Discover how to land a job as an accountant in Canada with visa sponsorships, from all the requirements to pathways and tips in one view.
Today Canada is a prospective place for professional freelancers who want to begin a new dimension to their career, and the accounting profession is not the least. From sea to sea, accountants are in demand, and some job openings exist in public accounting firms, corporations, government, and non-profit organizations.
Find An Opportunity That Fits You
Overview of Accounting Job in Canada
Accountants are responsible for proper bookkeeping, more so legally required prescriptions, and offering clients advice on tax and financial issues. In Canada, these are some of the specialization where the accounting personnel can venture into:
 Public Accounting: Offering auditing, tax, and consultancy services to the immediate customers.
Management Accounting: Deals with the managing of its internal finances, budgeting, and looking into performance reviews.
Government Accounting: Carries out work in the public sector in the institution to ensure that set government regulations are adhered to.
Forensic Accounting: Investigating financial crimes, such as fraud and embezzlement.
With so many provinces and industries that offer large opportunities to accountants; the profession in Canada is secure and well established.
 Why Canada is a Great Place for Accountants
Canada is a vibrant economy with a broad spectrum of business activities and a commitment to fair labor practices. The following summarize why accountants choose Canada:
 Growing Demand: There is an increasing demand for accountants in Canada because of the surge in its economy and an aging population that is retiring, opening up more professional job opportunities for young accountants.
Competitive Salaries: Accountants in Canada have competitive salaries compared to a good many countries, with good chances for promotion and specialization.
Work-Life Balance: Canadian employers are famous for maintaining a work-life balance and hence make it one of the most preferred destinations for the professionals, since they seek healthy work environment.
 Visa Sponsorship for Accountants as Working Professionals in Canada
Accountants from other nations who want to get employed in Canada must go through the immigration process, whereby they get the work permit by the process of visa sponsorship. There are several immigration pathways, among which the entry can be sought by an accountant:
- a) Express Entry System
The Express Entry system is one of the most common pathways for skilled workers, those including the profession of accounting, to move into the country. This is a selection-based process where the applicants are ranked based on priority using some key criteria such as age, educational background, work experience, and language proficiency. In case you become eligible, you will probably be sent an invitation to apply for immigration to this country.
The three main programs under Express Entry are:
- a) Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): For accountants with a few years of experience working in their profession, and with internationally recognized qualifications.
Canadian Experience Class, CEC: For those who already have a few years of work experience in Canada and get it via a temporary work permit.
- b) Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs)
The Provinces and Territories in Canada also have their own immigration programs, which are called Provincial Nominee Programs. These programs enable them to nominate skilled workers for permanent residency. Many of the provinces also have streams that are targeted at skilled professions and include an occupation as an accountant. Some popular PNP programs include the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program since, being the financial hub of Canada, the place would always require accountants, and the program has quite a few pathways for skilled workers.
 British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP): This category is for the accountants who want to work in Vancouver or any other place in the province of British Columbia.
A positive Labour Market Opinion in Canada offered by a provinces or territories is also a sure way of gaining a provincial nomination to make sure you achieve your desired permanent residency.
- c) Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program enables Canadian employers to obtain the workforce they need from abroad. The program thus creates the requirement for an employer to procure a Labour Market Impact Assessment in support of the need for a foreign worker to occupy the position.
After the LMIA has been granted, the foreign worker can apply for a work permit and can start working in Canada. This route is typically used by employers in placing highly skilled workers, including accountants.
Conditions to Be Met by Accountants in Canada
All workers willing to work as accountants in Canada need to meet certain predefined criteria with respect to academic qualifications and professional designations and linguistic skills.
- a) Educational Requirements
Most employers require accountants to have at least a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or related field. To be qualified for some accountant positions, an accountant may also be required to have completed some level of postgraduate master’s degree or some other qualifications based on the sophistication of the job.
- b) Professional Certifications
Most professional accountants in Canada are designated at the national level. The most common designation is Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), which amalgamated three historical designations: CA (Chartered Accountant), CMA (Certified Management Accountant), and CGA (Certified General Accountant).
To become a CPA, you must:
Graduate from a recognized accounting degree program
Pass the Common Final Exam,
Obtain relevant work experience.
International accountants may have to seek an assessment of their credentials to ascertain that they meet Canadian standards. However, other provinces make provisions for fast-tracking routes for internationally trained accountants who wish to gain CPA certification.
- c) Language Proficiency
Canada has two official languages: English and French. Depending on the province you are going to work in, you may need to be proficient in one or both languages. For immigration purposes, you may be required to take a language test, like IELTS, which is the International English Language Testing System for the English language, or TEF, which is the Test d’Évaluation de Français for the French language.
How to find Accountant Jobs in Canada
When it comes to gaining employment in accounting with visa sponsorship, it calls for strategic approaches. Here are some:
- a) Job Search through Selected Portals
There are many online job portals on Canada-specific job listings, including accounting jobs with visa sponsorship. Some of them include the following:
Job Bank (Government of Canada)
Use search queries like “accountant visa sponsorship” or “LMIA accounting jobs.”
- b) Recruitment Agencies
Recruitment agencies can be a great tool in matching you with employers willing to provide sponsorship for foreign workers. This can be the case with professional recruiting agencies, such as Robert Half and Hays, that have dedicated divisions for the recruitment of accounting and finance positions.
- c) Networking
Networking with Canadian accounting professionals will enable you to learn of job openings and even visa sponsorship opportunities. Join associations of accounting professionals, attend industry events, and network with Canadian professionals on LinkedIn.
- d) Company Websites
Most Canadian employers post their job openings on their company websites. Research company websites, which have a history of hiring international workers; major accounting firms have good résumé banks. Many of these firms include Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, and EY, which have large business clients whose accounting is usually done in-house.
Canada has a base for many employers who would be on the lookout for accounting talent, from public accounting firms to multinational corporations. The major employers for accountants in Canada include:
Big Four Accounting Firms: Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, and EY are forces to reckon with in Canada and often recruit accountants from the international job market.
Financial Institutions: RBC, TD, Scotiabank, and BMO are the big major banks in Canada and therefore present opportunities for accounting and finance jobs.
Governments: Federal, provincial and municipal governments use accountants for anything from auditing to financial analysis.
Corporations: Large corporations of different kinds – manufacturing, retail – or technology have their corporate accounting departments
Salary Range that Accountants Can Expect in Canada
Not every accountant in Canada receives the same salary as it varies with diverging issues like experience, locality, or industry. All the same, here is the indication of how the general range of salary an accountant can expect in Canada:
Entry-level Accountants: $45,000 to $60,000.
Mid-Level Accountants: $60,000 to $85,000 per year.
Senior Accountants and Managers: $85,000 to $120,000 per year.
Specialized Roles (e.g., Forensic Accounting, Taxation): Salaries for specialized roles can exceed $120,000 per year.
In addition to base salaries, accountants may receive bonuses, profit-sharing, and benefits like health insurance and retirement plans.
Conclusion
With the right qualifications, certification and strategy, one can manage to acquire an accounting job even in Canada with visa sponsorship. Whether you are in for a TWP or seeking an opportunity into becoming a PR, Canada now seems a great destination for accountants in the world. It’s high time to prepare and set the ball rolling by visiting job search websites and making good use of social networking sites.