Post-Designation Public Accounting (PDPA)
In order to register a professional accounting firm (PAF) in Alberta, Alberta CPAs must meet the education and practical experience requirements in place for each category of registration in which they wish to engage. While many CPAs meet the education component of these requirements when they earn their CPA designation, not all CPAs complete the required education components for areas they want to engage in at the time of certification.
The post-designation public accounting (PDPA) program offers a way for Alberta CPAs who attained their designation without completing the education components for the public practice requirements the ability to meet this requirement post-designation.
Specifically, PDPA is for CPAs who did not complete their assurance or taxation component modules for public practice rights at the time of certification, but are looking to register to provide:
- Audit or Review services: the PDPA module and exam, which is comprised of assurance, taxation, financial reporting, finance, and strategy and governance, will meet the education component for the Varied Registration categories of Audit, Review, Compilation, and Other Regulated Services - Taxation.
- Compilation or Taxation services: the PDPA-Tax module and exam will meet the education component for the Varied Registration categories of Compilation and Other Regulated Services – Taxation. The PDPA module and exam will be required for Compilation for any CPA who has certified through the CPA education program and completed the Common Final Exam (CFE) but did not demonstrate a depth of financial reporting on the exam.
As well, under the new Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with the US International Qualification Appraisal Board, any Canadian CPA seeking admission to a US State Board of Accountancy listed as part of the MRA will need to have completed the audit level education requirements. Therefore, any Canadian CPA member who is seeking admission to membership with a US State Board under the MRA but has not completed the education component for audit at the time of certification will need to complete the PDPA module and exam.
Who needs to take these courses?
If you are a CPA who has not completed the assurance and taxation education components prior to certification and would like to offer assurance level services, you will be required to complete the PDPA course and exam.
If you are a CPA who has not completed the taxation education component prior to certification and would like to offer compilation or taxation services, you will be required to complete the PDPA-Tax course and exam.
If you are a CPA who has certified through the CPA education program and completed the CFE but did not demonstrate a depth of financial reporting and/or assurance on the exam, you will be required to complete the PDPA course and exam.
If you are a CPA who has not completed the assurance and taxation education components prior to certification and would like to apply under the MRA with any US State Board of Accountancy noted under this agreement, you will be required to complete the PDPA course and exam.
Who is already deemed to have met these requirements?
Those CPAs who meet any one of the following criteria are deemed to have met these requirements through their education programs and therefore do not have to take the PDPA courses to register a PAF:
- a CPA who has certified through the CPA education program and has completed the Assurance and Taxation electives and successfully completed the CFE demonstrating a depth of financial reporting and assurance on the exam;
- a CPA who has certified through the legacy CMA education program and has completed Audit I, Audit II, Tax I, Tax II, and Tax III;
- a CPA who has certified through the legacy CGA education program and has completed Audit 2 and Taxation 2; or
- a CPA who has certified through the legacy CA education program
If you have any questions about the PDPA or are uncertain about your need to take the course, please contact PAF@cpaalberta.ca.
For information regarding registration into the PDPA program, please contact the CPA Western School of Business (CPAWSB) at PDPA@cpawsb.ca or visit the CPA Western School of Business website.