Any ACCA Accountants out there who applied for 175 Visa (Skilled Independant Permant)

[Guest 2Accountants]

Hi All,

 

Myself & Hubbie as ACCA qualified (I am FCCA) and are going to apply for the 175 perm visa, however when I read through the details , it appears that we have to apply to CPA (not sure if the other 2 bodies accept ACCA) to access our qual's and see if they recognise our ACCA,degree etc and then when accessed we can then apply for the Visa.

 

Has anyone gone down this road and will being ACCA qualified be enough to be able to get membership of CPA or do we have to do any further study/courses etc..

 

Hopefully it will just be a matter of filling in the online application form and sending copies of the qual's. Can you tell me how long it took for this to be sorted also?

 

Thanks in advance

:confused:

AM

[Pumpkin]

I am ACCA and I did my skills assessmemt with ICAA, it takes about two weeks. I am not a member of any australian accountancy body, I see no need.

[Guest 2Accountants]

Thanks pumpkin for your quick response, so you're saying that we just need confirmation from ICAA that ACCA is recognised and then we can go and apply for 175 online or can you start applying for 175 today and it then moves on to the next stage once ICAA send notice back...want to get it right so no delays... Thanks again AM

[Shaz36]

Hi,

I am not sure if it changed since I applied, but you apply to CPA or ICAA to get your skills assessed first. I used an agent, who preferred to use ICAA, and who offered a quick response time of 2 weeks for a little extra fee. Both assess your quals against standard criteria. i.e your quals must cover 9 of 12 core competencies, I seem to remember.

 

I am p/q ACCA but used my degree, so it managed to pass 10 of the 12 and I was awarded a positive skills assessment, with the added information that if I chose to complete another module in law, I could then apply to register with ICAA. At the level I am at, it would give me basic membership and allow me to sit further exams to qualify as an ICAA.

 

I know ICAS and ICAEW have a reciprocal agreement and can transfer their qual over to ICAA easily enough, and CIMA have this with one of the bodies, but I dont think ACCA has yet.

 

Once you get your skills assessed with either of the bodies, you can apply for your visa. You can go onto the ICAA website and use a wizard to enter your details of your degree/qualification, and it will tell you if you would pass. Perhaps that is what you meant when you thought you must register with CPA?

 

Hopefully someone who has done this a bit more recently can confirm that there have not been any major changes from the above.

 

Shaz

[Guest MOTO]

Hi,

I am not sure if it changed since I applied, but you apply to CPA or ICAA to get your skills assessed first. I used an agent, who preferred to use ICAA, and who offered a quick response time of 2 weeks for a little extra fee. Both assess your quals against standard criteria. i.e your quals must cover 9 of 12 core competencies, I seem to remember.

 

I am p/q ACCA but used my degree, so it managed to pass 10 of the 12 and I was awarded a positive skills assessment, with the added information that if I chose to complete another module in law, I could then apply to register with ICAA. At the level I am at, it would give me basic membership and allow me to sit further exams to qualify as an ICAA.

 

I know ICAS and ICAEW have a reciprocal agreement and can transfer their qual over to ICAA easily enough, and CIMA have this with one of the bodies, but I dont think ACCA has yet.

 

Once you get your skills assessed with either of the bodies, you can apply for your visa. You can go onto the ICAA website and use a wizard to enter your details of your degree/qualification, and it will tell you if you would pass. Perhaps that is what you meant when you thought you must register with CPA?

 

Hopefully someone who has done this a bit more recently can confirm that there have not been any major changes from the above.

 

Shaz

 

Hi there,

I would like to add that your husband will be required to take Academic IELTS and get all 7s, before he can apply for his qualifications assessment.

Regards,

MOTO

[lyndalelodge]

I'm a Scottish CA and got skills assessed via ICAA.

 

I don't need to sit any exams to operate as an accountant, but if want to get membership of ICAA and enter general practice as a CA, I need to sit conversion exams in Oz tax and law, which I do and therefore have enrolled with USQ to start my course at the end of this month.

[Guest 2Accountants]

Hi Moto, you say that my Hubbie will have to take "take Academic IELTS and get all 7s, before he can apply for his qualifications assessment."

 

Is that because he never bothered filling out the paperwork to get his fellowship? We both qualified at the same time in 2002, I filled out the log book etc etc and through time became a Fellow. He didn't bother (sheer Laziness & stubborness basically) so although he is qualified through exams & has far more experience that me he is still not seen as a full member.

 

I assume if he gets moving & becomes a full member he may not have to do this???

 

Also Hubbie will be the person applying, I will be the partner (the extra 5 point - though we don't need it)

 

Thanks for any info back.

 

I looked online with CPA and it takes 10 days to assess & costs $125 AUS - Just wondering now as Hubbie is the primary applicant do both of us need our qualifications assessed??

 

Thanks to all for the advice

 

AM

 

[Guest MOTO]

Hi Moto, you say that my Hubbie will have to take "take Academic IELTS and get all 7s, before he can apply for his qualifications assessment."

 

Is that because he never bothered filling out the paperwork to get his fellowship? We both qualified at the same time in 2002, I filled out the log book etc etc and through time became a Fellow. He didn't bother (sheer Laziness & stubborness basically) so although he is qualified through exams & has far more experience that me he is still not seen as a full member.

 

I assume if he gets moving & becomes a full member he may not have to do this???

 

Also Hubbie will be the person applying, I will be the partner (the extra 5 point - though we don't need it)

 

Thanks for any info back.

 

I looked online with CPA and it takes 10 days to assess & costs $125 AUS - Just wondering now as Hubbie is the primary applicant do both of us need our qualifications assessed??

 

Thanks to all for the advice

 

AM

 

 

Hi there,

Assessment for migration purposes and membership with CPA or ICAA are two different things altogether.

As of 1 July 2010, those who require their skills assessed by any one of the accounting bodies must provide their IELTS results.

I did my studies in Australia (Bcom major in Accounting) and I had to take the bloody test to get my Australian degree assessed as suitable for migration purposes.

To meet the requirements for a nominated Australian and New Zealand standard classification of occupations (ANZSCO) code, prospective migrants must have:

 

 

1. a formal qualification (or qualifications) that is assessed as comparable to at least an Australian Bachelor degree according to Australian Education International National Office for Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR) and CPA Australia, and

2. met the English proficiency requirement

 

The qualification/s must cover at least nine of the following 12 core curriculum areas. Each nominated occupation has four mandatory core knowledge areas.

Work experience will not be accepted in lieu of formal qualifications.

To meet the English proficiency requirement you must have:

 

 

• an IELTS academic test report form is required showing a band score of at least seven (7) on each of the four (4) components – speaking, reading, listening and writing

 

Here is the link Migration assessment | About us - CPA Australia.

Hope it helps.

MOTO

[Guest rupani]

Hi,

 

IMHO you should be the primary applicant and appear for IELTS and send the docs for assessment and your OH should be the secondary applicant. This will help you in moving with your own pace.:smile:

 

Regards

[Guest 2Accountants]

Unfortunately, I cannot be the primary canditate!!, just realised when further reading last night that I cannot even add the 5 points as I haven't been working 12mths in the last 24mths!!,have everythg bar that , thankfully Hubbie has the 120 points on his own bat!.

 

Been looking through other applicants and the time frame for the 175 visa seems to be around 2 year give or take. Wondering should we look at the 176 or the Victoria state one ( not sure what no yet) but would be petrified that it would close out on Accountants and then we would drop to Cat 4! Also wouldn't have a clue how to go get a company to sponsor him.

 

Share your thought on this as we don't know what type to apply for?? we could really do with getting over there pronto as Hubbie now also unemployed and if he can't find anythg over next 10mths he will not qualify other.

 

We have looked at Visa for Canada but they are full for Acc't so getting a no answer there also.

 

Ta to all

[Shaz36]

Have you contacted a migration agent yet for advice? I used Go Matilda, and the MD is a chartered accountant so has good knowledge of the best options for accountants. His name is Alan Collett and he regularly posts on here, but if you contact Go Matilda, they will give an initial free consultation.

 

p.s I got my visa in 5 months, but that was back in Oct 2009, however, did get it quicker than some accountants who didnt use an agent.

[Guest 2Accountants]

Thanks Shaz, waiting on an agent in Ireland ( Liz O Hagan) to ring us now so hopefully we'll get some good advice!!

 

Have a friend who's also an Acct and thinking of going over too so she's going to contact her buddies over in Melbourne to see if they have any advice/know a co who would be willing to sponsor Hubbie, thks to all for your help and advice...its a real learning curve..everytime i log on to immi, you learn something new!

 

AM

[Pumpkin]

Thanks Shaz, waiting on an agent in Ireland ( Liz O Hagan) to ring us now so hopefully we'll get some good advice!!

 

Have a friend who's also an Acct and thinking of going over too so she's going to contact her buddies over in Melbourne to see if they have any advice/know a co who would be willing to sponsor Hubbie, thks to all for your help and advice...its a real learning curve..everytime i log on to immi, you learn something new!

 

AM

 

I think you should continue to pursue the skilled migrant route, sponsorship won't be easy to come by, there are plenty of accountants around as far as I can tell.

 

So you need to get moving on this, first thing is to get academic IELTS booked. After that apply for the skills assessment, I am just a little bit worried that he is not a full member, it used to be OK, but I am not sure if it changed recently. You could either just give it a go, or perhaps contact ICAA whilst you are waiting for the IELTS test and just ask them.

 

If you get a state sponsor the vis will be processed quicker, although it will be offset a little bit by the time it takes to get state sponsorship. Not having state sponsorship does not mean the application is category 4, it will be category 3. Unlikely accountants will be removed from schedule 3 in my opinion.

[gr8leo87]

I have done ACCA. I'm an an ACCA member not FCCA though.

 

ACCA membership is partially recognized by ICAA which mean a person who has done ACCA (has membership) will get suitable for migration assessment if he gets 7 bands in all the modules of IELTS.

 

Read through the ICAA website for requirement.

 

So basically IELTS 7s across the board + ACCA membership = Suitable migration assessment from ICAA. This is your first step for the application progress.

[gr8leo87]

BTW your hubby does not have to be a 'fellow' member. An associate membership should suffice to get positive skills assessment.

 

Can he use the designatory letters 'ACCA' in front of his name? Associate members can do that. If he can he is an associate member and should be able to get positive skills assessment.

 

BTW, your husband is also going to require a letter of good standing from ACCA. I suppose he has been paying subscription fees and complying with the CPD requirements all this time? Otherwise I am not too certain he would be able to obtain the letter of good standing.

[Guest Aquitaine]

Hi 2Accountant

I am sort of on the same boat as you....it has been a year since u posted so I wonder what is the update? Maybe your experience may help me out a bit here