Accounting Jobs in Canada for Foreigners: What to Expect in 2025
They say that the life of a diligent accountant revolves around balanced books, numbers on a spreadsheet, and beaten-up calculators, but what if there was more to an accountant’s life than just those three things?
Immigrating to Canada can be one of them, and as an accountant, you can easily make this happen with the right tools for a successful immigration.
At CanadaCIS, we’ve created the perfect guide made especially for accountants looking to migrate to Canada with ease in the year 2025.
Table of Contents
📒 How to Immigrate to Canada as an Accountant
First things first, you’ll need to consider the requirements and your level of skill as an accountant.
There are plenty of accounting jobs in Canada for foreigners that come with high-paid opportunities and exceptional growth in your career as an accountant.
However, foreigners should take note that some accounting positions are considered regulated occupations that require foreign accountants to acquire a foreign qualification recognition.
To get you qualified as soon as possible, it’s best to turn to the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPA) or the Public Accountants Council for the Province of Ontario to further learn about the process.
Similar to foreign healthcare professionals, obtaining certain qualifications in order to work for specific positions in Canada may be challenging, but not impossible.
🛫 The Fastest Canadian Immigration Programs for Accountants
Once you’ve received your foreign qualification recognition, the next step is to apply for a Canadian immigration program of your choice.
To get you familiarized with the best programs for accountants, we’ve chosen the fastest programs suitable for accountants to consider.
Provided below are some of the easiest programs to choose from.
Express Entry
Experienced accountants can highly benefit from this program by providing a history of their accounting experience from the country they’re originally from.
LMIA Work Visa
If you’ve been hired to work in Canada by an employer, a positive LMIA document will show the government that there is an actual need for a foreign worker to take over the job.
By requesting your Canadian employer to apply for an LMIA, you may then apply for a work permit.
Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
Employers do not need to go through the process of obtaining a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) under this program, making it another trouble-free immigration program to consider.
Here are the available streams:
- Atlantic High-Skilled Program (AHSP)
- Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program (AISP)
- Atlantic International Graduate Program (AIGP)
Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
- Atlantic High-Skilled Program (AHSP)
- Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program (AISP)
- Atlantic International Graduate Program (AIGP)
💬 Tips to Pass a Candian Immigration Interview for Accountants
Most Canadian immigration interviews are conducted with a large set of questions.
Whether you’re an accountant, a doctor, or even a flying trapeze acrobat, you’ll need to respond to these questions truthfully and professionally in order to pass your first initial interview.
In order for you to fully prepare yourself for the immigration interview, we’ve provided an updated version of the several commonly asked interview questions for you to practice.
- Why do you want to move to Canada?
- What do you see as the biggest challenge in moving to Canada?
- Tell me about yourself
- Why do you want to leave your home country?
- What is your source of income?
- How many Canadian provinces do you know? Can you name them?
- What do you think is the average cost of living in Canada?
- Do you have family or friends in Canada?
- Are you married?
- Do you have children
- Explain your typical working day?
- What would you do if your application is not approved?
It’s best to practice answering these questions a week in advance before your scheduled interview.
Make sure to answer each of the questions clearly and concisely.
Show your interviewer what makes you, as an immigrant accountant, so special.
🧮 Excellent Options for Accounting Jobs in Canada for Foreigners
Searching for the most suitable accounting role for you will definitely be a breeze.
With over a thousand accounting job options available in Canada, employers are always in search of accountants each and every day.
Canada knows that someone has to do the calculations, and it’s definitely not their CEOs.
As for interested foreign accountants, we’ve come up with an extensive list of options for accounting jobs in Canada to choose from.
- Accounting Manager
- Accounting Officer
- Business Analyst
- General Accountant
- CPA
- Accounting Supervisor
- Project Accountant
- Staff Accountant
- Bookkeeper
- Finance Clerk
- Administrative Assistant
- Accounting Secretary
- Revenue Tax Specialist
- Audit Partner
- Financial Auditor
- Internal Auditor
- Assurance Senior
- Assurance Manager
- Internal Audit Director
- Audit Manager
- Auditor-in-Charge
- Comptroller
- Treasurer
- Finance Vice President
- Director of Finance
- School Treasurer
- Finance Manager
- Trust Officer
- Equity Research Analyst
- Planning Analyst
- Real Estate Analyst
- Credit Products Officer
- Investment Analyst
- Portfolio Manager
- Securities Analyst
Learn More: How to Find Work in Canada for Foreigners
🗣️ Language Requirements for Non-Canadian Applicants
Foreign accountants that plan on applying for immigration should be highly proficient in either the English or French language.
A passing result for the Canadian English or French language test will be required to acquire eligibility for the Express Entry Program.
🔢 Accounting Rules in Canada 101
So your final decision is to immigrate to Canada as an accountant.
Before accepting any accounting job offers, it’s important to know that all countries have a different set of accounting rules to consider.
All skilled foreign workers want to keep their job and do great at it, and the last thing they’d want to happen is to lose the job they worked so hard for over one silly mistake.
Not to worry, this can be avoided at all costs with the help of CanadaCIS.
We’ve taken the time to research some of the most important Canadian accounting rules so that you won’t have to.
- Canadian’s Tax year starts on the first of January and ends on the 31st of December, all within the same year.
- Companies have the choice to create a tax year of 12 succeeding months starting on the date the company decides to start their activities.
- Publicly accountable enterprises are mandated to use IFRS according to the Canadian GAAP.
- Non-publicly accountable enterprises are given the choice to use IFRS or Accounting Standards for private enterprises.
- The Accounting Standards Board of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (AcSB) provides accounting and financial information standards.
- Canada’s financial accounts often consist of a balance sheet, a profit and loss account, a statement of retained earnings and a cash flow statement.
- Balance sheet: 12 pre-determined consecutive months;
- Assets
- Liabilities
- Shareholder balance
- Reporting of financial statements and balance sheets should be completed on a yearly basis.
- Companies found on the stock exchange are mandated to provide quarterly financial reports.
- Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CICA)
- Order of Certified Management Accountants (CMA)
- Canadian Public Accountability Board (CPAB)
- Certified General Accountants Association of Canada (CGA)
Companies will need to search for a statutory auditor to conduct a yearly audit of the organization’s financial health status
📍 Fast Facts: The Best Cities To Apply for Accounting Jobs in Canada
Accounting in Canada goes together like two peas in a pod and choosing “The Great White North” as your first option to further your career as an accountant is definitely a promising and rewarding decision.
During your days off, you can also enjoy your surroundings to the fullest.
Canada has some of the best landmarks and attractions in the world, and you can definitely enjoy your life as a teacher by spending your weekends discovering newfound places and exploring other opportunities your local city will have in store for you.
Local attractions and features such as the Niagara Falls, clear blue-water lakes, majestic moose, a warm and friendly community, wonderful healthcare, and of course endless accounting job options to choose from are some things you should definitely consider.
Choosing to migrate to Canada is definitely worth all those years of hard calculations!
If your problem-solving skills as an accountant are excellent, then we’re pretty sure you won’t find it difficult to figure out that Canada is the best country for you.
- The capital of Ontario is Toronto, considered one of the largest cities in Canada.
- Toronto is one of the biggest centers in the world and is frequently visited by immigrants and foreign students from around the world.
- Toronto is known as one of the largest financial centers in Canada and is the mecca for financial start-ups.
- Ottowa is also considered a large city in Canada.
- The region of Ottawa is located in, Ontario, attracts thousands of immigrants and foreign workers each year.
- There are a number of accounting roles within the city with a large number of financial enterprises with great job opportunities to offer for foreign accountants.
- Vancouver can be found in the heart of the province of British Columbia.
- The city is known as a coastal port, globally famous for its high-standard education and job opportunities.
- A diverse number of start-ups in need of accounting and financial services can be found in Vancouver due to its “often-termed” nickname “The Canadian Silicon Valley”.
❓Commonly Asked Questions
Accountants are needed everywhere and every day in Canada!
Studies show from over the period of 2019 to 2028, job vacancies are expected to total to about 79,600, while 79,500 employers are expected to be available for employment.
As mentioned before, almost all companies need accountants and it’s not a surprise that Canadian employers are actively providing accounting jobs in Canada for foreigners.
Canada holds an unemployment rate of just 1.9% for analysts and 2.3% for accountants, auditors, and financial managers.
Accounting is more than a good career in Canada and is known to be one of the most in-demand professions in Canada.
