Accounting & Finance Jobs in Canada with Visa Sponsorship Opportunities in 2025

INTRODUCTION

Canada’s financial services ecosystem—spanning banking, insurance, fintech, public practice, and corporate finance—continues to expand in 2025. From Bay Street in Toronto to high-growth hubs in Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, and Halifax, employers are actively recruiting international accounting and finance talent. For qualified professionals, visa sponsorship offers a clear route to high-value roles, competitive pay, and pathways to permanent residency (PR).

Whether you aim for public practice (audit/tax), corporate accounting (FP&A, controllership), investment and treasury roles, or fast-growing fintech and data-finance positions, Canada’s market is rich with opportunity.

Can I Immigrate to Canada as an Accounting/Finance Professional?

Yes. Accounting and finance occupations are recognized as skilled roles and fit multiple immigration options:

Express Entry (Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class).
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) targeting in-demand occupations.
Global Talent Stream (GTS) for niche finance-tech or analytics roles in fintech/tech firms.
Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) & Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) for designated regions.
Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) for employer-sponsored, LMIA-backed work permits.

Relevant NOC 2021 examples (TEER):

11100 – Financial auditors and accountants
11101 – Financial and investment analysts
11102 – Financial advisors
11103 – Securities agents, investment dealers & brokers
10010 – Financial managers
12200 – Accounting technicians & bookkeepers
12102 – Payroll administrators

What You Need to Know About Visa Sponsorship (LMIA, Work Permits)

Visa sponsorship typically means a Canadian employer will:

Extend a full-time job offer and employment contract.
Obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) (if required) to support your employer-specific work permit.
Provide supporting documents for your work permit application; some employers also offer relocation assistance and settlement support.

Many large employers (banks, insurance carriers, Big Four/public practice firms, national retailers, engineering/energy companies, and scaling fintechs) have established processes for hiring internationally.

Eligibility and Requirements

While requirements vary by role and province, most accounting & finance candidates will need:

Core qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or higher in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Commerce, Business Analytics, or related fields.
Professional designation (strongly preferred for mid-senior roles): CPA (Canada), or recognized international credentials (e.g., ACCA, CPA Australia, ICAEW, CIMA) with a willingness to bridge to Canadian CPA.
Relevant years of experience (1–3 for junior; 3–7 for intermediate; 7+ for senior/management).

Language & compliance

English or French proficiency (test scores may be required for immigration).
Clean background checks; some roles require securities registration or insurance licensing.
Familiarity with Canadian ASPE/IFRS, Canadian tax, and auditing standards (for public practice).

Technical stack (varies by role)

ERP: SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, NetSuite.
Analytics/BI: Excel (advanced), Power BI, Tableau; SQL basics for analysts; Python/R is a plus for data-finance roles.
Audit tools: CaseWare/IDEA/TeamMate; Tax prep: CCH/Taxprep/CanTax.

Pathway to Permanent Residency

Many finance professionals start on a work permit and transition to PR via:

Express Entry (FSWP/CEC)—education, language, and skilled experience boost CRS.
PNPs—provincial nomination adds points and speeds PR.
AIP/RNIP—designated employers and communities for quicker settlement.

Tip: Keep detailed reference letters (duties, hours, dates) and pay records—they’re essential for accurate work-experience claims in PR applications.

Responsibilities of Accounting & Finance Professionals

Financial Reporting & Controllership: Month/quarter/year-end close, reconciliations, IFRS/ASPE reporting, internal controls (SOX/NI 52-109).
Audit & Assurance: Planning, substantive testing, analytics, internal control testing, reporting.
Tax (Corporate/Personal/Indirect): Compliance, provisions, filings, T1/T2/T4/T5/T2125, GST/HST/PST, advisory.
FP&A & Business Partnering: Budgeting/forecasting, variance analysis, KPI dashboards, scenario modeling.
Treasury & Capital Markets: Liquidity, hedging, cash management, covenant monitoring, funding.
Risk, Compliance & Governance: Enterprise risk, AML/ATF, regulatory reporting, internal audit.
Data-Finance & Fintech: Product pricing, unit economics, cohort/LTV analysis, credit risk modeling.

How Many Hours Do Accounting & Finance Professionals Work?

Standard full-time: 37.5–40 hours/week.
Busy seasons (audit/tax, year-end, major transactions) may push hours higher; overtime or time-in-lieu is common.
Corporate roles often have more predictable hours; public practice and capital markets roles can be cyclical and deadline driven.
Hybrid and remote options are common in many organizations.

Average Salaries in Canada (Ranges)

Actual pay varies by province, industry, company size, and credentials:

Accounting Technicians/Bookkeepers (NOC 12200): CAD 42,000–65,000
Junior Accountants/Staff Auditors: CAD 50,000–70,000
Senior Accountants/Auditors/Analysts: CAD 70,000–95,000
Tax Specialists (Corp/Indirect): CAD 75,000–110,000
FP&A Analysts / Senior FP&A: CAD 65,000–105,000
Controllers / Senior Managers (Finance): CAD 95,000–140,000
Financial Managers / Heads of Finance: CAD 110,000–170,000
Directors / VPs Finance / CFO (mid-market): CAD 150,000–300,000+ (often with bonus/LTI)

Cities like Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary typically command higher compensation (and higher cost of living).

Highest-Paying Accounting & Finance Jobs with Visa Sponsorship

Director/VP Finance, CFO (mid-large companies) – CAD 150,000–300,000+
Senior Tax Manager / International Tax / Transfer Pricing – CAD 110,000–170,000
Senior FP&A / Finance Business Partner (enterprise) – CAD 100,000–150,000
Corporate Controller / Senior Audit Manager – CAD 100,000–145,000
Treasury / Risk / Capital Markets (banks & energy) – CAD 95,000–150,000

Most In-Demand Roles in 2025

Financial auditors & accountants (NOC 11100) across public practice and industry
FP&A analysts with strong modeling and BI skills
Tax (corporate/indirect) due to ongoing compliance and advisory needs
Accounting technicians & payroll administrators for fast-growing SMEs
Risk/Compliance/AML in banks, payments, and fintech
Finance data analysts (SQL/Power BI/Python) blending finance + analytics

How to Find and Apply for Accounting & Finance Jobs with Visa Sponsorship

Target employers known to hire internationally
- Big Four & national public practice firms; major banks & insurers; Fortune 500 subsidiaries; high-growth tech/fintech; resource & infrastructure companies.
Use the right platforms
- Job Bank Canada, LinkedIn Jobs, Indeed, Glassdoor, provincial job boards; firm careers pages (Big Four, banks).
Optimize for ATS
- Mirror keywords from the job posting: IFRS, ASPE, SOX, consolidations, FP&A, variance analysis, SAP/Oracle/NetSuite, Power BI, cash flow, GST/HST, T2, transfer pricing, internal controls.
Show impact, not just tasks
- “Automated reconciliations in Power Query → cut month-end by 2 days”, “Built driver-based model → +300 bps margin,” “Recovered CAD 1.2M in input tax credits.”
Line up your credentials early
- Start ECA (e.g., WES/IQAS) and prepare to bridge to CPA if needed.
Discuss sponsorship up front
- Ask recruiters/hiring managers about LMIA support and relocation benefits before final rounds.
Network strategically
- Attend CPA provincial events (virtual), finance meetups, and reach out to partners/managers on LinkedIn with a concise value pitch.

Step-by-Step: Work Visa Sponsorship for Accounting & Finance

Secure a job offer with an employer ready to sponsor.
Employer applies for LMIA (if applicable) and issues a detailed offer/contract.
You apply for an employer-specific work permit (and visas for eligible dependents).
Arrive and onboard; begin any CPA bridging or local licensing steps.
Accrue Canadian experience; transition to PR via Express Entry/PNP/AIP.

CPA Canada & Bridging (What to Expect)

International accountants often pursue the CPA (Canada) designation for advancement.
Typical steps: Transcript assessment → CPA PEP modules → Exam(s) → Practical experience verification.
Some international bodies have bridging/recognition pathways; specifics vary—always check your provincial CPA body (e.g., CPA Ontario, CPA BC, CPA Alberta) for current rules.
Even without CPA, many roles (AP/AR, payroll, cost accounting, analyst) remain accessible, especially in SMEs and startups—though CPA accelerates progression into senior roles.

Interview & Portfolio Tips (Edge Over Other Applicants)

Case walkthroughs: Be ready to whiteboard a 12-month cash-flow or explain how you convert EBITDA to cash.
Model hygiene: Clear tabs, version control, input checks, sensitivity toggles, and readable assumptions.
Controls mindset: Show how you strengthen internal controls and reduce close timelines.
Data-finance: Bring a Power BI sample (anonymized) or describe a SQL query you used for cohort or variance analysis.
Tax/audit depth: Outline a technical problem you solved (e.g., deferred tax, transfer pricing file, or revenue recognition under IFRS 15).

Frequently Asked Questions

1) Do I need a CPA to get hired?
Not always. Many roles (junior/intermediate accounting, AP/AR, payroll, FP&A analyst) don’t strictly require CPA, but CPA is a major advantage for senior roles (senior accountant, audit/tax manager, controller, director).

2) Can employers really sponsor finance roles?
Yes—especially larger firms with ongoing hiring needs. Many have established LMIA processes.

3) How important is IFRS experience?
Very. Public companies and many large private groups report under IFRS. ASPE is common in SMEs. Knowing both is a plus.

4) Is French required?
Only in Quebec and bilingual roles. In most provinces, English is sufficient.

5) Can my family come with me?
Often yes. Spouses may be eligible for open work permits; children can attend school.

6) I’m ACCA/CA/CPA (another country). What now?
Start a credential assessment and contact your provincial CPA body for bridging steps. Meanwhile, apply for roles aligned to your current strengths.

Conclusion: Accounting & Finance Jobs in Canada with Visa Sponsorship

2025 is a prime year for international accounting and finance professionals to build careers in Canada. With strong demand across public practice, corporate finance, and fintech—plus structured sponsorship and clear PR pathways—the Canadian market rewards candidates who pair technical depth with business impact.

If you bring real results, modern tools (ERP + BI), and a plan to bridge to CPA, you’ll find Canada a fertile ground for long-term career growth and family settlement.