Practical Experience
Q. I have many years of accounting and financial management experience. Will I be exempted from the practical experience requirement?
Generally, CGA requires three years of work experience, however on assessment, two years may be deemed acceptable. Some of this experience must be at a senior level. For the experience to be considered acceptable, you are expected to be employed in a position that requires the application of knowledge, independent thinking, and responsibility for the preparation and interpretation of financial information. While past experience is acceptable, the majority of the requirement must have occurred in the last 5 years prior to certification.
Q. What are the general guidelines for appropriate experience at the basic, intermediate and senior levels?
As you progress through the program, you are expected to obtain practical experience that corresponds with your level of studies. A typical career path starts in an entry (basic) level position, progresses to the intermediate stage and advances to a senior position. Although students do not necessarily have to acquire experience in all activities, they are expected to obtain experience in more than one function as outlined below:
Basic accounting positions offer a breadth of experience in a variety of activities, leading to higher levels in the career path. For example, entry-level positions enable students to acquire basic skills in such areas/functions as: clerical work, bookkeeping, tax preparation, accounting maintenance, procedures implementation and computer tools/packages utilization.
The intermediate stage provides experience with more depth in fewer areas. Typical intermediate stage activities include financial statement interpretation, financial analyses, annual budgeting, investment management, procedural recommendations, small organization audits and systems analysis.
The senior stage provides experience at the management, policy or long range planning levels, with greater responsibilities. Typical senior stage activities include complex financial analyses, senior management presentations, complex budgeting, long range financial planning, forecasts, complex consolidations, audit planning, strategic planning, policy recommendations, project team leadership, client relations/contacts and corporate audits.
Q. I have many years of accounting and financial management experience obtained outside of Canada, will I be exempted from the practical experience requirement?
In certain cases, CGA Alberta may recognize employment experience gained in a foreign country with appropriate third-party confirmation and position details. In such cases, certification requires a minimum of one year's current employment experience in Canada in an acceptable accounting, auditing, taxation, financial management, or systems position.
