SfC Magazine - February 2018

Skills for Change’s clients learn about the advantages of becoming a CPA.
CPA Ontario: Rolling out the welcome mat for the
internationally trained
There’s an interesting English language phrase – “rolling
out the welcome mat” – that means to welcome someone
with a special display of hospitality. It dates back to times
when some friendly people literally had a mat with the word
“welcome” on it at the front door of their home – a tradition
that continues for some Canadians today.
CPA Ontario and the Canadian accounting profession have
made a concerted effort to welcome and help internationally
trained accountants for a number of very sound
reasons.
“Obviously, we think our society and
our economy benefits when skilled
newcomers can use their knowledge and
experience in Canadian workplaces,”
said Vicki Liederman, CPA Ontario’s
Director of Student Recruitment. “Our
profession is almost uniquely equipped
to welcome internationally trained
accountants and very eager to help people
earn their Chartered Professional Accountant
designation.”
CPAs are in great demand as organizations of all types and
sizes need qualified accounting and finance professionals
to compete in today’s ever more challenging business
environment. Whether it’s in government, public practice,
the private sector or academe, CPAs are filling leadership
roles and enjoying successful careers.
The need for CPAs will continue to rise in the coming years
spurred by demographic factors that would see Canada’s
aging workforce shrink without the addition of talented
immigrants. But, of course, employers don’t just want warm
bodies; they want fully qualified professionals who they can
count on to make a positive impact from day one on.
“The great thing about the Canadian CPA designation, and
I’d say this is especially true for newcomers to the Canadian
job market, is that having it gives you instant credibility with
8 Volume 2 - Feb 2018
“Whether
it’s in government,
public practice, the
private sector or academe,
CPAs are filling leadership
roles and enjoying
successful careers.”
potential employers or clients, “said Liederman. “They know
that earning the CPA requires a solid mix of education and
experience, coupled with examinations that test all of our
members for the competencies needed to succeed.
“They also know that becoming a CPA is not a one-time thing.
As professionals, CPAs are committed to live-long learning
via continuing professional development standards and
they are regulated to ensure that they live up to our high
standards for ethics and behavior.”
While qualification standards are
appropriately high, CPA Ontario has put
into place a number of strategies to help
people successfully enter the profession.
The Canadian profession has mutual
recognition agreements (MRAs) and
memorandums of understanding (MOUs)
with many of the leading international
accounting bodies, smoothing the way into
the Canadian profession for these bodies’
members.
Even if there is no formal agreement in place, CPA
Ontario can assess the qualifications of an internationally
trained accountant to see how the organization can help the
individual through the CPA program.
“We provide a full range of help for students,” said Liederman,
“everything from information sessions and one-on-one
career counselling, to access to mentors, online information
and more. We partner with top organizations helping new
Canadians, like Skills for Change, to ensure that the word
gets out to internationally trained accountants and other
internationally educated professionals that there is a place
for them in the membership of CPA Ontario.”
More information about how to become a CPA is available
at online at our website or at CPA Ontario’s information
sessions (see https://www.cpaontario.ca/become-a-cpa/
events/information-sessions).