Foreign-trained accountants looking to work in Canada will have an easier time getting their credentials recognized starting next year thanks to nearly $1 million in funding from the federal government.
The Certified General Accountants Association of Canada received a grant under Ottawa’s foreign credential recognition program to develop an online self-assessment tool for internationally-trained accountants to help them obtain the CGA designation.
Tony Ariganello, president and CEO of CGA-Canada said in an interview, “In the past, the process was very manual and could take a year to get fully assessed. And they’d have no quick way of knowing if there was a chance of success or not. The new system will give them the opportunity to get three-quarters of the way there in terms of knowing whether or not they have passed the first hurdles.”
Ariganello noted the new system is part of the government’s program to streamline the accreditation process for a number of professions, including engineering and health care. The program will benefit the accounting profession, which remains one of the fastest growing in Canada.
“And looking at the trend line, down the road, we’ll be short accountants, believe it or not. So, this credential assessment matrix will really help and encourage people to come to Canada.”
CGA-Canada will begin development of the system in the fall and are aiming to have it ready for use sometime in the first quarter of 2011.