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Accountants

OaSIS code 11100.02

Accountants plan, organize and administer accounting systems for individuals and establishments. Articling students in accounting firms are included in this occupation.

Overview

Also known as

  • Certified management accountant (CMA)
  • Financial control officer
  • General accountant
  • Income tax expert
  • Tax analyst

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • Plan, set up and administer accounting systems and prepare financial information for individuals, departments within organizations, businesses and other establishments
  • Examine accounting records and prepare financial statements and reports
  • Develop and maintain cost finding, reporting and internal control procedures
  • Examine financial accounts and records and prepare income tax returns from accounting records
  • Analyze financial statements and reports and provide financial, business and tax advice
  • May act as a trustee in bankruptcy proceedings
  • May supervise and train articling students, other accountants or administrative technicians.

Additional information

  • There is limited mobility among the three professional accounting designations: chartered professional accountant, chartered accountant (CPA, CA); chartered professional accountant, certified general accountant (CPA, CGA), and chartered professional accountant, certified management accountant (CPA, CMA).
  • Progression to auditing or accounting management positions is possible with experience.

Similar occupations classified elsewhere

Exclusions:

  • Other professional occupations in social science (41409)
  • Financial managers (10010)
  • Accounting technicians and bookkeepers (12200)
  • Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants and program officers (41400)
  • Economists and economic policy researchers and analysts (41401)
  • Business development officers and market researchers and analysts (41402)
  • Social policy researchers, consultants and program officers (41403)
  • Health policy researchers, consultants and program officers (41404)
  • Education policy researchers, consultants and program officers (41405)
  • Recreation, sports and fitness policy researchers, consultants and program officers (41406)
  • Program officers unique to government (41407)

NOC hierarchy breakdown

NOC version

NOC 2021 Version 1.0

Broad occupational category

1 – Business, finance and administration occupations

TEER

1 – Occupations usually require a university degree

Major group

11 – Professional occupations in finance and business

Sub-major group

111 – Professional occupations in finance

Minor group

1110 – Auditors, accountants and investment professionals

Unit group

11100 – Financial auditors and accountants

Occupational profile

11100.02 – Accountants

Work characteristics

Work characteristics gathers the various components describing the work environment of each occupation, such as employers, work activities, and the work context. Each category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of complexity (for Work Activities) or other measurement dimensions (for Work Context), and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Work Activities

Proficiency or complexity level
Interacting with Computers
5 - Highest Level
Analyzing Data or Information
4 - High Level
Clerical Activities
4 - High Level
Communicating with Coworkers
4 - High Level
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance
4 - High Level

Work Context

Structural Job Characteristics

Structured versus Unstructured Work
Degree of freedom to determine tasks and priorities
4 - High amount of freedom
Work Week Duration
Worked hours in a typical week
2 - Between 35 to 40 hours

Physical Work Environment

Physical Proximity
Physical distance from others
3 - Somewhat close (e.g. share office)

Physical Demands

Sitting
Duration
5 - All the time, or almost all the time
Standing
Duration
0 – Not applicable
Bending or Twisting the Body
Duration
1 - Very little time

Interpersonal Relations

Contact with Others
Frequency
4 - Every day, a few times per day
Duration
4 - More than half the time
Work with Work Group or Team
Importance
3 - Important
Frequency
3 - Once a week or more but not every day

Workplaces/employers

  • Private sector accounting and auditing firms/departments
  • Public sector accounting and auditing departments/units
  • Self-employed

Skills and abilities

This section displays the various competencies required for an occupation. Each category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of proficiency (for Skills and Abilities) or importance (for Personal Attributes) and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Abilities

Proficiency or complexity level
Mathematical Reasoning
5 - Highest Level
Numerical Ability
5 - Highest Level
Categorization Flexibility
4 - High Level
Deductive Reasoning
4 - High Level
Information Ordering
4 - High Level

Skills

Proficiency or complexity level
Digital Literacy
4 - High Level
Evaluation
4 - High Level
Management of Financial Resources
4 - High Level
Monitoring
4 - High Level
Numeracy
4 - High Level

Personal Attributes

Importance
Attention to Detail
5 - Extremely important
Analytical Thinking
4 - Highly important
Independence
4 - Highly important
Active Learning
3 - Important
Adaptability
3 - Important

Interests

The OaSIS uses the Holland Codes to describe the work-related interests. According to the Holland model, people work best in work environments that match their preferences, which means that people and work environments can be matched for a best fit. Occupational environments in Holland’s theory are described according to a combination of main interests and the activities they represent. There are six interests in the Holland typology: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional. All occupations in OaSIS have up to three interests assigned to them.

Interests

Preferences for work environments and outcomes.

Interests profile: CEI

Conventional (C)

Conventional occupations are characterized by the dominance of activities that entail following sets of procedures and routines. These activities may include systematic manipulation of data, such as keeping records, filing materials, reproducing materials, organizing written and numerical data according to a prescribed plan, and operating business and data processing. They often require following a clear line of authority and usually involve working with data and details more than with ideas.

Enterprising (E)

Enterprising occupations are characterized by the dominance of action-oriented activities to attain organizational or self-interest goals. They frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects, influencing, leading or mobilizing people, making decisions, and sometimes require risk taking and dealing with business.

Investigative (I)

Investigative occupations are characterized by the dominance of activities that entail the observation and systematic or creative investigation of physical, biological, or cultural phenomena. These occupations require an extensive amount of thinking and frequently involve working with ideas, searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Employment requirements

Employment requirements includes the education, training, certifications and the knowledge required to work in each occupation. The Knowledge category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of proficiency, and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of Knowledge descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Education, certification and licensing

  • Chartered professional accountants, chartered accountants (CPA, CA) require a university degree and completion of a professional training program approved by a provincial Institute of Chartered Accountants and, depending on the province, either two years or 30 months of on-the-job training and membership in a provincial Institute of Chartered Accountants upon successful completion of the Uniform Evaluation (UFE).
  • Chartered professional accountants, certified general accountants (CPA, CGA) and chartered professional accountants, certified management accountants (CPA, CMA) require a university degree and completion of an approved training program and several years of on-the-job training and certification with a regulatory body is required in all provinces and territories.
  • To act as a trustee in bankruptcy proceedings, auditors and accountants must hold a licence as a trustee in bankruptcy.
  • Licensing by the provincial or territorial governing body is usually required for accountants and auditors practising public accounting.

Knowledge

Knowledge level
Accounting
3 - Advanced Level
Business Management
3 - Advanced Level
Clerical
3 - Advanced Level
Economics
3 - Advanced Level
Finance
3 - Advanced Level

Skills for success

 
Skills for Success Model
 
Skills for Success are skills that help you in a quickly changing world. Everyone benefits from having these skills. They can help you to get a job, progress at your current job or even change jobs. The skills also help you become an active member of your community and succeed in learning.
 
 
Linkages Between ESDC Skills Models and Frameworks
 
ESDC makes available a dictionary of over 300 terms (or descriptors) and definitions, known as the Skills and Competencies Taxonomy (SCT). Descriptor information from the Taxonomy is used in the Occupational and Skills Information System (OaSIS).
 
While there is general commonality of meaning between the descriptors in the SCT and the Skills for Success model, there are some differences in their definitions due to their distinct purposes. The Skills for Success Model [9 broadly defined skills] identifies the skills that are universally applicable. The SCT displays specific skills and competency requirements for 900 occupations. Users of the Skills for Success Model and Essential Skills content may find competency information from the Taxonomy and the OaSIS to be complementary.
 
Stay tuned to this section for more information and updates regarding linkages between the Skills for Success model and the OaSIS.

O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 27.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Employment and Social Development Canada has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

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