Public Practice Requirements

The Alberta Chartered Professional Accountants Act (CPA Act) requires organizations to register as a PAF if they are engaged in any professional accounting practice or public accounting practice services in Alberta.

The practice of professional or public accounting is defined as providing or offering to provide any of the following services:

I. an assurance engagement (audit, review or other assurance)
II. a specified auditing procedures engagement
III. a compilation engagement
IV. accounting services
V. forensic accounting, financial investigation or financial litigation support services
VI. advice about or interpretation of taxation matters
VII. preparation of a tax return or other statutory information filing

Professional Accounting Firms in Alberta are registered under the Varied Registration Model which has four categories:

1. Audit
2. Review
3. Compilation
4. Other regulated services (including public accounting practice services)

Each category under the Varied Registration Model has education, experience, and examination requirements that must be met for a CPA candidate to be eligible to provide the service.

In addition to the CPA Practical Experience Requirements required for certification, CPA candidates must meet specific criteria to obtain practice rights when they become members.

If a CPA candidate has not met the specific criteria to obtain practice rights upon certification, they will have the opportunity to meet the criteria post-designation.

The Professional Education Program (PEP) and Common Final Exam (CFE) have electives which prepare a CPA candidate for the varied registration categories.

If a CPA candidate has not completed these electives during their education program, they will have the opportunity to meet these requirements post-designation.

To understand the education and experience required, read the Professional Accounting Firm Varied Registration Category Requirements document below. 

Public practice pre-approved programs are designed to help candidates meet the registration requirements at the point of certification.

External Audit

• This program enables CPA candidates to meet the audit engagement requirements at the point of certification.

• The chargeable hours requirements of this program are 1,250 assurance hours; of which a minimum of 625 hours must be obtained in audits of historical financial information.

• CPA candidates who complete this program will achieve a depth in Financial Reporting and Audit & Assurance, a core in Financial Reporting and breadth through Finance and Strategy & Governance.

Review

• This program enables CPA candidates to meet the review engagement requirements at the point of certification.

• The chargeable hours requirements of this program are 1,250 assurance hours; of which a minimum of 625 hours must be obtained in providing assurance of historical financial information.

• CPA candidates who complete this program will achieve a depth in Financial Reporting, core in Financial Reporting and breadth through Audit & Assurance and Taxation.

Assurance/Compilation/Taxation

• This program enables CPA candidates to meet the compilation engagement requirements at the point of certification.

• The chargeable hours requirements of this program are 425 assurance hours.

• CPA candidates who complete this program will achieve a depth in Financial Reporting, core in Financial Reporting and breadth through Audit & Assurance and Taxation.

CPA candidates can work in a PAF outside of a pre-approved program. However, it is important to be aware of any implications of gaining experience outside of a pre-approved program.

For more information on these outcomes, can be found the Professional Accounting Firm Varied Registration Category Requirements document below.

If you are a CPA candidate working in public practice outside of a pre-approved program and have questions about your path, please contact practicalexperience@cpaalberta.ca.