travelling_annie

I am looking at making the move to Australia towards the end of the year. I just wondered if anybody out there has taken advantage of any reciprocal membership arrangements with the Australian accountancy bodies?

I am CIMA qualified, who have a reciprocal arrangement with the CPA, and membership can be obtained by paying the membership fee. Has anyone found this to be worthwhile? I have noticed more job ads seem to be referencing CIMA these days so is that sufficient in the current market or should I apply for the CPA designation as well?

Thanks

Bermudashorts

A solid CV and work experience will mean a lot more, do you have this first of all?

It is no bother to get mutual recognition, but I can't see any reason to pay two membership fees and most employers will be comfortable enough with a qualification obtained in the UK backed up by good experience.

ozhappy981

The agencies, e.g. Hays, Robert Half, Derwent Executive will have heard about CIMA. But Australian employers have generally not heard of it. They only now CA and CPA.

And if an employer has two candidates that look good on paper, and one is CIMA and the other one CA/CPA you know which one they'll choose.

I would recommend joining CPA.

Bermudashorts

I would imagine they would bring other things into it, like experience, skills etc and maybe an Australian employer might even be intelligent enough to know that somebody moving from UK would not have the Australian accountancy qualification.

I spent best part of 15 years working in London and never came across an Australian that needed to get a UK accounting qualification. And now I work in Australia with other Brits, Irish, Americans, South Africans and not one has needed to get CPA mutual recognition.

The only place I have ever seen this advice is on BE.

CPA is not something I would be shouting about having anyway, has to be the easiest accountancy qualification in the world ... open book, multiple choice is a joke. I would be put off somebody's CV if that is all they had.

ozhappy981

To travelling_annie: Have a look at accountancy jobs on www.seek.com.au and you'll see whaty qualifications are asked for in the adverts.

Bermudashorts

They are hardly likely to list all world wide accountancy qualifications. It doesn't mean they won't consider anything else. Or how did I or any of my many international colleague manage to find jobs.

I found two jobs within a week without all this mutual recognition nonsense.
Who do you think it is kidding anyway!

Honestly this mutual recognition claptrap wears me out. A decent accountant will not need it.

travelling_annie

Thanks All