Residency, Study Permits and Language Advisory

If you do not have Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status, information on studying and working in Canada as an international student can be found on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website. 

For more information or questions regarding: 

• Holding a study permit, which as a temporary resident, will be required for entry into CPA preparatory courses and the CPA Professional Education Program (CPA PEP).
• Holding a work permit (Open Work Permit (for example PGWP, OWP) or Employer Specific Work Permit as per IRCC ) for the practical experience requirements of the CPA Certification Program.

Please contact one of the following: 

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)  
  Answers to your questions may be found by utilizing the IRCC Help Centre tool or you can call the IRCC Client Support Centre or submit an IRCC web form if you have already submitted a permit application or have an existing IRCC profile. 
• Your local embassy  
• A Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) or a Regulated International Student Immigration Advisor (RISIA) registered with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) . You can perform an ‘Advanced RCIC Search’ to find registered professionals in your area [country, province/region, city]. 

New temporary IRCC work permit policy: Find out more about the New IRCC Policy which will allow some work permit holders to study without a study permit. After reviewing the information and eligibility requirements, if you are eligible, contact an admission advisor for more information on how to enroll with CPAWSB and the documents we will require for proof of eligibility under this temporary public policy.

Enrolling in CPA PEP and CPA Preparatory Courses

If required, CPAWSB can provide you with an “Appendix to the study permit” in support of your study permit application. Depending on your circumstances, you may also require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) as part of your study permit application. Prior to requesting a PAL please review the IRCC’s guidelines on those groups exempted from PAL requirements to ensure a PAL is needed. If, your situation does require a PAL to be issued please contact [email protected] — due to the restrictions on the availability of PALs CPAWSB is not able to guarantee that a PAL will be issued. 

CPAWSB can only issue PALs to learners who will be residing in Alberta, British Columbia, or Manitoba. The availability of PAL numbers varies by province due to specific allocations. Currently, there are no PALs available for learners planning to reside in Saskatchewan. PALs will only be issued to prospective learners who are PEP eligible and meet additional admission criteria for CPA PEP. Please refer to the PAL FAQ.

Once your transcript assessment has been completed, based on your transcript assessment result, you may request the Appendix to the Study Permit by emailing the appropriate department identified below. 

^{Note: If you are a CPA PEP transfer in, accredited or International Designate MOU, please contact [email protected] for next steps.}

^{Note: If you are planning to take all your prerequisite courses through a post-secondary institution, you need to request the required “Appendix” information directly from that post-secondary institution.}

Once you have received your study permit, you can submit an admission application with CPAWSB. You will be required to provide a copy of your study permit at that time. We require a valid study permit before your application for admission can be approved. 

CPA education programs, including CPA PEP and CPA preparatory courses, require high English proficiency. A minimum of Grade 12 English or Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 8  or higher is suggested. Generally, anyone with CLB levels below 8 will need to spend additional time on their studies. Therefore, it is recommended that applicants with CLB levels 7 or below improve their language competence before applying and enrolling in CPA education programs. Language test equivalency charts can be found on the Government of Canada website .

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