Accounting Skill Assessment Requirements - CPA Australia
Accounting is one of the most sought after pathways in Australia for immigrants to settle in. Australia provides clear pathways for accounting professionals to become one. Mostly all pathways will cross through one migration assessment and a detailed review of qualifications, ensuring that applicants meet the high standards required by the industry.
Australia offers three main pathways for overseas accountants, each leading to a respected professional designation. The first pathway, through CPA Australia, paves the way to becoming a Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA). The second, via Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), guides professionals toward the esteemed Chartered Accountant (CA) title. Lastly, the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) provides a route to recognized membership as a Public Accountant, affirming your expertise in the field.
Both CA ANZ and IPA have similar competency requirements. This common framework ensures that candidates’ accounting skills and practical experience are uniformly evaluated to meet Australian occupational standards.
Check CA ANZ competency requirements here.
Check IPA Competency requirements here.
Test scores are valid for three years from the test date, and note that only ‘at-home’ or ‘online’ tests are not accepted.
See the current fee structure here.
See the current fee structure here.
See the current fee structure here.
An administration fee applies for application withdrawals or reissuing a previous outcome.If you withdraw before any work is done, only an administration fee is charged. Once preliminary work has begun, assessment fees are non-refundable.
These times exclude weekends, public holidays, and office closure periods. If additional documentation is requested, the processing clock resets once the required details are provided.
Assessments to Become an Accountant in Australia
While it might seem like a long checklist at first, these assessments are really more like guided stepping stones that gauge your suitability for the role and ensure you meet the performance demands and high standards necessary to excel as an accounting professional. CPA Australia’s exams are designed to mirror the real challenges you’ll face in the field.Skills Assessment: Requirements, Fee Structure, and Processing Time
CPA Australia offers a range of skills assessment services, including a full skills assessment that evaluates educational qualifications and English language proficiency. In addition, they provide an optional skilled employment assessment, which is available only if the applicant has received a ‘suitable’ outcome in the full skills assessment. CPA, CA ANZ, and IPA conduct migration skills assessments for accounting professionals, ensuring that their qualifications are comparable to Australian standards. Their qualification assessment evaluates educational credentials against the Australian Qualification Framework and verifies coverage of mandatory competency areas. These assessments are a key requirement for meeting the Department of Home Affairs criteria for skilled migration to Australia.Comparing Migration Assessment Bodies for Accountants
The table below highlights what each body represents and the specific accounting occupations they cover, helping you determine the assessment authority that best aligns with your professional needs.| Criteria | CPA Australia | CA ANZ | IPA |
| Meaning | CPA Australia is a professional accounting body representing Certified Practising Accountants in Australia. | CA ANZ is the professional body representing Chartered Accountants in Australia and New Zealand. | The Institute of Public Accountants is a professional accounting body representing public accountants in Australia. |
| Purpose | Provides migration skills assessments to verify educational qualifications and assess competency for skilled migration to Australia. | ||
| Occupations Covered | • Accountant (general) – 221111 • Corporate treasurer – 221212 • External auditor – 221213 • Finance manager – 132211 • Management accountant – 221112 • Taxation accountant – 221113 | ||
Common Assessment criteria for CPA, CA ANZ and IPA
Professional accounting bodies require candidates to meet key standards for migration, including degree equivalence and core competency coverage. CPA Australia, CA ANZ, and IPA share common requirements that verify both educational and practical accounting skills. Below are the most important criteria these bodies use in their assessments.1. Degree Comparability for CPA Assessment
To meet CPA requirements, you must hold a qualification equivalent to at least an Australian bachelor’s degree.2. Essential Educational Competencies
Below is a summary outlining the mandatory competencies assessed for degree comparability, based on your chosen occupation.| Accountant (general) – 221111,Corporate treasurer – 221212,Finance manager – 132211,Management accountant – 221112 | Taxation accountant – 221113 | External auditor – 221213 |
| Accounting Systems and Processes | Accounting Systems and Processes | Accounting Systems and Processes |
| Business Law | Australian Taxation Law* | Audit and Assurance |
| Economics | Business Law | Business Law |
| Financial Accounting and Reporting | Economics | Economics |
| Finance and Financial Management | Financial Accounting and Reporting | Financial Accounting and Reporting |
| Management Accounting | Finance and Financial Management | Finance and Financial Management |
| Quantitative Methods | Management Accounting | Management Accounting |
| Quantitative Methods | Quantitative Methods |
3.English Language Proficiency Requirements
All applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency. This can be achieved by completing a recognized program or by submitting scores from approved tests. If you have completed the Accounting Professional Year Program, you’ll need to provide your program completion certificate and transcript. Otherwise, you can choose from a range of English tests, each with specific minimum score requirements for full skills assessments. The language requirements for CA ANZ and IPA assessments are similar.| Test | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
| Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) | 185 | 185 | 185 | 185 |
| IELTS Academic | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| PTE Academic | 65 | 65 | 65 | 65 |
| TOEFL iBT | 24 | 24 | 27 | 23 |
Fee Structure of the Assessment
Fees vary based on your location (onshore, offshore, or in Singapore). The fee structure provided below is applicable as of March 2025 and is subject to change in the future.IPA Fee Structure
| Description | Onshore Applicants (AUD) | Offshore Applicants (AUD) | Applicants in Singapore (effective 1 January 2024) (AUD) |
| Skills assessment application | $545 | $495 | $540 |
| Skills assessment and skilled employment assessment application | $600 | $545 | $594 |
| Skills assessment (additional ANZSCO code) | $250 | $227 | $247 |
| Skilled employment assessment | $250 | $227 | $247 |
| Skills assessment and skilled employment assessment application (additional ANZSCO code) | $340 | $309 | $337 |
| Skills assessment update | $180 | $164 | $179 |
| Skilled employment assessment update | $180 | $164 | $179 |
| Skills assessment update and skilled employment assessment | $340 | $309 | $337 |
| Skills assessment appeal | $180 | $164 | $179 |
| Skilled employment assessment appeal | $180 | $164 | $179 |
| Skills assessment appeal and skilled employment assessment | $340 | $309 | $337 |
| Fast Track skills assessment application | $650 | $590 | $643 |
| Fast Track skills assessment (additional ANZSCO code) | $300 | $273 | $298 |
| Skills assessment administration fee (withdraw application or reissue of the previous outcome) | $80 | $73 | $80 |
CA ANZ Fee Structure
| Assessment Type | Fees |
| Qualification assessment only – Standard processing time | $560 |
| Qualification assessment only – Express processing time | $660 |
| Skilled employment assessment only – Standard processing time* | $260 |
| Skilled employment assessment only – Express processing time* | $360 |
| Combined assessment (Qualification AND Skilled employment) | $620 |
| Reassessment (Qualification OR Skilled employment) | $180 |
| Reassessment (Qualification AND Skilled employment) | $360 |
| Internal review – review of the decision (Qualification OR Skilled employment) | $180 |
| Internal review – review of the decision (Qualification AND Skilled employment) | $360 |
| Administration fee for withdrawal request | $90 |
IPA Fee Structure
| Categories | $AUD |
| Priority Service | $795 |
| Standard Service | $595 |
| Skilled Employment^ | $300 |
| Priority Skilled Employment | $795 |
| Standard GSM upgrade* | $180 |
| Priority GSM upgrade* | $550 |
| Qualification reassessment within 12 months | $235 |
| Qualification reassessment over 12 months | $595 |
| Priority reassessment | $795 |
| Review | $235 |
| Administration Fee | $90 |
Documents needed for Skills Assessment Application
- Personal Identification:
- Passport (photo page) or national ID card
- Evidence of name change (if applicable)
- English Language Proficiency:
- Accounting Professional Year Program completion certificate and transcript, or
- Recognized English language test results
- Academic Qualifications:
- Official academic awards/degree certificates
- Official academic transcripts (with translations if not in English)
- Cryptographically signed PDF copies (via My eQuals) if available
- Professional Qualifications (if applicable):
- Official membership certificates
- Examination results and transcripts
- Non-Accredited Qualification Syllabus (if applicable):
- Official syllabus or a statutory declaration with a detailed subject summary
- Chinese Degree Verification (if applicable):
- Authorized verification report with an official English translation
- Skilled Employment Documents (if applicable):
- Complete documentation as specified on the skilled employment webpage
- Third-Party Authorisation Form (if applicable):
- Signed form for applications submitted by a third party
Processing Time
Processing times for assessments are indicative and may vary based on application volume and the completeness of submitted documentation.CPA Processing time
| Method | Time |
| Standard processing times | Approximately 20 business days |
| Fast Track processing times (applicable to full skills assessments and additional ANZSCO code applications only) | Approximately 8 business days |
CA ANZ Processing time
| Assessment Type | Processing Time |
| Qualification assessment only – Standard processing time | 10 business days |
| Qualification assessment only – Express processing time | 5 business days |
| Skilled employment assessment only – Standard processing time* | 15 business days |
| Skilled employment assessment only – Express processing time* | 10 business days |
| Combined assessment (Qualification AND Skilled employment) | 20 business days |
| Reassessment (Qualification OR Skilled employment) | 10 business days |
| Reassessment (Qualification AND Skilled employment) | 15 business days |
| Internal review – review of the decision (Qualification OR Skilled employment) | 10 business days |
| Internal review – review of the decision (Qualification AND Skilled employment) | 15 business days |
| Administration fee for withdrawal request | 2 business days |
IPA Processing time
| Application Type | Processing Time |
| Priority Applications | 1-2 business days |
| Standard Applications | 7 business days (indicative; subject to change) |
