pippin lara

Following on from a previous thread, I'm trying to pick the best TRA assessor.

I'm a CIMA qualified accountant who works in local government.

On reading the blurb from these 2 bodies, I note that ICAA have a 'strategic alliance' with CIMA (which basically relates to how CIMA members can become ICAA members). However, when you look at the assessment forms, ICAA asks CIMA members to provide employer references and academic transcripts, whereas the NIA skills assessment doesn't.

Both bodies indicate that CIMA members will LIKELY be considered comparable with the Australian Bachelor degree, which is the skills requirement.

I'm not too bothered about assessment times at the moment and the fees are the same, so this seems to be the main difference.

My wife (a nurse) is going to be the main applicant, so my main reasons for assessment are for the extra points and to be able to work in Aus. I would prefer not to disclose to my employer at the moment as we are still early in this process.

Can anyone offer advice on my perceived difference between ICAA and NIA, or will the NIA ask for similar information during the process.

Thanks

JAJ

If that's the case, get your skill assessment from NIA. DIMIA won't care whether it's ICAA or NIA.

Why ICAA ask for this evidence is unclear as you can't get an accountant skill assessment based on work experience anyway.

There is nothing stopping you going back to ICAA and get a different type of skill assessment solely for the CA Program once you are an Australian PR. Cost in that case is only A$50 as it wouldn't be for migration purposes.

Another point to be aware of is that the NIA recently 'upgraded' their PNA designation to more or less the same standard as CPA. Traditionally NIA has not been so well regarded in the marketplace but long term this should change. You can as far as I know get PNA based on mutual recognition and this might be a good long term investment.

You should also investigate doing the CA Program after you arrive in Australia. Getting the necessary work experience should not be a problem so long as you work somewhere where there is an ICAA member among the management. It doesn't have to be in public practise. CA is a more prestigious designation than CPA.


Jeremy

pippin lara

Thanks Jeremy

I'm interested if any CIMA members have looked into this recently as part of their own skills assessment and can shed any light on whether the NIA assessment is straightforward or have a prefernce as to which body to use. The ICAA road seems a little bit more complicated (especially as I would prefer not to let my employer know just now) and this may be unnecessary.

I'm not too concerned about which (if any) Aus a/c body to join at the moment. I'll worry about that later. My hope just now is just to get a job in Aus Local Govt. if possible and I'll look into my options further down the visa process.

once again, thanks

JAJ

If NIA appears to be simpler, then use NIA. There is little point wasting time with indecision.

Many people don't even think about the NIA option - instead they automatically only consider ICAA and CPAA. For migration purposes, that's not always the smartest idea.

If you qualified as CIMA through the normal route then there should not be a problem getting a skill assessment from NIA. It's more of a grey area if you got CIMA through another route, such as mutual recognition.


Jeremy

PR33T

Hey Jaj ,
Smart counselling, I have quite liked CPA aswell as they have been pretty quick, NIA is getting better too. The agents I work with Prefer NIA.

JAJ

Most agents who deal regularly with accountants prefer NIA, as far as I know. CPAA are especially problematic for any ACCA/CIMA people who don't have a university degree equivalent to an Aus bachelors (any subject). CPAA advise such ACCA/CIMA people to apply instead to ICAA/NIA.


Jeremy

GinaUK

I believe that the UK CIMA accountants that post here all had their skills assessment done with ICAA. BUT - until about 10 months ago, ICAA didn't require an employer reference for CIMA accountants. (We applied for skills assessment at the end of Jan 2005 and didn't need an E'er reference.) Without the E'er reference, the ICAA assessment was very easy - just collecting a few bits of paper.

Given that ICAA now ask for an E'er reference, I'd say go with NIA.

Good luck.

Gina

pippin lara

Thanks Gina

JAJ

It's not clear *why* ICAA ask for an employer reference, and only for those CIMA qualified at that.

NIA is an alternative. CPAA is also an alternative for CIMAs who have a degree equivalent to an Australian bachelors (as far as I know, any subject will do).


Jeremy

PR33T

4 Years Back I applied to CPA along with 4 other friends all of us had CALCUTTA Uni (India) 3 yrs baclors a/c hons degrees + 2 yrs of Australian Study in Tafe. All got approved with CPA.
Now CPA needs atleast a M.Com Accounts from the same Uni for a positive assessment. I think the subjects have been upgraded since.

Though the assessment criteria is same with all assessment authorities but still some people have different views in relation to assessment results.

Alan Collett

We don't ... for accountant skills assessments I generally consider the ICAA before the CPAA and the NIA because:

1. I can call them and discuss specific accountant scenarios - useful when the background isn't a routine one.

2. Their turnaround time is good - generally less than a fortnight.

I'm also a member of the ICAA, but that doesn't come into it of course ... :-)

Best wishes.

JAJ

Alan - the problem is that ICAA (apparently) seem to be asking CIMA members for employment references. Why would they do that when work references are not the basis of obtaining an accountant assessment, and why only CIMA and not others?


Jeremy

Alan Collett

Don't know, I'm afraid Jeremy. We have lodged applications with the ICAA for CIMA and CIPFA qualifieds recently and I don't recall them being asked for employment references for the migration assessment ... maybe the original poster was looking at the requirements for membership of the ICAA as against the assessment for migration purposes?

Best regards.

pippin lara

Alan

ICAA is asking for an employment reference for immigration, not membership.

My circumstances have now changed in that my employer has now instigated a redundancy exercise which is worth my while applying for. I will therefore by advising them of my future plans after the holidays. The cats out of the bag, so to speak and I may therefore now consider ICAA and get the required reference.

Cheers David

Alan Collett

Noted - thanks David. This is news to me, so I'll follow up with the ICAA and will report back ...

Best regards.