Chartered accountants, or CAs, are business professionals who work in four main areas:

• Public practice
• Industry
• Government
• Education
  

About 40% are in public practice and 60% in industry, government or education.

CAs provide the following services:

• Start-up consulting
• Purchase and sale of businesses
• Business valuations
• Business plans and financial projections
• Developing strategies for securing financing
• Corporate and personal income tax planning
• Information technology needs analysis
• Assurance (audits and reviews)
• Preparation and analysis of financial information
• Acting as trustee in the event of receivership, insolvency or bankruptcy
• Developing management controls
• Management consulting
• Forensic accounting and litigation support
  

To become a CA:

You must have successfully passed the three papers of the Uniform Final Examination (UFE).

For more information: Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants www.cica.ca

CGAs work in the manufacturing, commercial and financial sectors, the public sector, private accounting firms and other sectors that require accounting or financial management services. A CGA’s tasks include the following:

• Corporate accounting and planning
• Tax planning and preparing income tax returns
• Management controls
• Auditing
• Management consulting services
• Financial planning
• Start-up consulting services
• Consulting and systems implementation services
• Retirement planning
• Succession planning
• Estate planning
  

To become a CGA:

• Have a bachelor’s degree
• Pass the CGA-Canada professional studies program (two to seven years)

For more information: www.cga-canada.org

Chartered management accountants are strategic financial management professionals. Working for companies of all sizes and types, CMAs approach organizational decision making from an integration perspective and apply management practices in a wide variety of functions:

• Financial planning
• Finance
• Operations
• Sales and marketing
• Information technology
• Human resources
  

To become a CMA:

• Have a university degree
• Pass the CMA admissions exam
• Follow the two-year strategic leadership program, while acquiring practical experience in an environment where management accounting is practiced

For more information: www.cma-canada.org

The Institute of Management Accountants awards this accreditation to professionals working in treasury management, financing or investment decisions, and risk management.

To become a CFM:

The exam assesses skills in the analysis of financial reports, working capital policies, capital structure and risk management.

For more information: www.imanet.org

The Credit Institute of Canada is the only Canadian body granting official designations to Canadian workers in the credit field. Institute members have an integrated and complete perspective in their objective of protecting Canadian companies from fluctuations caused by the development of world markets by providing them with the greatest value possible.

To become a member of the Credit Institute of Canada:

• Pass the FCI program (8 courses, 30 credits)
• Have at least five years’ professional experience in the field
• Take part in the Institute’s professional development program

For more information: www.creditedu.org

The Canadian Payroll Association (CPA) represents payroll specialists in Canada. Its Certified Payroll Manager (CPM) program provides professional certification for people interested in a career in this field, or who wish to enhance their payroll knowledge.

Three types of designations are granted:

• Payroll Administrator (PA) certification
• Payroll Supervisor (PS) certification
• Payroll Manager (PM) certification

For more information: www.payroll.ca

Internationally recognized designation in financial analysis granted by the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute.

To become a CFA:

• Have three years' experience in the field
• Pass the three examinations of the program

For more information: www.aimr.com

This internationally recognized designation is granted by the Institute of Internal Auditors. The association also has specialty certification programs:

• Certification in Control Self-Assessment (CCSA)
• Certified Government Auditing Professional (CGAP)
• Certified Financial Services Auditor (CFSA)

For more information: www.theiia.org

This designation is awarded by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, a professional association with over 37,000 members world-wide, dedicated to reducing white-collar crime and fraud.

For more information: www.cfenet.com

The Canadian Securities Course (CSC) is designed for investors or anyone wishing to work in financial services. The course covers the following topics:

• Investment products
• Capital markets in Canada
• Product analysis and selection
• Mutual fund sales
• Securities trading as an investment advisor or representative

For more information:https://www.csi.ca/student/en_ca/courses/introductory/csc.xhtml

TMAC was established in 1982 to share treasury experience and knowledge through a variety of educational and networking opportunities. TMAC has created the Money In Motion Seminar Program to help treasury and financial management professionals maintain a leading edge in the ever-changing world of global treasury.

TMAC’s seminars qualify for CGA, CMA or CA's continuing professional development requirements and are approved for up to 16 CTP and CCM recertification credits by the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP).

For more information: www.tmac.ca/index.html