CRA's minimum education standards
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CRA's minimum education standards
AC – Actuarial Science
AC-01 education standard
A degree from a recognized postsecondary institution, with an acceptable specialization in mathematics; or
Sixty course credits from the Society of Actuaries.
AC-02 and AC-03 education standard
Eligibility for fellowship in the Canadian Institute of Actuaries.
AU – Auditing
Education standard
Eligibility for a recognized professional accounting designation; or
A degree from a recognized postsecondary institution with acceptable specialization in accounting*.
* Acceptable specialization in accounting
Mandatory study areas:
- CPA1 Introductory Financial Accounting or FA1 or Introductory Accounting or Introductory Financial Accounting
- CPA Intermediate Financial Accounting 1 and 2 or FA2 and FA3 or Intermediate Financial Accounting 1 and 2 or Intermediate Accounting 1 and 2
- CPA Advanced Financial Accounting or FA4 or Advanced Financial Accounting or Advanced Accounting
1 CPA: Chartered Professional Accountants
Two of four optional study areas:
- CPA Audit and Assurance or AU1 or Auditing or Internal Auditing or Internal Control
- CPA Introductory Management Accounting or MA1 or Cost Accounting or Management Accounting 1 and 2
- CPA Intermediate and Advanced Management Accounting or MA2 or Management Accounting or Management Accounting 4 or Advanced Management Accounting
- CPA Information Technology or MS1 or Accounting Information Systems or Information and Computer Systems or Management Information Systems
Acquired rights
Previous acquired rights will continue to be recognized for former and current incumbents who had previously been exempted from meeting the education standard of the AU group.
Auditors who joined CRA as part of the Corporate Tax Administration for Ontario (CTAO) initiative on April 3, 2008, who did not meet the standard, are still subject to the acquired rights as described in the CTAO/CTAR Human Resources Agreement.
CO – Commerce
Education standard
A secondary school diploma or CRA-approved alternatives.
CS – Computer Systems
Education standard
A degree or a diploma from a recognized postsecondary institution, in computer science, information technology (IT), information management, or other specializations relevant to the position; or
Any degree from a recognized postsecondary institution; and Three years of IT experience.
Approved alternatives (applies only if indicated on the Notice of job opportunity)
Two years of postsecondary education in a relevant program (a recognized educational institution determines if the courses taken by a candidate correspond to two years of a postsecondary program at that institution); and
Three years of IT experience.
A secondary school diploma; or CRA-approved alternatives; and An IT certificate; and
Two years of IT experience.
A secondary school diploma or CRA-approved alternatives; and Specialized training (outside of a recognized degree or diploma program); and
Four years of IT experience.
A secondary school diploma or CRA-approved alternatives; and
Five years of IT experience.
Acquired rights
Permanent incumbents of CS positions in the CRA who, on February 6, 2002, did not meet the minimum standard are deemed to have met the minimum education standard based on their education, training, and/or experience.
ED – Education Services (Language Teaching ED-LAT and Education Services ED-EDS)
Education standard
A degree from a recognized postsecondary institution, with an acceptable specialization in education, linguistics, sociology, psychology, mathematics, physics, home economics, or other specializations relevant to the position. The specialization may be obtained through an acceptable combination of education, training, and/or experience.
ES – Economics, Sociology and Statistics
Education standard
A degree from a recognized postsecondary institution, with an acceptable specialization in economics, sociology, or statistics. The specialization may be obtained through an acceptable combination of education, training, and/or experience.
FI – Financial Management
Education standard
A degree from a recognized postsecondary institution in accounting, finance, business administration or commerce; or
Eligibility for a recognized professional accounting designation (that is, CGA, CMA, CPA, or CICA).
Acquired rights
FI-01
Permanent incumbents of FI-01 positions in the CRA who, on May 25, 2006, did not meet the minimum standard are deemed to have met the minimum education standard for the FI-01 level only. They must possess the educational requirements to qualify for appointments to higher levels.
FI-02, FI-03, and FI-04
Permanent incumbents of FI-02, FI-03, and FI-04 positions in the CRA who, on May 25, 2006, did not meet the minimum standard are deemed to have met the minimum education standard for all FI levels.
HR/RH - Human Resources
Education standard
A degree from a recognized postsecondary institution.
Approved alternatives (only applies for staffing processes open to CRA and federal public service employees)
- Three years of experience in a field related to the designation or in Human Resources; and Eligibility for a recognized professional designation relevant to CRA business.
- Three years’ experience in the CRA and any one of the following five options:
- A diploma from a recognized postsecondary institution in a field of study relevant to one of the CRA’s business lines or corporate support areas; or
- A certificate in a human resources discipline from a recognized postsecondary institution; or
- A certification in a human resources discipline directly related to the position being staffed; or
- A satisfactory score on the CRA test approved as an alternative to university graduation; or
- A prior learning assessment that has been accepted for entry-level master’s program by a recognized postsecondary institution.
- Three years’ experience as a manager, within the CRA, with responsibility for people management; and A secondary school diploma or CRA-approved alternatives.
- A current participant or graduate of a CRA-sanctioned national Management Development Program.
Acquired rights
Employees who currently or have previously occupied a permanent position in the HR/RH or PE occupational group who, on October 1, 2009, do not have a degree from a recognized university are deemed to meet the minimum education standard based on their education, training and/or experience.
LS – Library Science
Education standard
A master’s degree from a recognized postsecondary institution in library science or in library and information science; or
A bachelor’s degree from a recognized postsecondary institution in library science or in library and information science, where another bachelor’s degree was a prerequisite.
MG – Management
Education standard
A secondary school diploma or CRA-approved alternatives.
Acquired rights
Permanent incumbents in the MG group who, on January 8, 2004, did not have a secondary school diploma or meet the CRA-approved alternative criteria, are deemed to possess the minimum standard only for positions whose educational requirement is a secondary school diploma or a CRA-approved alternative.
PC – Physical Sciences
Education standard
A degree from a recognized postsecondary institution, with an acceptable specialization in physics, geology, chemistry, or another scientific field relevant to the position.
SI – Social Science Support
Education standard
Successful completion of two years of postsecondary education, with an acceptable specialization in statistics, accounting, economics, business administration, history, sociology, a law-related field, or other specializations relevant to the position.
Approved alternatives
At the manager’s discretion, an acceptable combination of education, training, and/or experience may serve as an alternative to the minimum education standard.
Definitions and requirements
CRA-approved alternatives to a secondary school diploma
- a satisfactory score on the CRA-approved test (General Intelligence Test – GIT 320 – Pass mark 80); or
- an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience.
CRA-approved alternative to university graduation
- a satisfactory score on the CRA-approved test (General Intelligence Test – GIT 310 – Pass mark 68); or
- an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience.
Degree
Baccalaureate or a higher-level degree, as established by educational authorities, unless it is otherwise specified.
An associate degree does not meet the definition of a degree for the purpose of this Appendix. An associate degree is an undergraduate degree offered by a college, a university college, or a university normally requiring two years of full-time study.
Eligibility for a recognized professional designation
The term “eligibility” for certification or membership in a professional association means that a candidate has met all academic and occupational requirements with respect to degrees, examinations, experience, etc., prescribed by the professional association, without having to obtain or maintain actual registration, certification or membership.
Foreign credentials
Candidates with foreign education credentials must have their education confirmed by a recognized credential assessment service.
Candidates with foreign designations must have their designation confirmed by a recognized Canadian professional association.
Any applicable fees are the responsibility of the candidate.
Recognized postsecondary institution
A Canadian public or private institution that is recognized or authorized to grant degrees, diplomas, and other credentials by a public or private act of the provincial/territorial legislature or through a government-mandated quality assurance mechanism. The institution must be listed in the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials directory.
- Date modified:
- 2017-05-05