Good Entry-Level Accounting Jobs in Canada
What are the best entry-level accounting jobs in Canada? The strongest first roles are accounts payable clerk, accounts receivable clerk, junior bookkeeper, accounting clerk, payroll clerk, junior accountant at a firm, and seasonal tax preparer. They all share three things: employers will hire you without Canadian experience if you can show practical skills, they teach you the work that leads to better-paid roles, and they pay a real wage from day one.
This guide explains each role — what you actually do, what it pays according to Job Bank, and how to get in — written from 20 years of helping newcomers land their first accounting job in the Greater Toronto Area.
What Do Entry-Level Accounting Jobs Pay in Canada?
Start with the real numbers, because the old figures floating around online are out of date. According to the Government of Canada Job Bank, accounting technicians and bookkeepers (NOC 12200) — the category most entry-level roles fall under — earn a national median wage of $28.02 per hour, about $58,000 a year for full-time work. Entry-level pay starts lower, around $20.37 per hour, and rises with experience; in Ontario the median is $28.50 per hour, and in Toronto $29.22 per hour.
Financial auditors and accountants (NOC 11100) earn a national median wage of $40.36 per hour, with a range from $25.00 to $71.43 per hour — but that is the median across all experience levels, not a starting wage. The honest picture: your first role pays less than the median, and the ladder above it is real. Six to twelve months in an entry-level role, done well, changes your resume completely — and your pay with it.
7 Good Entry-Level Accounting Jobs
Here are the seven roles we recommend most to newcomers, in the order most of our students actually get hired.
1. Accounts Payable Clerk
What you do: enter supplier invoices, match them to purchase orders and delivery notes, reconcile supplier statements, schedule payments, and keep the payables ledger accurate. It is detail-heavy, deadline-driven work — and it is the single most common first accounting job in Canada.
Pay: typically in the NOC 12200 range, starting near $20–$24 per hour and rising toward the $28.02 median with experience.
How to get in: show you can use QuickBooks and Excel, and that you understand a three-way match (invoice, purchase order, receiving document). A bookkeeping course that uses real invoices is the fastest proof. This role suits careful, organized people who like clear processes.
2. Accounts Receivable Clerk
What you do: create customer invoices, prepare customer statements, allocate payments received, follow up on overdue accounts, and keep the receivables ledger accurate. You will talk to customers about money, so clear, polite communication matters as much as accuracy.
Pay: similar to accounts payable — NOC 12200 range, starting near $20–$24 per hour.
How to get in: the same foundation as payables — QuickBooks, Excel, and an understanding of invoicing and collections. If you are comfortable on the phone and good with people, this role often leads faster into client-facing work.
3. Junior Bookkeeper
What you do: the full bookkeeping cycle for a small business or a client file — record transactions, post journal entries, reconcile bank and credit card accounts, prepare a trial balance, and help with month-end. It is the broadest entry-level role, and the best training ground for everything above it.
Pay: NOC 12200 range; junior bookkeepers start near the entry level and move toward the $28.02 median as they take on full files.
How to get in: employers want to see that you can keep a clean set of books without supervision. A practice set of financial statements from a real-file course, or a CO-OP placement on real client files, is the strongest evidence. Read our guide on becoming a bookkeeper with no experience for the full picture.
4. Accounting Clerk / Accounting Assistant
What you do: a mix of everything — data entry, filing, assisting with financial statements, bank reconciliations, journal entries, and month-end tasks under a senior accountant’s supervision. In a small firm this role touches every part of the accounting cycle, which makes it excellent training.
Pay: NOC 12200 range, starting near $20–$24 per hour.
How to get in: this is the most generalist first role, so a broad foundation helps: bookkeeping, Excel, and basic Canadian tax knowledge. A Canadian-style resume that lists what you can do — not just what you studied — matters most here. Our guide on how to start a career in accounting explains the routes in.
5. Payroll Clerk
What you do: enter new employees into the payroll system, maintain employee records, process pay runs, calculate CPP, EI, and income tax deductions, handle vacation and termination pay, and file payroll tax remittances. Accuracy and confidentiality are non-negotiable — you are handling people’s pay.
Pay: NOC 12200 range; payroll roles with experience can pay above the bookkeeping median because the work is specialized and deadline-critical.
How to get in: payroll knowledge is a genuine shortage skill in small firms. Even a short practical payroll course, plus Excel, makes you stand out. If you like rules, checklists, and zero-error work, this is a strong first role — and it stays in demand every pay cycle of the year.
6. Junior Accountant at an Accounting Firm
What you do: prepare personal tax (T1) returns, help compile financial statements for small businesses, work on year-end files, and assist with audits under a senior’s review. You start with individual tax returns and simple files, then move to corporate (T2) returns and more complex work as you prove yourself.
Pay: starts in the NOC 12200 range and moves toward NOC 11100 levels ($40.36 median) as you take on full files and, eventually, the CPA path.
How to get in: firms hire juniors who can already do the basics — a T1 return, a bank reconciliation, a simple set of financial statements. Our personal tax (T1) course and accounting course teach exactly those tasks on real files. January to April — tax season — is the best time to apply, because firms hire extra hands.
7. Seasonal Tax Preparer
What you do: prepare personal tax returns during tax season, usually January to April, for a firm or a tax preparation service. It is intense, deadline-driven work — and the fastest way to get Canadian tax experience and a Canadian reference on your resume.
Pay: hourly, usually in the NOC 12200 range, with overtime common during peak weeks.
How to get in: you need to know how to prepare a real T1 return before you apply — employers will test you. A practical T1 course plus practice returns is the entry ticket. Many of our students’ first Canadian accounting jobs started as a seasonal tax role that turned into a permanent offer after April 30.
Which Entry-Level Role Should You Choose?
Match the role to your strengths, not to the job title.
- You like clear processes and working alone: accounts payable or payroll clerk.
- You are good with people and clear on the phone: accounts receivable clerk.
- You want the broadest training: junior bookkeeper or accounting clerk.
- You want the fastest route to higher pay: junior accountant at a firm, with the CPA path ahead of you.
- You need income and experience fast: seasonal tax preparer — apply in December or January, before tax season peaks.
There is no wrong first role. What matters is getting Canadian work on your resume, a Canadian reference, and practical skills an employer can verify. Our guide on the skills needed for an accounting career lists exactly what to build, and our guide on getting an accounting job with no experience covers the seven routes in.
Do You Need Certification to Get an Entry-Level Accounting Job?
Not for your first role — but certification helps you move up faster. The most useful early credential is the Certified Professional Bookkeeper (CPB) designation from CPB Canada: the pathway runs from Apprentice (about 1 year) to Technician (about 2 years) to CPB (3 or more years), with an exam pass mark of 80% and continuing professional development after that. Bookkeeping itself is not a regulated profession in Canada — no licence is legally required — but the CPB tells an employer your skills have been tested. The CPA designation is the longer-term goal: a bachelor’s degree, the CPA Professional Education Program, the Common Final Examination, and 30 months of practical experience. Start with practical skills and a first job; build toward the CPA while you earn.
How to Get Hired: A 90-Day Plan
Days 1–30: Build the skills employers test
Learn double-entry bookkeeping, set up a practice company in QuickBooks Online, and practise Excel formulas and reconciliations. Prepare one practice T1 return and one practice set of financial statements — these become your proof of work.
Days 31–60: Fix the resume and apply where it counts
Rewrite your resume the Canadian way: two pages maximum, most recent job first, five to seven bullet points per role starting with an action verb and a result. No photo, no date of birth, no SIN. Apply directly on company websites as well as job boards — many small firms post only on their own sites. Our resume writing course covers this in detail.
Days 61–90: Get in front of hiring managers
Register with two or three accounting recruiters, attend local CPA Ontario and newcomer events, and consider a volunteer finance role at a charity for a Canadian reference. Practise STAR-format interview answers (Situation, Task, Action, Result) using our guide on how to prepare for an accounting interview. Most of our students who follow this route land their first role within 3 to 6 months.
The Bottom Line
The best entry-level accounting jobs in Canada are the ones that hire for practical skill, teach you the full cycle, and pay a real wage while you learn: accounts payable, accounts receivable, junior bookkeeping, accounting clerk, payroll, junior accountant, and seasonal tax preparer. Pick the role that fits your strengths, prove you can do the work with real practice files, and treat the first job as the start of the ladder — not the destination. The pay rises with Canadian experience, and the path from bookkeeper to accountant to CPA is one thousands of newcomers have walked.
Reach out to Get Trained Get Hired to book a free 30-minute career counselling meeting. Our training is based on practical real-life cases. After the training, we work on your resume and try to place you in accounting firms through our network. You will also get access to like-minded individuals who are looking for jobs through our WhatsApp group. Please feel free to contact us at salman@gettrainedgethired.com or call us at 647-276-7150.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are good entry-level accounting jobs in Canada?
The best first roles are accounts payable clerk, accounts receivable clerk, junior bookkeeper, accounting clerk, payroll clerk, junior accountant at a firm, and seasonal tax preparer. Employers hire for practical skills — QuickBooks, Excel, bookkeeping — and these roles teach the work that leads to better-paid positions.
How much do entry-level accounting jobs pay in Canada?
According to Job Bank, accounting technicians and bookkeepers (NOC 12200) earn a national median wage of $28.02 per hour, about $58,000 a year full-time, with entry-level roles starting near $20.37 per hour. In Ontario the median is $28.50 per hour and in Toronto $29.22 per hour. Pay rises with Canadian experience.
Can I get an entry-level accounting job with no experience in Canada?
Yes. Employers hire newcomers into entry-level roles when they can show practical skills — a reconciled QuickBooks file, a practice T1 return, a clean set of financial statements — plus a Canadian-style resume. A co-op placement or volunteer finance role gives you the Canadian reference that makes the difference.
Do I need a degree for an entry-level accounting job?
No. Many bookkeeping, accounts payable, and accounting-clerk roles are open to people with a diploma, a certificate, or practical training. A degree helps for the CPA path and senior roles, but it is not required for your first accounting job in Canada.
Which entry-level accounting job pays the most?
Junior accountant roles at firms and specialized payroll roles tend to pay the most at entry level, because they lead fastest toward the NOC 11100 median of $40.36 per hour. But the highest-paying first role is the one you can actually get and grow in — six to twelve months of proven work matters more than the starting title.
What is the fastest way to get an entry-level accounting job in Canada?
Build practical skills first (bookkeeping, QuickBooks, a T1 return), fix your resume the Canadian way, apply directly to firms as well as on job boards, register with accounting recruiters, and apply for seasonal tax roles in December or January. Most of our students who follow this route land their first role within 3 to 6 months.
