Comments on: UK Accounting Certifications vs US Accounting Certifications

By: Gem Scott

Gem Scott — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:01:00 +0000

Please could you tell me what the American conversion is for financial accounting modules as I’ve just moved to America and I don’t seem to be googling the right things! Thanks

By: Joanne1404

Joanne1404 — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:03:00 +0000

Hi,

I’ve just obtain my ACCA certificate in Singapore but I will be moving to Korea shortly.
My certificate is not recognized there, do you know what qualification can I obtain to be a CPA there?

By: Commie B

Commie B — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:20:00 +0000

You sign up for the membership at the ACCA or ICAEW if you want to sit for their exams. You can sit for their exams – what degree you have is rather irrelevant with most European Accounting Institutions.

If you have these certificates, you can find a job in most countries outside the US.

By: Kaushik

Kaushik — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:39:00 +0000

CIMA prepares a toddler to be accountant with their long drawn useless study whereas CMA, US is more matured qualification suited for those who serious about making career in accounting. It has orientation towards real-life problem solving. That’s why it has 72% marks for passing. CIMA is lengthy and easier to pass.

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 05:36:00 +0000

Hi,
I was told that us accounting degrees are not really recognized in countries such as Singapore,Australia , and Malaysia. So after I’ve obtained my degree in accounting in university in US, how can I proceed to take my professional qualifications such a’s ACCA, CA and so on?
The main question is, will I be allowed to sit for these exams? And lastly, will I be able to get a job if I were to opt for working in oher countries other than US itself?

By: Accountant guy

Accountant guy — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:46:00 +0000

CPA Uk is not recognized in the UK as a qualifying body. They also don’t have IFAC membership. They are as good as printing your own certificate. They rely on the recognized CPA US title but they don’t have any authority. They have faced few legal battles because of this but still in business. I wouldn’t give them two cents.

By: Nice Guy

Nice Guy — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:39:00 +0000

CMA Australia is just a two week seminar so it doesn’t hurt but nothing compared to a full fledge designation like CPA Australia that requires the completion of 13 exams. Same thing ACCA or CIMA.

SPAC is non designated body in Canada, which means that you can use it to call yourself accountant but it is not recognized by provincial governments as a full fledge designation. Most SPAC members are self employed accountants that do not work in public accounting and just need a label to add to their business cards. However, if you put this in your resume, no employer would know what SPAC is.

By: jus a guy

jus a guy — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:33:00 +0000

CFC Canada, CIAT Canada, CMA Australia are useless certifications as they come from non recognized bodies. However, your degree in accounting is the only that matters to immigration. However, if you immigrate to Canada, you would need to start from scratch as none of your credentials come from an IFAC member body.

By: ex Australia CMA

ex Australia CMA — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:30:00 +0000

Not point of comparison. Can you compare a two week seminar with a brutal set of 8 -12 exams? Not really, CMA requires only a two week seminar while CIMA a set of exams. CMA US also requires a set of exams that cannot be exempted by taking a two week seminar.

CMA Australia is a private organization with no government recognition. Their paper is as good as printing your own CMA from your computer. It just states that you completed a two week seminar and now you are certified management accountants.

Immigration Australia does not recognize CMAs nor the other three recognized Accounting bodies ICCA, CPA and IPA. Anything besides these 3 bodies is just paper.

By: ex CMA Australia

ex CMA Australia — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:25:00 +0000

Not much, I was a member of CMA Australia and nobody in industry or government accepted it. However, I work in Canada so this might not be the best place to use the certification.

By: ExCMAAustralia

ExCMAAustralia — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:23:00 +0000

CMA Australia has no goverment recognition in Australia unlike CMA Canada or CIMA UK. They compare more to the CMA US as they are meant to be certifications for accountants without any formal government recognition (e.g. CPA).
The CMA Australia only consists in two exams in management accounting after degree, this is nothing compared with the 8-13 papers with CIMA or the brutal entrance exam with CMA Canada or CPA US. CMA Australia also offers 2 weeks seminars that can allow you exempt exams.

CMA Australia is meant to be an extra certification for CPA, ACCAs, etc but not really meant to be a full fledge accounting designation like CIMA or CPA.

CMA Australia is not a member of IFAC and not recognized by the government.Which basically means that is just a private certification like CFE, CIA, etc without much recognition besides showing some knowledge in management accounting

By: Just a guy

Just a guy — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:15:00 +0000

SPAC has almost no recognition in Canada besides being able to sign as a passport as guarantor. The Canadian accounting designations will merge and this will make SPAC almost invisible.
ICMA Australia has decided not join IFAC. I regret this decision and for this reason decided not to continue my memberhsip with them.
ICMA claims that they will negotiate MRAs with CIMA, CMA Canada, etc but I really doubt this can be possible without IFAC’s membership.
I would recommend looking at IPA in Australia, they have IFAC’s membership and they have some nice MRAs with India and South Africa. They seem to be moving in the right direction and their program is also management oriented.