Job Search Guides for Internationally Trained Professionals: Certified General Accountants

Well, you must have read the wonderful news: Ottawa has entered an agreement with the provinces to let internationally-trained professional applicants know within one year whether or not their foreign credentials will be recognized. Wait a minute – when internationally-trained doctors apply for accreditation to work in Ontario, they wait only four to six weeks to get an answer; pharmacists, only two weeks and engineers, only six weeks! And in any case, it is the provinces who oversee self-regulated professions and training programs.

Internationally trained professionals, notably doctors, dentists, engineers and accountants, are told by Citizenship & Immigration Canada that Canada needs them. When they arrive, though, many find out that they have to wait for years before being able to enter the necessary training programs or that there are no job vacancies in their fields. Many face unreasonable requirements imposed by professional bodies, which have little incentive to let in newcomers.

With these sweeping changes from Ottawa which states that Canada values skilled immigrants; will quickly recognize their qualifications where appropriate; provide access to required training where necessary; and strive for accreditation rules that are fair, transparen't and consistent, let us hope that those who are already in Canada can see some hope of finding a job that is befitting their training.

For the next couple of posts, I will provide some resources for certain professions and skilled trades, which by the way, Canada does not have enough of.

Certified General Accountants:

Getting Licensed to Work in Ontario:

www.citizenship.gov.on.ca/english/working/licensed/

Guide to Working in the Professions and Trades in Ontario:

www.211ontario.ca/apt/guide.htm

Titles and regulation status for professions and trades in Ontario:

Job Profiles:

www.settlement.org/site/EM/apt/occupations.asp

Occupational Profiles for Selected Trades and Professions:

www.cicic.ca/en/prof.aspx?sortcode=2.19.21

Assessment of international credentials and qualifications:

Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials