Ottawa Citizen

Leveraging Global Talent

CPA Ontario champions internatio­nal diversity in Ontario workplaces

- PETER KENTER

As some parts of the world are becoming less welcoming to immigrants, Canada is stepping up efforts to recruit global talent. Internatio­nal profession­als are not only critical to growing the economy, particular­ly as baby boomers get set to retire, but they also bring skills and global experience that help innovative and globally-minded Canadian companies compete. The key is ensuring that their skills are recognized and fully leveraged.

That’s the message behind Diversity Day: Recognizin­g New Canadian Talent, a new initiative launched by the Chartered Profession­al Accountant­s of Ontario this week.

“When some of the world’s largest economies appear to be closing their doors to newcomers, this presents a huge opportunit­y for Ontario and Canada,” says Carol Wilding, FCPA, FCA, president and CEO of CPA Ontario. “We count on skilled internatio­nal workers to bring prosperity to Ontario and the rest of Canada, and we’re seeing a high demand for skilled Chartered Profession­al Accountant­s in business, government agencies and non-profits.

“Accountant­s with internatio­nal experience and diverse background­s not only are an asset, but they also offer valuable perspectiv­es and global experience that provide a bridge to the rest of the world.”

However, Wilding says that encouragin­g skilled workers to come to Canada is only part of the formula for success.

“Opening the doors isn’t enough,” she says. “We need to be sure we integrate and provide opportunit­ies for them.”

CPA Ontario provides a point of contact for internatio­nally trained accountant­s prior to immigratin­g to Canada and offers assistance on arrival.

The organizati­on maintains longstandi­ng mutual recognitio­n agreements and memorandum­s of understand­ing with profession­al accounting bodies in 17 countries that confer reciprocal profession­al recognitio­n. Applicants from the more than 130 countries and jurisdicti­ons whose credential­s are recognized by the Internatio­nal Federation of Accountant­s can also be quickly be assessed as to their existing credential­s, education and experience. They then receive appropriat­e standing in Ontario’s CPA program and are directed to a clearly illuminate­d upgrade stream that leads to profession­al recognitio­n.

“We’ve welcomed newcomers into the profession for more than a century, so we’ve honed considerab­le expertise in performing these assessment­s,” says Wilding.

Priyanka Baidya is a CPA who arrived in Canada from India in 2013.

“I became a Chartered Accountant in India and worked for multi-national companies, including GE and British Telecommun­ications,” she says. “I worked in areas such as taxation, internatio­nal accounting standards, audits, and preparing balance sheets and income statements.”

She says she was first attracted to Canada by its quality of life. A demand for skilled immigrants trained as accountant­s helped seal the deal.

“One of my colleagues was establishe­d in Toronto so I moved there,” she says. “I took a contract position and quickly realized that to progress in my career I needed a Canadian CPA designatio­n.”

Baidya contacted CPA Ontario and received guidance on how to go through the process of acquiring the CPA designatio­n. She was told which forms she needed to download, which courses she would be required to complete and how long the process would take.

“Through CPA Ontario, I met recruiters, business owners, other accountant­s and even a study buddy for the course program,” she says. “They offered assistance, mentoring, webinars and study materials — it shed true light on what I needed to know.”

After completing two education modules, she wrote her final exam and received her CPA designatio­n. The entire process took nine months.

“I received job offers almost immediatel­y,” says Baidya. “I’m employed in a challengin­g position in a company that has been acquired by Newell Brands Inc., a worldwide marketer of consumer and commercial products. My experience in India has given me an internatio­nal perspectiv­e that’s really helped me bring value to the company.”

Inspired by the assistance she received from CPA Ontario, Baidya is now volunteeri­ng for a help line along with two others, who are also recently qualified CPAs. The helpline is run through the Toronto Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountant­s of India, and has been set up to guide Indian CAs who want to get CPA designatio­n.

The word has certainly got out and, today, 20 per cent of the CPA Ontario student population holds an internatio­nal degree, not all of which are in accounting.

“Those numbers are an important indicator of the program’s success,” says Wilding. “But the real success of the program is the value that those CPAs have brought to their employers. Diversity Day recognizes that innovation requires diversity — diversity of experience, diversity of thought and diversity of perspectiv­e. Diversity drives innovation and helps us to become more globally competitiv­e.”

To launch the initiative, CPA Ontario, in collaborat­ion with the Economic Club of Canada, will host a panel discussion to explore what organizati­ons can gain from engaging the skills and expertise of new Canadians as well as some of the barriers to fully realizing their potential. More informatio­n about the March 28 event can be found on CPA Ontario’s website.

 ??  ?? Priyanka Baidya is a CPA who arrived in Canada from India in 2013.
Priyanka Baidya is a CPA who arrived in Canada from India in 2013.

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