CPA three letters that stand out

The business world is
counting on you

Did you know that you have the power to change the business world? Yes, you really do! And with relevant training and a recognized professional designation, you will have even more power to change it. The Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation is for people like you who want to make their mark and aspire to do great things. Become one of tomorrow's leaders!

If you want to…

  • head organizations
  • join a respected, influential community that is growing fast
  • travel the world in search of new challenges
  • show your leadership

… then the CPA designation is for you!

CPAs are supervised by a professional order, the Quebec CPA Order, whose mission is to protect the public. As Quebec’s one and only accounting credential, the CPA designation is synonymous with quality and reliability.

a future with
many possibilities

The CPA designation will take you where you want to go and even farther. Become an interpreter of financial and strategic data, while you put your decision-making skills to good use. As a leading expert in economic development, you will have a world of opportunities at your disposal.

CPAs do much more than crunch numbers! When you choose to become a CPA, you opt for a rewarding, exciting and credible profession that will give you access to key positions in the business world: entrepreneur, chief financial officer, manager, financial analyst, and many others.

what your career could look like

expertise

Fields of expertise

  • Audit and assurance
  • Management accounting
  • Taxation
  • Financial management
  • Financial reporting
  • Strategy and governance

Areas of activity

  • Firms
  • Financial institutions
  • NPOs
  • SMEs and large corporations
  • Public sector

Types of positions

  • Financial analyst
  • External auditor
  • Controller
  • Account manager
  • Entrepreneur
  • Forensic accountant
  • VP of Finance

go global
with your ambitions

The CPA designation is recognized around the world. You can work in Canada and abroad with it.

In Quebec

  • 41,000 CPAs
  • 5,000 future CPAs

In Canada

  • 220,000 CPAs

Internationally

  • 12,500 Canadian CPAs abroad

recognized
key competencies

Strategy and analysis
  • Detect opportunitiesand threats in various markets
  • Assess the impact of a decision on overall performance
  • Advise executives on the right financial approach
Business management
  • Analyze the financial statements of small and large companies 
  • Help keep innovative organizations stable and profitable
  • Optimize the human and financial resources of organizations
Leadership
  • Gain access to management positions in companies or partner positions in firms
  • Lead diverse and multidisciplinary teams
  • Start a company
Digital expertise
  • Make use of innovative technologies to provide better advice
  • Convert data into relevant information for decision making
  • Identify the risks of fraud and cyber risks
  • The profession is constantly changing, spurred on by the rise of new technologies such as artificial intelligence. Innovative technologies like these help CPAs become more efficient, by automating repetitive tasks and providing predictive analytics that improve financial decision-making.
CPA Canada’s 2.0 competency map shows the path forward for the profession. It will guide future CPAs and help them remain trusted leaders.

find out how to
become a CPA


enroll in one of these cegep programs

Pre-university programs

  • Naural sciences
  • Social sciences, with mathematics

Technical programs

  • Accounting and management
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Graphique Cercle
End of
the practical
experience
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complete an undergraduate degree in accounting or equivalent

Have you studied in another field or outside Canada?
equivalence.cpaquebec.ca

register with the CPA order 

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successfully complete the cpa professional education program

You have 2 options

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university graduate program (DESS)

  • 9 to 24 months
  • Full or part time
  • Classroom or online learning
  • Coaching from teachers
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national program



  • 12 to 24 months
  • Part time
  • Online
  • Self-study with coaching from experienced CPAs
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pass the common final examination (cFe)

Obtain the cpa designation

Visit the How to become a CPA section for full details..

Scholarships for your success

A number of scholarships are awarded to students every year in recognition of their excellent academic results, as a reward for their involvement in school and extracurricular activities, or simply to help people who are experiencing financial hardship. Learn how the Foundation of Quebec CPAs can give you a little help!

harness your
potential

CPAs who enter the job market can earn higher salaries right from the start, which can include, depending on the employer, a wide range of employee benefits, performance bonuses and even the reimbursement of certain expenses, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, gym memberships, etc.

Moreover, students who choose the CPA profession are highly sought after by recruiters and will easily find internship opportunities in industry or public practice.

annual median compensation by years of experience

Less than 4 years
$89,000
Between 5 and 9 years
$98,000
Between 10 and 14 years
$113,000
Between 15 and 19 years
$124,000
Between 20 and 24 years
$130,000
25 years or more
$150,000

* Source: CPA Canada. CPA Profession Compensation Study – Summary Report for Quebec 

in short
5 reasons
to become a CPA

questions?

releve@cpaquebec.ca

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