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 Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council . You can perform an ‘Advanced RCIC Search’ to find registered professionals in your area [country, province/region, city]. 

If required, CPAWSB can provide you with an “Appendix to the study permit” in support of your study permit application.

Enrolling in CPA PEP and CPA Preparatory Courses

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 cpaapplication@cpawsb.ca 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 .

>>English Language Support