Training equivalence

The "training equivalence" profile is intended for professionals who were trained in Canada or abroad and do not hold one of the bachelor's degrees recognized by the Order.

The process at a glance:

Obtain the list of prerequisite courses

 

Contact one of the universities mentioned below to obtain a personalized list of prerequisite courses which you must take and pass in order to obtain the equivalent of the recognized degree and gain access to the CPA Professional Education Program (PEP). This list must be submitted in your file for validation by the Order. Please note that admission requirements, program structure and fees may vary from one institution to another. Additionally, please note that the course list is valid for a period of 2 years.

For your information, you will find below the full list of prerequisite courses required to access the PEP for each university. When you contact your chosen university to obtain your list, it will review your file and provide you with a personalized list based on your training and experience.


Exceptions
For the University of Ottawa, Bishop’s University, TÉLUQ University and McGill University, the Order will review your file and provide you directly with the list of prerequisite courses you will need to take once you have opened and completed your file. Therefore, you do not need to contact these universities.

Open the file and submit the necessary documents

 
To open your file, simply click on the link below and follow the steps (no request received by email will be reviewed)*. Be sure to attach all of the documents required to review your file (see the list below). Please note that the Order reserves the right to demand any additional document required to review your file as well as the original of any required document.

Please allow 60 business days to process your application**.
Before you begin, have you checked to make sure that your status in Quebec allows you to study here? Contact the MIFI for more details

Open your file >

*For security reasons, we kindly ask you to avoid sending documents by email.


*Please note that due to a high volume of applications, our processing times may be longer than usual. Rest assured that every effort is made to ensure that files are processed as quickly as possible.
2 pieces of identification
  • You must provide two pieces of identification issued by competent authorities (front/back).
  • Accepted file types: PDF, JPEG or PNG.
Degrees
  • You must provide a copy of all your degrees.
  • Documents that are not written in French or English must be translated by a certified translator.
  • A complete document consists of a copy of the original and its translation.
  • Accepted file type: PDF.
Transcripts
  • You must provide a transcript for each of your degrees.
  • Documents that are not written in French or English must be translated by a certified translator.
  • A complete document consists of a copy of the original and its translation.
  • Accepted file type: PDF.
List of prerequisite courses signed by the university
  • You must provide the list of prerequisite courses obtained in step 1.
  • Accepted file type: PDF.
Comparative evaluation of studies completed outside Quebec
  • You must provide the official version of the comparative evaluation of your studies issued by the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI) or World Education Services (WES).
  • The comparative evaluation analyzes your studies on the basis of the Canadian or Quebec education system. It is an expert opinion issued for information purposes only. We require this evaluation to determine whether you meet the regulatory requirement for university studies.
  • In the case of WES, you must submit the official course by course Educational Credential Assessment and not the abbreviated version. Please note that the WES version intended for obtaining your immigration status is not authorized.
  • Studies that are not included in the comparative evaluation will not be taken into consideration when your application is reviewed by the Order.
  • The Order can provide you with a request letter that you can send to the MIFI in order to expedite the evaluation process. Request one by clicking here.
  • Accepted file type: PDF.
Curriculum vitae
  • You must provide us with your curriculum vitae so that we can quickly ascertain where you acquired your experience (including the country), the positions you held, and the tasks you performed.
  • This will help the Order determine whether you have acquired and kept up to date specific skills and knowledge when it reviews your file.
  • Accepted file type: PDF.
Membership in an accounting organization
  • You can provide, where applicable, proof of membership in an accounting organization.
  • To be considered, the proof must include a letter of good standing provided by the organization concerned. A membership card may not be submitted as proof.
  • Accepted file type: PDF.

Pay the fees

Pay the fees

 
Here are the specific fees you will need to pay when opening your file.

Fees for opening and reviewing your file:

  • $62.09 for opening your file
  • $182.81 for reviewing your file

Additional fees for specific situations:

  • $62.09 for reviewing an additional course list or updating your file
  • $62.09 for expedited processing of the application

Consult the full fee schedule [PDF] 

Review and decision by the Order

 
The Règlement sur les normes d’équivalence de diplôme et de la formation aux fins de la délivrance d’un permis de l’Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec governs the equivalence process. Each file received is thoroughly reviewed according to pre-established criteria.


A

Review criteria

The Order's review focuses on the courses required to obtain the equivalent of the recognized program. The following criteria are taken into consideration:

  • your university degrees;
  • the number of credits earned for the completed courses;
  • the nature and content of these courses;
  • your academic background;
  • your professional experience;
  • the contemporaneity of your studies (the time elapsed between when you passed these courses and when your file is reviewed) and your experience;
  • changes in Canadian standards or technical concepts related to the profession during this time.

B

Methodology used

An in-depth and personalized review of the documents submitted in your file is carried out in accordance with regulatory criteria.

  • In some cases, we may send forms for partial or complete recognition of your prior learning and professional experience to help us determine whether you have kept your skills and knowledge up to date.
  • We also assess the various options to find the best way for you to acquire the CPA designation.

C

Processing time

You should allow 60 business days for processing, starting from the date when your file is complete.


D

Decision

Based on the findings of its review, the Order will guide you towards the most appropriate path to acquire the CPA designation.

  • Once the review is complete, a list of qualifying courses is prepared and provided to you.
  • The list is submitted to the Qualification committee for approval. This committee generally meets once a month.
  • In some cases, the upgrading program or the prior learning and professional experience recognition process may be suggested. The Order will inform you of this when it makes its decision (see below for more details regarding these two options). 

UPGRADING PROGRAM
If you are a foreign-trained professional whose experience and training demonstrate your current or past proficiency in some of the competencies required of CPAs, the Order may suggest that you enroll in one or more sessions of its new upgrading program once your application has been reviewed.

If you meet the eligibility criteria for the program, the Order will inform you of this when it makes its decision.

Learn more about the upgrading program (French only)


PRIOR LEARNING AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE RECOGNITION PROCESS
If you are a foreign-trained professional who has more than 8 years of in-depth, wide-ranging accounting experience, the Order may suggest that you go through the prior learning and professional experience recognition process. In this process, your experiential and academic knowledge will be thoroughly reviewed to properly assess your competencies and suggest a personalized path.

If you meet the eligibility criteria for this process, the Order will inform you of this when it makes its decision and you can then decide whether or not to pursue it.*

* Fees apply.

Learn more about the prior learning and professional experience recognition process (French only)


 

REVIEW PROCESS FOR A LIST OF PREREQUISITE COURSES
If you disagree with the list of prerequisite courses you received, you may request a review. To do so, you must log in to your account and complete the review request form. Be sure to include any documents required to review your request. Your file will be submitted to the Qualification committee for a decision. Please note that you may only request a review of the list of prerequisite courses once the Order has validated it and made its decision.

If you are dissatisfied with the final decision of the Qualification committee, you may request the Executive committee to review it by writing to equivalence@cpaquebec.ca.

If you are dissatisfied with the way your application has been handled at any step in the process, you may also file a complaint free of charge with the Commissioner for Admission to Professions, an independent government entity that receives and reviews complaints regarding admission to professional orders, whether they are directed at the Order or the university that provided you with the list of prerequisite courses you submitted to us.

Pass the prerequisite courses

Pass the prerequisite courses

 
Once you pass your prerequisite courses, your grade point average will be used to determine your eligibility for the CPA Professional Education Program (PEP), which is one of the steps in the process of acquiring the CPA designation.

Please note that the Order requires a grade point average of 2.8/4.3 for admission to the PEP, but the universities may have additional requirements.

Furthermore, if you successfully completed the courses more than 5 years ago, we may ask you to take specific qualifying courses, because the profession is constantly evolving.

Video explaining the equivalence process 

Learn more about the steps required to obtain your training equivalence.

Watch the video