province-wide

International Accounting and Finance Professionals (IAFP) Program

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: http://ce-online.ryerson.ca/ce/default.aspx?id=2727
E-mail: iafp@ryerson.ca
Telephone: 416-979-5035
Location: Toronto

Professions North/Nord

This program offers portfolio development and workplace communications skills training for internationally-trained professionals of various fields. The program also helps professionals in the accounting and financial services fields towards accreditation and technical skills upgrading. Through this program, participants will increase their job readiness and access work placements. PNN has service locations in Sudbury, North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay and Timmins. Services will be provided in both English and French.

Website: www.professionsnorth.ca
E-mail: info@professionsnorth.ca
Telephone: 705-222-1766 or
Toll free: 1-866-210-3020
Location: Sudbury

Women’s Enterprise Skills Training (WEST) of Windsor

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

Certified General Accountants Association of Ontario
240 Eglinton Avenue East
Toronto, ON
M4P 1K8
Phone: 416-322-6520
Fax: 416-322-6481
Email: info@cga-ontario.org
Website: www.cga-ontario.org

Learning More

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.

To learn about careers in the financial services sector in Toronto, visit the Financial Services Career Advisor website. The site was developed by the Centre of Excellence in Financial Services Education (Toronto Financial Services Alliance).

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