Chartered accountants plan, organize and administer accounting systems for individuals and businesses. They perform audits and provide taxation, financial or accounting advice. They also work in management consulting, environmental accounting, systems implementation, forensic accounting, insolvency services, financial planning and business valuations. Chartered accountants may work in management positions such as controller, chief financial officer, vice-president and chief executive officer.

Chartered accountants are employed by government and the private sector in educational institutions, accounting firms and industry. Many chartered accountants are self-employed.

This profession is regulated in Manitoba by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Manitoba.

To practise chartered accounting in Manitoba you must:

• have a four-year bachelor's degree from a university equivalent to a Manitoba university
• be employed with a firm approved by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Manitoba
• complete Chartered Accountant School of Business prerequisite courses
• have three years qualifying Canadian (or equivalent) work experience in six core competencies - assurance, performance measurement and reporting, finance, taxation, governance, strategy and risk management and management decision-making
• be registered with the Chartered Accountant School of Business and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Manitoba

Licensing process in Manitoba

Note: The institute conducts the licensing process in English only. Thus, all documents must be translated into English.

You must complete the following steps:

STEP 1: Contact the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Manitoba and tell them you are an internationally educated accountant and want information on how to become licensed to practise in Manitoba.

Institute of Chartered Accountants of Manitoba
Shirley Sommer, registrar and director of standards enforcement
700 - One Lombard Place
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 0X3
Phone: 204-942-8248
Fax: 204-943-7119
E-mail: icam@icam.mb.ca OR ssommer@icam.mb.ca
Website: icam.mb.ca

STEP 2: Contact the Chartered Accountant School of Business.

CASB Registration Centre
301- 1253 91 Street Southwest
Edmonton, Alberta T5E 1E9
Phone: 1-866-420-2350
Fax: 780-424-8041
E-mail: prospectivestudents@casb.com
Website: casb.com

STEP 3: Complete the Chartered Accountant School of Business prerequisite courses.

STEP 4: Complete the Chartered Accountant School of Business application form for admission.

You must submit the following:

• official transcripts from your international accounting organization
• declaration that you lived in the jurisdiction of your international accounting organization for a two-year period immediately preceding your admission to that organization
• statement from your international accounting organization that you are member in good standing
• official transcript(s) of all post-secondary education

STEP 5: Complete the Chartered Accountant School of Business learning modules.

STEP 6: Complete Canadian work experience requirements. (Ask Institute of Chartered Accountants of Manitoba for information.)

STEP 7: When all requirements have been met and fees paid, you will be granted membership by the institute. This allows you to use the chartered accountant designation in Manitoba. You may now apply for membership in any Canadian province without completing any further requirements.

Additional information

Annual membership fee is C$1,150.

Entrance fee (one-time fee payable on admission) is C$800.

International work experience may be applicable in the process of credential assessment. Such work experience is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

A list of all approved accounting firms in Manitoba is available from the Chartered Accountant School of Business website.

You will be paid by your firm during your Canadian work experience. To qualify for approval to practise as a public accountant, 1,250 hours of this work experience must be completed in assurance with a minimum of 625 hours in audit and 100 hours in tax.

The Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants' International Qualification Appraisal Board has recognized some international accounting associations as equivalent to the Canadian chartered accountant designation. If you are a member of one of these international associations you are eligible to write the CA reciprocity exam. If all other membership requirements are met, you may become a member of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Manitoba. Contact the institute for a list of recognized international associations.

Language: As part of your work, you are required to have intermediate or advanced English language skills in the four basic language areas - listening, speaking and reading and writing comprehension. Therefore, you should be able to:

• participate in discussions of a complex nature
• share your thoughts clearly
• understand technical documents
• write reports in English with confidence

Revised October 2011

Assistance for newcomers in Manitoba

• Communication and bridging programs for professionals
• Financial help to pursue professional licence
• A recent immigrant talks about how he found a job in this profession
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