The objective of practice inspection is to protect the public interest by assessing the compliance with professional standards of members who perform assurance, compilation and other specified engagements, and by taking appropriate follow-up or remedial action in instances of non-compliance. The program is also intended to provide an educational experience and, where necessary, help practitioners improve their professional standards.

Through an assessment of a member’s quality control manual and a review of current assurance and compilation engagement files, practice inspection identifies where a practicing member may require assistance in maintaining prescribed professional standards.

Practice inspection does not set new standards. The standards that a member is expected to maintain are those prescribed in the CICA Handbook and the ICAM Members' Handbook.

Bylaw 800 outlines the duties of the Office Practice Assistance Committee in supervising the practice inspection program, including the rules and procedures for conducting inspections.

Each year, the practice inspection team, consisting of staff, contract workers and the Office Practice Assistance Committee, summarizes areas where standards adherence might be improved. The resulting “Focus on Practice Inspection Findings” letter to all practicing offices serves to encourage firms to assess their own standards to ensure that the matters set out in the letter do not apply to their practices.

Firms can download a copy of the current "Focus on Practice Inspecton Findings" letter here.

Firms can view the Practice Inspection Forms here.