11100 Financial auditors and accountants

What this occupation covers

Financial auditors examine and analyze the accounting and financial records of individuals and establishments to ensure accuracy and compliance with established accounting standards and procedures. Accountants plan, organize and administer accounting systems for individuals and establishments. They are employed by private sector accounting and auditing firms or departments and public sector accounting and auditing departments or units, or they may be self-employed. Articling students in accounting firms are included in this unit group.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 11 main duties for this code.

• Examine and analyze journal and ledger entries, bank statements, inventories, expenditures, tax returns and other accounting and financial records, documents and systems of individuals, departments within organizations, businesses or other establishments to ensure financial recording accuracy and compliance with established accounting standards, procedures and internal controls
• Prepare detailed reports on audit findings and make recommendations to improve individual or establishment's accounting and management practices
• Conduct field audits of businesses to ensure compliance with provisions of the Income Tax Act, Canadian Business Corporations Act or other statutory requirements
• May supervise other auditors or professionals in charge of accounting within client's establishment.
• Plan, set up and administer accounting systems and prepare financial information for individuals, departments within organizations, businesses and other establishments
• Examine accounting records and prepare financial statements and reports
• Develop and maintain cost finding, reporting and internal control procedures
• Examine financial accounts and records and prepare income tax returns from accounting records
• Analyze financial statements and reports and provide financial, business and tax advice
• May act as a trustee in bankruptcy proceedings
• May supervise and train articling students, other accountants or administrative technicians.

Do not copy these lines into your reference letter. The letter has to describe what you actually did, in your employer’s words. DUTYPROOF flags wording lifted from the NOC as something to review, and an officer reading a letter that mirrors the NOC reads it the same way.

What DUTYPROOF screens for

This is DUTYPROOF’s screening threshold, not IRCC’s decision. For this NOC, screening requires at least 2 of its 11 official duties to be evidenced in your own words, plus the required letter elements. IRCC asks that you performed the actions in the occupation’s lead statement and a substantial number of its main duties — so treat the duty coverage as the number that matters, not the badge.

Codes this one is confused with

The NOC profile names these itself. Choosing the wrong code of a look-alike pair is the most common way genuine work experience fails to establish eligibility.

• 12200 Accounting technicians and bookkeepers
• 10010 Financial managers

Excluded from this code

• Accounting technicians and bookkeepers (See 12200 Accounting technicians and bookkeepers)
• Financial managers (See 10010 Financial managers)
• Policy and program researchers, consultants and officers (See 4140 Policy and program researchers, consultants and officers)

Job titles filed under this code

A title on this list does not by itself put your experience in this code — the duties in your letter decide that.

accountant · accountant-controller · accountants supervisor · accounting controller · analyst-accountant · assistant controller · audit unit head - taxation · auditor - finance · auditor-chartered accountant (CA) · auditors supervisor · bank branch accountant · bank reserves auditor · bankruptcy trustee · budget accountant · CA (chartered accountant) student · certified general accountant (CGA) · certified management accountant (CMA) · chartered accountant (CA) · chartered professional accountant, certified general accountant (CPA, CGA) · chartered professional accountant, certified management accountant (CPA, CMA) · chartered professional accountant, chartered accountant (CPA, CA) · chief accountant · claims accountant · computer audit specialist

Employment requirements

• Chartered professional accountants, chartered accountants (CPA, CA) require a university degree and completion of a professional training program approved by a provincial Institute of chartered accountants and, depending on the province, either two years or 30 months of on-the-job training and membership in a provincial Institute of Chartered Accountants upon successful completion of the Uniform Evaluation (UFE).
• Chartered professional accountants, certified general accountants (CPA, CGA) and chartered professional accountants, certified management accountants (CPA, CMA) require a university degree and completion of an approved training program and several years of on-the-job training and certification with a regulatory body is required in all provinces and territories.
• Auditors require education, training and recognition as indicated for chartered professional accountants, chartered accountants (CPA, CA), chartered professional accountants, certified general accountants (CPA, CGA) or chartered professional accountants, certified management accountants (CPA, CMA) and some experience as an accountant.
• Auditors may require recognition by the Institute of Internal Auditors.
• To act as a trustee in bankruptcy proceedings, auditors and accountants must hold a licence as a trustee in bankruptcy.
• Licensing by the provincial or territorial governing body is usually required for accountants and auditors practising public accounting.