CGA and CPA are both related to the accountancy association as CGA is known as a certified general accountant it is one of the tiles of CPA, and CPA is known as Charted Professional Accountants, which contains the three main tiles CA, CGA, CMA, and they have the different time duration according to there perspectives and experience.
Key Takeaways
- CGA stands for Certified General Accountant, while CPA means Certified Public Accountant.
- CGAs focus on general accounting practices, while CPAs have a broader scope, including auditing, taxation, and consulting.
- CPA is a globally recognized designation, while CGA is specific to Canada.
CGA vs CPA
The difference between CGA and CPA is that in CGA, the time duration is less and is more flexible and easy than CPA, while when we talk about CPA, it takes the time duration of one year. Both are mostly famous in Canada and are the most important tools for the career perspective.
CGA stands for certified general accountant and is a professional designation given to Canadian accountants. This is one of the parts of CPA.
This works in the whole world as in the sectors of commerce, finance, government, public practices and in the industrial works too
CPA stands for Chartered Professional Accountants for compatible professionals agree this is the professional designation which joints the three Canadian designations, which are Chartered Accountant(CA), Certified General Accountant(CGA), and Certified Management Accountant(CMA), and this also works for the commerce, finance, government, public sectors.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | CGA | CPA |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | It takes less time to become a CGA | One year time duration |
| Flexibility | This program is more flexible as compared to CPA | This is less flexible as compared to CGA |
| Prevalence | It is most famous in Canada | It is famous in Canada and England |
| Function | Provide the tools to pursue a career in accountancy | It contains CA, CGA, and CMA within itself |
| Experience | One must have 500 hours of work experience | There is a combined experience of all three tiles. |
What is CGA?
CGA stands for certified general accountant and is a professional designation given to Canadian accountants. This designation is required for the person who sees the management of the education, experience, and examinations as these show the professionalism of that particular person.
CGA is an association, and a joint member of Canada is associated here.
The CGA association was founded in 1908 by the trio of Canadian Pacific railways. Five years later, they organized the association in 1913 as the general accountants association.
And in the mid-1940s, the association’s chapter was established, named Coast-to-coast. The person who is a CGA should have some qualifications too, as they should be undergraduates, and then the students take to experience for 36 months while they need the minimum requirement of 24 months.
As they have experience from the other sectors, they will cooperate easily and fast
This works in the whole world as in the sectors of commerce, finance, government, public practices and in the industrial works too.
CGA also worked with CPA (Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada) to enhance their operations under CPA in 2014. And those things are automatically given to the CPA without any problem easily.
What is CPA?
CPA stands for Chartered Professional Accountants, and if we see it in the French language, it stands for compatible professional agree this is the professional designation which joints the three Canadian designations, which are Chartered Accountant(CA), Certified General Accountant(CGA), and Certified Management Accountant(CMA) respectively.
The map of CPA lays the foundation of the certification of the CPA program that includes the education, examinations, practicals, and the practice of the requirements of the skills and the achievements of the particular.
And this contains the technical competencies, which are financial reporting, taxation, management strategy, and more are present.
The name of this designation is taken from the aborted Australian merger attempt in 1998. The Institution of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales registered this as an EU community.
This was introduced as every year Canadians see so many account designations, so then they established their own and named that as CPA, which contains all the tiles in it that are CA(Chartered Accountant), CGA(Certified General Accountant), CMA(Certified Management Accountant).
This is a national organization as it represents the individual’s professions, and the accountancy department or association members use this designation. The application of CPA is to withdraw or to refund.
Main Differences Between CGA and CPA
- CGA takes less time duration whereas CPA takes a one-year time duration.
- CGA is more flexible as compared to CPA, whereas CPA is less flexible as compared to CGA
- CGA is mostly famous in Canada, whereas CPA is mostly famous in Canada and England
- CGA provides the tools to pursue a career in accountancy, whereas CPA contains CA, CGA, and CMA within itself
- In CGA, one must have 500 hours of work experience, whereas in CPA, there is a combined experience in all three tiles.
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00221589.1990.11516103
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1911-3838.12138
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
I appreciate the historical background provided about CGA. It adds depth and context to the information which is refreshing.
While the article is detailed and well-researched, I feel that the language used is quite technical. It might be difficult for a layperson to understand and follow along.
I found the comparison table very useful. It clearly outlines the distinctions between CGA and CPA. However, I believe there should’ve been more emphasis on the global recognition aspect of CPA.
The comparison aspect is quite helpful for someone seeking a career in accountancy. The distinctions between CGA and CPA are clearly elucidated and provide valuable insights.
This is an in-depth analysis of the differences between CGA and CPA. The information provided is very informative and valuable for those interested in this field.
The history of the CGA association gives a rich background to the subject. It’s interesting to see how these professional designations have evolved over time.