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Internationally Trained Accountants

The Canadian Chartered Accountant (CA) designation is internationally recognized for high professional standards in the accounting field. You must be a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (the Institute) in order to use the title Chartered Accountant or to use the CA designation in Ontario. The Institute is authorized under the Public Accounting Act, 2004 to licence members (Chartered Accountants) who have fulfilled the specific public accounting competencies and other requirements established by the Act and the Standards adopted under the Act. Membership in the Institute and fulfillment of the prescribed requirements for licensing eligibility are 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.

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. For information on these accounting bodies contact them directly.

The Institute complies with all reporting requirements under The Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act. Please refer to the “Related Items” section of this page for recent reports.

Before You Immigrate to Canada

Please contact the Institute for an assessment of your qualifications before you arrive in Ontario. Your education and training can be assessed before you immigrate and you will be told what additional requirements you will need to complete in Ontario. This assessment will help you to make better career decisions.

Assessment Information

Once you decide that you are interested in getting the CA designation, you must send documents of your qualifications and work experience to the Institute for an assessment. After the assessment, the Institute will advise you on what requirements you would need to meet in order to obtain the CA designation. Your category of registration, established by any current memberships in good standing in professional accounting bodies, determines your requirements for admission to membership in the Institute.

If you are not a member of an accounting body but have a university degree from outside of Canada, please refer to Not a Member of An Accounting Body - International University Degree.