How do international chartered accountants qualify to work in Alberta?

Categories: Professions 

Chartered Accountants are regulated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta (ICAA). You must be a member of the ICAA to practice as a Chartered Accountant (CA) in Alberta.

Internationally Trained Accountants

Chartered Accountants in Alberta provide accounting services to business and individuals. Only registered Chartered Accountants (along with Certified General Accounts and Certified Management Accounts) can provide financial services like audits and reviews in Alberta.
Internationally trained accountants are able to registered with the ICAA so that they can practice in Alberta. There are two ways accountants with foreign qualifications can do this.

Path 1 - Equivalence

Accountants from some countries may be able to become members of the ICAA by sitting the Chartered Account Reciprocity Examination (CARE). Alberta has approved some accounting regulators inside and outside Canada, allowing their members to register as foreign designate candidates of the ICAA, after successfully passing the Chartered Account Reciprocity Examination. (In some cases, the ICAA may ask you sit further examinations or meet other requirements.)

If you are a member in good standing with one of these accounting bodies in your home country, you may be able to become a foreign designate candidate of the ICAA:

  • The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia
  • The Institute des Reviseurs d’Enterprises de Belgique
  • Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
  • L’Ordre des Experts Comptables et des Comptables Agrs
  • The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Hong Kong (if qualified after December 2001)
  • The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ireland
  • The Japanese Institute of Certified Public Accountants
  • The Instituto Mexicano de Contadores Publicos (CPC designation)
  • The Netherlands Institute of Registered Accountants
  • The Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand
  • The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland
  • Institute of Chartered Accountants of South Africa (with some conditions)
  • Many of the Chartered Accounting regulators in the Unite States

Chartered Accountant Reciprocity Exam (CARE)

Internationally trained accountants who are members in good standing of the accounting organizations listed above are required to complete and pass the Chartered Accountant Reciprocity Exam (CARE).

You can enroll in the CARE once you a registered as a foreign designate candidate with the ICAA. You will then have 4 years from the time you register to complete and pass the CARE.
The CARE is available once every year in late October. The CARE is made up of 2 papers, taking 3 hours each to complete, and written over 2 consecutive days. The exam is a mix of accounting case studies, problem solving, single questions and multiple choice.

You can learn more about CARE from the leaflet: Chartered Accountant Reciprocity Exam (PDF)

Practical Experience

Internationally trained applicants will have their practical experience assessed when they register as a foreign designate candidate with the ICAA. ICAA is looking for core practice and experience requirements which are equivalent to those of a domestic candidate.

  • You must have worked a total of 2500 chargeable hours
  • You must have at least 1250 hours working on assurance (audits and reviews)
  • You must have at least 200 hours working on audits
  • You must have at least 100 hours working on taxation

Candidates with more than 200 hours of audit work, but less than 625 hours of audit work, will be restricted from unsupervised audit work.

Any hours you use towards the practical experience requirement must be from the last 5 years. Work experience older than 5 years is normally not counted toward practical experience - however, this can be waived by the ICAA registrar in special cases.

Path 2 - Other Applicants

If you are not currently a member of one of the accounting regulators listed above, you must apply with the Chartered Accountant School of Business (CASB).

Depending on the accounting organization you are a member of, you may be exempt from some of the course and exam requirements. This will decision be based on an assessment by the ICAA.

You will then have to meet all the normal requirements that the ICAA asks of Chartered Accountants practicing in Alberta.

Eligibility

To register as a foreign designate candidate with the ICAA:

  • You must be a designated Charted Accountant (called a CPC in Mexico, or a CPA in the United States.)
  • You must be a registered member in good standing with one of the accounting organizations listed above.
  • You must have earned membership with your accounting organization by completed their admission, experience and exam requirements - and not by any other means.
  • You must have been resident in the jurisdiction where you earned your membership for at least two years before you were granted membership.
  • You must be able to demonstrate your good character and reputation. (For example, you must not have previous criminal convictions.)
  • You must be able to provide evidence that you can legally work or study in Canada.

How to Apply

If you meet the eligibility requirements to be a foreign designate candidate, you must provide the ICAA with the following documentation in order to apply:

  • The Foreign Designate Registration Application Form (PDF)
  • The Application Fee (currently $367.50 for a full years dues)
  • Declaration that you have lived for two years in the jurisdiction where you earned membership with your current accounting organization.
  • A detailed copy of your resume/CV, outlining your work experience.

In addition, you must also arrange to have the following documents send directly to the ICAA - they should not be sent to you first.

  • Formal proof from your current accounting organization, your current employer, or your past employer which describes the specifics of your practical work experience, with a list of your chargeable working hours.
  • Written proof from your current accounting organization that indicates:
    • Your current membership and status
    • The date you were admitted as a member
    • The completion of your academic requirements, including the dates you passed your course work an examinations

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