One of the profession’s most significant current initiatives is the development of the new CPA Professional Program, a modernized certification pathway designed to prepare future-ready professionals for an increasingly complex and technology-driven business environment.
Built around flexible learning, real-world experience, enhanced assessment methods, emerging technologies, and leadership development, the new CPA Professional Program reflects the evolving skills employers expect of today’s CPAs, while still maintaining the profession’s high standards.
Leadership development has been embedded throughout the program, and technology has been woven into the learning experience. Rather than studying emerging technologies as standalone topics, learners will use technology and analytics to solve business problems in realistic simulations and other learning activities. This approach will help build practical fluency in areas increasingly valued by employers, including AI-enabled decision-making, data-driven research, digital transformation, and governance and technology oversight.
From day one, learners will apply their knowledge in scenarios that mirror the realities of modern organizations, emphasizing continuous development and demonstrated competence. The new program will further align learning with career development through enhanced experience planning requirements. Learners will develop work experience plans early in the process and align their professional growth with competency requirements throughout their journeys.
Assessment has also been redesigned to reflect contemporary educational practices. Rather than relying primarily on a single final examination, the new model incorporates assessment at key stages of learning. This approach will emphasize progressive mastery, continuous assessment, and the application of knowledge over time.
Flexibility is another important feature of the new program. Learners will be able to choose between standard and flexible learning tracks, committing either 20 or 10 hours per week, and may be able to switch between options if their personal and/or professional circumstances change.
New entrance requirements and new modules
In addition to meeting degree and GPA requirements, applicants to the new program will need to demonstrate accounting and business knowledge. They’ll be able to do so through coursework or by passing the new Knowledge Assessment Examination, which will evaluate existing competencies and provide an alternative pathway into the program. Once registered in the program, learners will begin their journey with the Foundational Development module, followed by three integrated professional modules: CPA Core, CPA Leadership, and CPA Professional Readiness.
The Foundational Development module has been designed to establish core competencies while introducing learners to the CPA ethical mindset and helping them integrate professional values, technical knowledge, and critical skills from the outset of their learning journey. At the end of the module, candidates will need to complete the Foundational Development Examination.
The next stage, CPA Core, will offer two streams: CPA Core – Common and CPA Core – Licensure, which will allow learners to align their studies with their career objectives. Both streams will strengthen competencies in financial reporting, assurance and trust, taxation, non-financial reporting, and big data and analytics, and the Licensure stream will provide additional technical depth across these competency areas for those pursuing careers in public accounting. On successful completion of the CPA Core module, learners will become eligible to write CPA Professional Final Examination 1.
The next module, CPA Leadership, will further advance learners’ ethical mindset and professional competencies by tasking them with integrated decision-making in real-world business scenarios. With its emphasis on leadership development, critical thinking, and ethical judgment, this module will prepare learners to navigate increasingly complex organizational challenges. Successful learners will then be eligible to write CPA Professional Final Examination 2.
Experience is another key component of the program. Learners will complete 24 months of relevant work experience while progressing through their studies, ensuring that they can apply technical and professional skills in real-world business environments. Once they’ve met this work experience requirement, learners will be able to start the CPA Professional Readiness module, which features interactive, case-based learning. Candidates who complete this module and pass CPA Professional Final Examination 3 will then be eligible to apply for membership.
Transitioning to the new program
The new CPA Professional Program is scheduled to launch in 2027. Current CPA PEP candidates will continue to have opportunities to progress through and complete CPA PEP, while candidates who meet the eligibility requirements will have a pathway to transition into the new model. The multi-year transition period is designed to provide flexibility and minimize disruption for learners already working toward CPA certification. For eligible candidates who transition to the CPA Professional Program, any progress already made in CPA PEP will be considered when determining their placement in the new program, which will help them build on what they’ve already achieved.
Several key milestones will mark the transition period:
- Late 2026: Registration opens for the first Knowledge Assessment Examination in Western Canada.
- Early 2027: Learners can begin submitting work experience plans, and eligible candidates may start transitioning into the new program.
- March 2027: First offering of the Knowledge Assessment Examination.
- May 2027: First cohort begins the new CPA Professional Program.
- September 2027: First offering of the Foundational Development Examination, CPA Professional Final Examination 1, and CPA Professional Final Examination 2.
The final Core 1 intake will begin in January 2027, with the final Core 1 examination scheduled for June 2027. Transition activities will continue throughout 2028, including the final offerings of CPA PEP electives, Capstone modules, and the Common Final Examination (CFE). The final CFE will be written in September 2028, with the transition deadline for eligible learners occurring after the release of those examination results.
Throughout the transition period, learners will receive information and support to help them understand their options, their transition eligibility and placement, and the steps applicable to their individual circumstances. The overarching goal is to provide a clear and supportive pathway for both current and future learners.
Expanding access through Knowledge Essentials
Complementing the new CPA Professional Program will be Knowledge Essentials, a new preparatory pathway designed to make entry into the profession more accessible.
Rather than requiring all learners to complete the same set of prerequisite courses, Knowledge Essentials will identify specific knowledge gaps and direct learning accordingly. This targeted approach will allow individuals to focus on the competencies they need most while avoiding the unnecessary duplication of material they’ve already mastered as they prepare to write the Knowledge Assessment Examination.
This pathway will be particularly beneficial for experienced professionals, career changers, and individuals from non-accounting backgrounds. It will enable learners to progress at their own pace, balance studies with work and personal commitments, and receive ongoing feedback regarding their readiness for the new CPA Professional Program.
By maintaining existing standards while reducing unnecessary barriers, Knowledge Essentials is intended to strengthen the pipeline of future CPA talent and create a broader, more diverse pool of candidates for employers across Canada.
Maintaining national standards
The CPA Board of Examiners (BOE) will oversee the development and evaluation of the national examinations for the new CPA Professional Program, operating under the oversight of the Certification Collaboration Committee and on behalf of the CPA profession. It will also play a critical role in ensuring the quality, relevance, and consistency of these examinations.
The BOE will establish national marking standards and determine whether learners have demonstrated the competencies expected of an entry-level CPA. Its members will oversee examination content development, assessment marking, and fair pass processes, while ensuring that examinations are equivalent in both official languages. This oversight will help safeguard the quality, relevance, and integrity of the CPA national examinations and ensure a consistent standard from one exam sitting to the next.
Importantly, results will be determined on a national basis, regardless of where learners live or the language in which they write their examinations. This approach follows the same model used for CPA PEP and the CFE and will help maintain the high standards associated with the CPA designation.
Ultimately, the BOE will play a critical role in safeguarding the integrity, validity, and credibility of Canada’s CPA profession and help maintain the designation’s interprovincial mobility.
More information online
Transition information for learners in Western Canada is available on the CPAWSB website.
Lara Greguric, FCPA, FCA, ICD.D, is the executive vice-president of learning for the CPA Western School of Business. She served as chair of the New CPA Certification Program Steering Committee from 2022 to 2025.
This article was originally published in the November/December 2026 issue of CPABC in Focus.
