Accountant (CPA)

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Overview

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Requirements

95% Match

Career Spectrum

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Overview

Description
Accountants, many of whom are Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), perform a broad
range of accounting, auditing, tax, and consulting tasks. Their clients include corporations,
governments, and individuals and they work with financial documents that clients are
required by law to disclose. These documents include tax forms and balance sheet
statements that corporations must provide to potential investors. For example, some
accountants concentrate on tax matters, advising corporations about the tax advantages of
certain business decisions, or preparing individual income tax returns.
Sample Job Titles: Cost Accountant, Financial Reporting Accountant, General Accountant

Provincial Outlook

Estimated Salary

$42,130 - $126,265
Learn More

Education Level
Secondary School
On-the-job Training
College/Apprenticeship

Learn More

Compatibility

95%
Match

Related Occupations

Financial Planner

University

Learn More

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Related Videos

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Accountants and
Auditors

How to Become a
Chartered Accountant

I wanna be a Chartered
Accountant

Financial auditors examine

To become a chartered

Hans from Student Edge

and analyze the accounting

accountant, obtain a...

visits the Institute of

and...

Chartered...

Workplace

Work Environment
Most accountants work in offices, some work from home, and some travel to their clients'
places of business. The work tends to be fast-paced and can be stressful. Although they
complete much of their work alone, they sometimes work in teams with other accountants.

Main Duties

Prepare, examine, or analyze financial reports to check for accuracy, completeness,

and make sure it follows reporting and procedural guidelines.
Develop, implement, modify, and document recordkeeping and accounting systems,
making use of current computer technology.
Report to management regarding the finances of establishment.

Create charts of accounts and assign entries to proper accounts.

Analyze business operations, trends, costs, revenues, financial commitments, and
obligations, to predict future revenues and expenses or to provide advice.
Analyze operations to determine accounting needs and to recommend, develop, or
maintain solutions to business and financial problems.
Develop, maintain, and analyze budgets, preparing periodic reports that compare
budgeted costs to actual costs.
Prepare forms and manuals for accounting and bookkeeping personnel, and direct
their work activities.
Compute taxes owed and prepare tax returns, ensuring compliance with payment,
reporting or other tax requirements.
Advise management about issues such as resource utilization, tax strategies, and the
assumptions underlying budget forecasts.

Important Skills

Analytical skills. Accountants must be able to identify issues in documentation and

suggest solutions. For example, public accountants use analytical skills in their work
to minimize tax liability.
Communication skills. Accountants must be able to listen carefully to facts and
concerns from clients, managers, and others. They must also be able to discuss the
results of their work in both meetings and written reports.
Detail oriented. Accountants must pay attention to detail when compiling and
examining documentation.
Math skills. Accountants must be able to analyze, compare, and interpret facts and
figures, although complex math skills are not necessary.
Organizational skills. Strong organizational skills are important for accountants
because they often work with a range of financial documents for a variety of clients.

Career Cluster

This cluster includes planning, organizing, directing and

evaluating business functions essential to efficient and
productive business operations.

Business Management and

Administration

Outlook

Job Outlook

Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nova Scotia
Northwest Territories

Nunavut
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Yukon

Job Outlook based on NOC 1111 (Financial auditors and accountants)

View Regional Data

Salary Ranges

Canada

$35,474 - $107,339

Alberta

$42,130 - $126,265

British Columbia

$35,119 - $99,389

Manitoba

$33,909 - $98,596

New Brunswick

$34,430 - $90,291

Newfoundland and Labrador

$37,122 - $101,663

Nova Scotia

$34,388 - $102,331

Northwest Territories

$36,830 - $149,865

Nunavut
Ontario
Prince Edward Island

Not Available
$35,119 - $114,663
$29,214 - $84,719

Quebec

$35,474 - $97,448

Saskatchewan

$37,560 - $102,811

Yukon

$25,854 - $103,896

Salary Ranges are based on hourly rates for NOC 1111 (Financial auditors and accountants) and an estimated 2086 hours per year

View Regional Data

Employment Growth

2012

403,340

2013

412,196

2014

419,103

2015

425,588

2016

430,888

2017

434,732

2018

438,566

2019

442,473

2020

445,212

2021

448,227

2022

451,451

Employment Growth based on Stats Canada Occupation Group 111

Requirements

Education Level

Secondary School

On-the-job Training

College/Apprenticeship

University

Requirements

Chartered accountants require a university degree and completion of a professional

training program approved by a provincial institute of chartered accountants and,
depending on the province, either two years or 30 months of on-the-job training and
membership in a provincial Institute of Chartered Accountants upon successful
completion of the Uniform Evaluation (UFE).
Certified general accountants and certified management accountants require a
university degree and completion of a training program approved by the Society of
Certified General Accountants or Society of Management Accountants and several
years of on-the-job training and certification by the Certified General Accountants
Association or the Society of Management Accountants.
Auditors require education, training and recognition as indicated for chartered
accountants, certified general accountants or certified management accountants and
some experience as an accountant.
Auditors may require recognition by the Institute of Internal Auditors.
To act as a trustee in bankruptcy proceedings, auditors and accountants must hold a
licence as a trustee in bankruptcy.
Licensing by the provincial or territorial governing body is usually required for
accountants and auditors practising public accounting.

Subject Areas

Business

Related Programs

Office Administration

Bookkeeping

Cumberland College

Conestoga College Institute

Investment
Management

of Technology and Advanced

York University

Learning

Career Spectrum

Interests

Your Interest Type is

This occupation is a

THE PROFESSIONAL (EC)

GOOD MATCH

Match Results

Your Results

Conventional

Occupation Results

Enterprising
92%

92%

100%

50%

Artistic

Investigative
85%

83%

0%

33%

Social

Realistic
81%

81%

11%

6%

Knowledge

Your top subject area is

This occupation is a

BUSINESS

GOOD MATCH

Match Results

Your Results

Business

Occupation Results

Mathematics
100%

100%

55%

41%

English

Social Science
100%

94%

27%

12%

Computers

Languages
89%

89%

36%

23%

Creative Arts

Science
89%

83%

18%

3%

Technical & Trades

Physical Education
78%

78%

28%

5%

Motivations

Your top motivation factor is

This occupation is a

INDEPENDENCE

GOOD MATCH

Match Results

Your Results

Independence

Support
89%

78%

67%

67%

Achievement

Relationships

Occupation Results

Working Conditions
53%

47%

72%

64%

Recognition

42%

42%

67%

61%

Compatibility
Prepare, examine, or analyze financial reports to check for accuracy,
completeness, and make sure it follows reporting and procedural guidelines.

Definitely

Develop, implement, modify, and document recordkeeping and accounting

systems, making use of current computer technology.

Definitely

Resources

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Helpful Links
Ontario:
Certified General Accountants Association of Ontario
www.cga-ontario.org
The Society of Management Accountants of Ontario
www.cma-ontario.org
British Columbia:
The Certified General Accountants Association of British Columbia
www.cga-bc.org
Alberta:
CGA Association of Alberta
www.cga-alberta.org
Society of Management Accountants of Alberta
www.cma-alberta.com
Saskatchewan:
CGA Saskatchewan Office
www.cga-saskatchewan.org
Prince Edward Island:
Certified General Accountants of Prince Edward Island
www.cga-online.org/pe
New Brunswick:
The Certified General Accountants Association of New Brunswick
www.cga-nb.org

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