Within any PAF, different CPAs may provide different services. CPA Alberta must assess any CPA who may be responsible for an entire accounting engagement or issue any reports, statutory filings or submissions related to professional accounting or public accounting services.
The assessment is used to determine the CPA’s eligibility to provide services based on the requirements in the Varied Registration Model. Based on the assessments given by CPA Alberta, it is the firm’s responsibility to ensure only qualified CPAs provide services to clients. This is important if, or when, the firm promotes members to new roles or adds partners to the firm.
CPAs with responsibility for an entire accounting engagement in a specified area of practice
A registered professional accounting firm that is adding a new (or promoting an existing) CPA to have responsibility for an entire accounting engagement will need to ensure the CPA has met the Varied Registration Model requirements. Each new CPA to this role will need to complete a Change in Responsibility assessment form and the firm must ensure the form is submitted to CPA Alberta offices in a timely manner.
Promoting a CPA to partner within an existing firm
A registered professional accounting firm that is promoting a CPA from within the firm will need to ensure the potential partner has met the Varied Registration Model requirements. Each new partner will need to complete a Change in Responsibility assessment form and the firm must ensure the form is submitted to CPA Alberta offices in a timely manner.
Bringing a new partner on board
A registered professional accounting firm that is bringing a new partner on board will need to ensure the partner has met the Varied Registration Model requirements. Each new partner will need to complete a Change in Responsibility assessment form and the firm must ensure the form is submitted to CPA Alberta offices in a timely manner.
Planning to change firms
When a CPA is changing from one professional accounting firm to another, and is taking on the role of a partner, proprietor, or a CPA who has responsibility for an entire public accounting engagement in a specified area, the member will be required to meet the Varied Registration Model requirements. The CPA will need to complete a Change in Responsibility assessment form and have it submitted to CPA Alberta offices by their new firm (employer) in a timely manner.
Returning to public practice after time away
If a CPA is returning to public practice in the role of partner or proprietor, or returning as a staff CPA who will have responsibility for an entire engagement, then the CPA must ensure that they meet the Varied Registration Model requirements. The CPA will need to complete a New Applicant or Change in Responsibility assessment form (depending on whether they are becoming a partner of an existing firm or establishing a new one) and have it submitted to CPA Alberta offices by their firm or prior to receiving a professional accounting firm application (as applicable).
CPA who trained outside of public practice
CPAs who obtained their practical experience outside of public practice will have to obtain the minimum practical experience in professional or public accounting practice before they will be eligible to register a professional accounting firm or become a partner of an existing firm. In these cases, changing career paths will require the CPA to meet the Varied Registration Model requirements post-designation.
For more information on a firm’s responsibilities and ongoing registration requirements, please review the Practitioners Guide information booklet.