If you are not an ICAA member, registered PAF or PSP, please click here to create an account. Forgot your password?
Advanced Search Filters
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta offers English language education courses for accounting professionals and accounting students. These courses will teach you how to navigate the complex business world.
To find out when the next course will be offered, click on Upcoming Events.
Development of this website was funded in part by a grant from the Government of Alberta’s Foreign Qualification Recognition Innovation Fund.
As a foreign trained accounting professional, the ICAA can help you to obtain all the necessary requirements to become a CA in Alberta. Through Pathway to Membership for Foreign Trained Professionals, all foreign designated accounting professionals can have their experience and education assessed to determine what requirements are needed in order to obtain the CA designation title in Alberta.
If you currently hold an accounting designation from a recognized foreign accounting organization, you may be exempt from some or most of the requirements to become a Chartered Accountant in Alberta.
Once you decide that you are interested in obtaining the Canadian CA designation, you will be required to send documents of your qualifications and work experience to the ICAA for an assessment (an assessment fee may be charged for this service). After the assessment, the ICAA will advise you on any additional requirement you need in order to obtain the CA designation. Depending on which professional accounting body you are currently associated with, you will be eligible to proceed through one of three recognition categories. To find out what your next steps should be, fill out the Pre-Assessment Questionnaire (PAQ) form. There is no cost for the pre-assessment questionnaire and all individuals will be required to fill out the PAQ form before their assessment.
Download PAQ form (PDF file, 33kb)
The CA profession has adopted a three-level approach to the recognition of foreign accounting credentials:
Level 1
Foreign professional accounting bodies that are assessed to be ‘substantially equivalent’ to the Canadian CA designation in education, examination and practical experience requirements may enter into a Mutual Recognitions Agreement (MRA). Individuals who belong to a foreign accounting body with a MRA will need to complete the CA Reciprocity Exam and have their practical experience assessed in order to qualify for a Canadian CA designation. For a full list of MRA bodies, click here.
Foreign professional accounting bodies that are assessed to be ‘partially equivalent’ to the Canadian CA designation in education, examination and practical experience requirements may enter into a Bridging to Membership Agreement (BMA). Individuals who belong to a foreign accounting body with a BMA will be required to complete additional education requirements through the CA School of Business in order to qualify for a Canadian CA designation. As part of the qualification process, individual practical experience will be assessed. For a full list of BMA bodies, click here. Bridging resources are available for individuals in this category that are required to fulfill additional requirements.
Individuals who hold a professional designation from a foreign professional accounting organization that does not have a MRA or BMA are able to request an Individual Assessment (IA) of their qualifications. For more information on how to request an individual assessment, click here.
Expand all Collapse all
Extent of Recognition by a ICAA
Bridging to become an ICAA Member[1]
Mutual Recognition Agreement
Based on an IQAB report - recognizes both the professional education including examinations and practical experience training of the counterpart accounting body or a segment thereof in full.
Experience Bridging
Minimum term of practical experience as per CICA Practical Experience Requirements
Academic Bridging
CA Reciprocity Examination
Bridging to Membership Agreement
Based on an IQAB report - does NOT recognize the professional education including examinations in full but the ICAA does grant exemptions to certain elements of their professional education including examinations and practical experience training of the counterpart accounting body or a segment thereof in full.
Successful completion of the UFE; and
One of the following:
a) Some recognition of professional program by IQAB – optional auditing of CASB education program
b) Limited recognition of professional program by IQAB – mandatory auditing of CASB education program
c) IQAB recognition of university degree only – mandatory passing of CASB education program
Individual Assessment
Individual applicant may provide evidence of competence.
Assessment of years of relevant post certification practical experience will determine extent of CASB education program (see website for more detailed information)
[1] This column includes prerequisites for MEMBERSHIP. For practicing public accounting in Alberta, a member would need to meet any and all public accounting registration criteria, including relevant practical experience in public accounting