Canada PR for Indian Accountants: Everything you should know

Sanjay Yadav
[Published 26 Apr, 2024 | 02:59 PM]
About Author - 7 min read
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Canada needs qualified accountants!

Over the years 2023 to 2031, about 88,000 new jobs are expected to open for financial auditors and accountants (NOC 11100), while 79,800 new job seekers are expected to fill them. Indian accountants who are planning to apply for Canada PR visa from India will find plenty of job opportunities in accounting, taxation, auditing, and financial management.

How to apply? What are the in-demand accounting jobs? Salaries offered?

Let’s find out.

Canada Immigration Pathways for Indian Accountants

Canada hires skilled foreign workers with in-demand skills to meet labour gaps. Here are immigration pathways to apply for Canada permanent residence from India as an accountant:

Pathway 1: Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)

First, we have the FSWP under Express Entry, the most preferred way for Indians to apply for Canada PR. To be eligible, you must score 67 out of 100 in the 67-point calculator. Once you enter the Express Entry pool, again your profile will be ranked and selected based on your points in the CRS score calculator. The calculator assesses your profile based on work experience, education, age, language skills, and other factors.

Additional points are awarded for a Canadian job offer, a provincial nomination, or work experience or previous study in Canada.

Pathway 2: Quebec Regular Skilled Worker Program (RSWP)

Second on the list is the Regular Skilled Worker Program of Quebec, which invites accountants who have in-demand skills, experience, training, and language proficiency to live and work in Quebec. Your profile is selected by the provincial government based on your age, French or English language proficiency, work experience, educational qualifications, etc.

If you get selected, you will get a Quebec Selection Certificate (also known as a Certificat de sélection du Québec or CSQ) and can apply for Canada PR with the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). 

Pathway 3: Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)

Another Canadian federal program, AIP hires those skilled workers who wish to live and work in one of the 4 Atlantic provinces - New Brunswick (NB), Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island (PEI), or Newfoundland and Labrador (NL).

To get selected under the Atlantic Immigration Program, you must gain at least one year of full-time and paid work experience in the last 5 years, which should be equivalent to 1,560 hours. In addition, meet the language requirements and secure a full-time job offer from an employer in one of the 4 Atlantic provinces.

Pathway 4: Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs)

The second most preferred route to apply for Canada PR from India is PNPs. Every province, except Quebec and Nunavut, has unique requirements when it comes to hiring accountants with years of experience and skills. Thus, they have unique eligibility criteria and streams that you must qualify for whichever province you apply for. 

Express Entry-aligned streams select candidates based on their CRS score but if you apply directly for nomination, your job must be in demand in that province or specified under National Occupation Classification (NOC) codes. The NOC code for accountants is 11100.

Here are the PNP streams you can apply for as an accountant:

British Columbia

• B.C. Skills Immigration – Skilled Worker
  

• Alberta Express Entry 
• Alberta Opportunity Stream

• Express Entry Human Capital Priorities
• Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker
• OINP Employer Job Offer - Foreign Worker Stream

• Skilled Workers in Manitoba
• Skilled Workers Overseas

• Nova Scotia Express Entry Labour Market Priorities
• Skilled Worker Stream

• Skilled Workers Stream
  

• International Skilled Worker - Employment Offer
  

Newfoundland and Labrador

• NL Express Entry Skilled Worker
• Skilled Worker

• PEI PNP Express Entry
• Skilled Worker Outside PEI

• Northwest Territories - Express Entry
• Skilled Worker

• Yukon Express Entry (YEE)
• Skilled Worker

Eligibility Requirements to Get an Accountant Job in Canada

In addition to being eligible for age, language, and other prerequisites, you must meet the following requirements to immigrate to Canada as an accountant and work:

• To become a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA), you require a university degree, complete a professional training program, and have on-the-job training (for at least 2 years in some provinces). In addition, you need to pass the Uniform Evaluation (UFE) exam and be a member of a provincial Institute of Chartered Accountants.
• To become a CPA, CGA, or CPA, CMA, you need to get a university degree, finish an approved training program, and have several years of on-the-job training. You also required a Certification with a regulatory body in all provinces and territories.
• Auditors need to be educated and trained like CPAs and may need to be recognized by the Institute of Internal Auditors. Some experience as an accountant is also required.
• To act as a trustee in bankruptcy proceedings, auditors and accountants must hold a licence as a trustee in bankruptcy.
• Accountants and auditors practising public accounting usually require licensing by the provincial or territorial governing body.

Average Salaries in Canada for Accountants

One of the biggest reasons why so many accountants apply for PR from India is higher salaries. The average salary of an accountant in Canada is $65,000 per year or $33.33 per hour. As someone who is just starting, you can earn $50,023 per year. Those with several years of work experience or who are in senior-level positions can make up to $107,850 per year.

About 65% to 80% of job openings in Canada are filled without ever being listed. Therefore, as a newcomer accountant, networking with professionals within your field on platforms like LinkedIn is crucial. By doing this, you can leverage your network to get insights into specific employers, get referrals, and get job opportunities that aren’t publicly advertised.

Seek Help? Connect with Nationwide Visas, one of the best immigration consultants in Hyderabad, who will assess your case, offering the best possible solution to apply for Canada PR from India as an accountant.

Get a free consultation session and determine the best option to apply for your situation.

Call us@ +91 92 92 92 92 81 or email us at info@nationwidevisas.com.

Start your process today!

Read More: Who is Eligible to Work in Canada Without a Work Permit?