joey847

Hi all,

I'am heading to Sydney next october with a Permanent Resident Visa.
I'm looking for a management accountant position.
I currently live in France.
I have a business degree and a postgraduate degree in management accounting and a 4 year experience.
I don't have any certification like CIMA or CPA or CA. In France, you don't need such qualification to be hired as a management accountant. You just need relevant degrees.
I was wonderering if I will have difficulties to find a job in Australia and if it is possible to find something from France (interview by phone). Do you know some recruitment agencies?
In order to be an associate CPA member, I need to study 2 courses. Is associate membership recognised by companies? Do I really have to study the CPA program as well?

Thank you very much for your help.

Sophie

JAJ

"Associate" CPA isn't a professional qualification so doesn't really add any value.

If you want to be an accountant in Australia and have a good career, then you do need to be an Australian CA or CPA.

Have you considered CA instead of CPA? There is not much difference between the two, but CA does have a slight advantage.

jpen29

Go CA if you'll work in chartered firms. Go CPA if you'd like work in commercial industries. Both qualifications are highly regarded in Australia so there's really not much difference between the two qualifications. Im just wondering why a lot of people are "claiming" that CA is (slightly) better than CPA, considering almost 70% of professional accountants in Australia are CPA-qualified.

Btw, been there to Paris last June '07. Its like 10x more beautiful than australia IN MY HONEST OPINION. If i may ask, why do you wanna leave then?

JAJ

You can do CA in industry just as easily as CPA. There are more CPAs but quantity is not the defining factor here. That said, there is not a huge difference.

joey847

Hi,

Thank you for your response.
I don't want to work in chartered firms and I have already been assessed by CPA for migration purpose so it's easier for me to continue with CPA.
I just have to study 2 courses (my exam is very soon) before doing the program.
You know, I'm French and I've never lived anywhere other than France.
I need something new, new experience, new culture, better weather, a "cool" life, improving my english! I love Paris, it's a beautiful place to visit but it's different when you live there.
Here people's days is WORK, WORK WORK and then metro and sleep!!!!

Bye

Sophie

jpen29

Hi Sophie,

I noted that you got your visa in just 4 months. Did you frontload your medicals and pcc? Did DIAC/ASPC call your employer for verification? Thanks!

JAJ

Once again. You don't need to work in a chartered firm to become a CA, and you can be re-assessed quite easily/cheaply (A$50 or so) by ICAA if you want.

Ozzidoc

What about a recruitment agency like Robert Walters? http://www.robertwalters.com/default.do

joey847

Hi Jen29,

Yes it was really quick because I was part of the first 175 visa (I applied in september).
I frontloaded my medicals and pcc 1 month after my application.
DIAC never called my boss for verfication!!!!!

PM me if you want more details.

Sophie

RCoight

Some others to look at are:

Robert Half http://www.roberthalf.net
Hays http://www.hays.com.au
Ambition http://www.ambition.com.au
Michael Page http://www.michaelpage.com.au

If you are based in Europe currently then have a hunt round those websites for details of their 'International Candidate Manager' who can kick the process off from Europe....though that might be nothing more than collecting your CV and forwarding it to the relevant Australian office.

I believe there is something of a shortage of experienced accountants in Sydney right now. My (admittedly limited) experience is that generally agencies and companies are more interested in you once you are in Australia, and therefore they are not keen on long distance telephone interviews. However, with the current lack of accountants you should expect to be at work within weeks rather than months.

joey847

Thank you for the advice RCoight.

Sophie