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To apply for designation as a CA-designated specialist in Investigative and Forensic Accounting authorized to use the designation initials CA•IFA or CA•EJC in French, a CA must meet the following criteria: - three years post-qualification experience as a Canadian CA;
- be a member in good standing with a Canadian Provincial Institute of Chartered Accountants/Ordre;
- be a recipient of the Diploma in Investigative and Forensic Accounting (DIFA) from the University of Toronto. This graduate level diploma program may be completed in two years through part-time study provided primarily through distance learning. The application deadline for the DIFA program is June 1st.
For more information on enrolling in the DIFA program, the program outline and DIFA application form click on:
www.utm.utoronto.ca/difa - have IFA work experience in Qualifying Hours as follows:
- at least 1,500 Qualifying Hours over the last three years, OR
- at least 2,500 Qualifying Hours over the last six years of which a minimum of 500 hours must be over the last three years.
IFA Work Experience - Qualifying Hours
Qualifying Hours means: - hours worked directly on a file related to IFA engagements,
- up to 250 hours per year spent teaching in the DIFA or other IFA–related program at Canadian post-secondary institutions that includes preparation and mentoring time (in total 6 times teaching hours),
- and up to 50 hours per year spent in personal professional development and/or research in the specialty area of investigative and forensic accounting.
- Time spent in administrative, practice development and marketing activities cannot be considered as part of Qualifying Hours.
Generally the engagements require the performance of financial analysis in the context of a legal, or potentially legal, dispute. These are projects done within the parameters of the “litigation consultant” role, either as an expert witness or an advocate. Specifically excluded are transactions or deal-based work that do not require the extensive use of investigative skills.
Loss Quantification Matters
This work is related to the quantification of an impaired or lost income-generating interest and includes:
- personal injury/wrongful death
- products liability
- professional negligence
- economic interference
- intellectual property claims
- property and income losses for insurance claim purposes, e.g. business interruption
| - patent infringements
- construction claims
- wrongful dismissal
- wrongful taking
- losses of business income
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Investigative-Related Matters
This work is related to the analysis of financial activity primarily to determine and/or summarize the business substance and effects of financial transactions and includes:
- fraud/theft related matters (criminal, civil, insurance remedies)
- financial statement manipulation
- shareholder/ partnership disputes
- stock market fraud
- investigation for hidden assets and unreported income
(income tax, matrimonial and related disputes)
| - secret commissions
- bank fraud
- supplier kickbacks
- computer crime
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CAs working in unusual areas and uncertain about their work experience eligibility may request a preliminary work experience assessment by submitting a description of their IFA work experience by e-mail to ifa.alliance@cica.ca.
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