Chimmel

Hello,

My partner and I have finally decided to move to Australia (had so much fun on working holiday visa).

I have a BA degree in Accounting and Finance and was away to begin ACCA study (I have 8 exemptions and so have only 6 exams to complete).

I was wondering if I could start my application now and then get an Australian qualification when there, or if best to get full ACCA before applying.

Read lots of conflicting views in previous posts, so just wanted to know my chances of getting through on my degree alone. I have been working for 41 months already since being qualified (exclusing my 12 months when I was in Aus on WHV).

JAJ

You can use your degree for a skill assessment if it meets the syllabus content requirements and is equivalent to an Australian bachelors.

You can use any of the three assessing authorities, ICAA, CPAA and NIA. The requirements are in principle the same, except you might find one or the other more flexible in terms of how much detail on syllabus content they need.

In order to migrate, DIAC will look at your work experience and they will check to make sure it's as a professional accountant (or other skilled occupation) - but not as a book-keeper.

As to whether it's worth doing ACCA or not, you might want to bear in mind that ACCA is not eligible for direct entry to become an Australian CA or CPA, so you will need to do further exams to become Australian qualified (CA is the best one to have).

On the other hand, it will be 2-3 years before you can clock up the work experience needed to become an Australian CA, and in the meantime, being ACCA qualified will be better than nothing as some recruiters and employers do know about it.

Do you have any option to become a Scottish CA instead? That would give you a direct entry route to become an Australian CA later on without needing to do the CA Program (only bridging tax/law study).

Chimmel

Thanks so much for that!

CA is out of the question I think from my employer (but I'm trying).

Would you suggest there is a difference between ACCA or CIMA for this? Any that would be more beneficial?

I think I'll have to get assessed based on what I have and take it from there...

JAJ

If you can't do Scottish CA, then I'd recommend ACCA over CIMA if you are looking for a qualification to take to Australia.

The main reason for this is that at the end of 2006, ACCA entered into a mutual recognition agreement with the Canadian Certified General Accountants Association. The Australian CPA qualification is not recognised in either the United Kingdom or Canada, so there is a reasonable chance that CPA Australia might wish to join in this agreement at some point in the next few years.

If that happened, you would be able to become an Australian CPA based on your ACCA qualification with little formality.

If you were doing the Australian CA program at the time, you could just claim CPA and continue on with your Australian CA as well (it will open some doors that CPA may not).

CIMA does have an alliance with the Australian CAs that makes it a little easier to become an Australian CA if you are CIMA rather than ACCA qualified, but it doesn't make a huge difference. They haven't got mutual recognition.

So, assuming you can get a skill assessment and migration visa based on your degree, and assuming you're planning to finish ACCA before you migrate, the plan of action in Australia should be:

- do the ICAA accredited tax/law bridging study (make sure the course is also accredited by CPAA); and
- do the CA Program; and
- if ACCA and CPA Australia come up with any recognition agreement meanwhile, just claim your Australian CPA as well.