Pathway to CPA Australia membership for Certified Management Accountants Canada members

In April 2008 Certified Management Accountants (CMA) Canada and CPA Australia entered into a mutual recognition agreement (MRA) to further develop the relationship between the two bodies and establish guidelines on how qualified members can gain reciprocal membership. Members of each body can be eligible to join the other body, and upon completion of additional studies can advance to CMA or CPA status.

The agreement enhances mobility within the accounting profession and identifies areas for mutually beneficial joint initiatives, and offers tremendous opportunities to members of both leading organisations, wherever they live.

Pathway to membership

The following steps demonstrate the pathway for CMA Canada members to become a CPA Australia member under the conditions of the MRA.

Step 1: determine eligibility

If you are a member of CMA Canada, you will be eligible to apply for CPA Australia membership if you:

• are a member of good standing and not under any investigation for professional conduct infringements
• hold a university degree accredited by CMA Canada and have successfully completed:
  • the Strategic Leadership Program
  • at least three years' supervised practical work experience
    or
• hold a non-accredited degree, recognised by the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR) as being at least equivalent to Australian bachelor degree level, and have successfully completed:
  • CMA Canada's entrance examination
  • the Strategic Leadership Program
  • at least three years' supervised practical work experience
    or
• do not a hold a degree, but  have at least 15 years' work experience, at least five years of which has been at a senior level,

and have successfully completed either:

• a subject in external audit as part of either a degree or as part of the Strategic Leadership Program
• Advanced Audit and Assurance as part of the CPA Program
• are not a member of CMA Canada by virtue of any other MRA

Step 2: complete application

Complete the application form below and submit it with the following:

• 100 points of identification (see application form)
• letter of good standing which contains the following information and can be obtained from a provincial or territorial CMA office: 
  • date joined CMA Canada
  • date advanced to CMA status
  • date that your current membership is paid to
  • confirming you are not a member of CMA Canada by virtue of another MRA
  • confirming you are not currently subject to any disciplinary sanctions or investigation and have not been subject to any disciplinary sanctions in the past five years
• certified true copies of university academic awards and transcripts
• admission and membership fee (see application form)
• change of name documentation (if applicable)

If you are applying for membership based on 15 years' experience, you must provide a workplace testimonial (see application form) from employer/s to confirm positions and periods of employment. Evidence of five years at a senior level needs to be included with this documentation.

Please ensure you provide an e-mail address with your application.

Step 3: submit application

Send your application to member advisory and information services at CPA Australia.

Step 4: processing of application

Your application will take approximately four weeks to process. If there are any queries about your application, a CPA Australia staff member will contact you.

If your application is successful, an e-mail will be sent to you informing you of your success. A welcome pack will follow by mail.

If your application is unsuccessful, a letter will be sent to you outlining the reasons why. We will provide advice about how you can meet CPA Australia's membership requirements.

Step 5: advance to CPA status

If you have not completed an external auditing subject as part of a degree or as part of the Strategic Leadership Program, you will be admitted as an Associate member and will be required to complete the Advanced Audit and Assurance CPA Program segment. 

When you have completed this segment you will advance to CPA status. A CPA certificate will follow by mail and the designatory letters CPA can be used.

Continuing professional development

Once you are a member of CPA Australia your obligations are to undertake CPA Australia's requirements in the following areas:

• continuing professional development (CPD)*
• professional conduct
• professional assurance
• professional standards

*Completion of CPA Australia's CPD requirements will also satisfy CMA Canada's CPD requirements. You will be required to report annually to both CMA Canada and CPA Australia.

Public practice

Please note the MRA does not include rights for CMA Canada members to conduct public accounting services, sign audited financial statements or act as a taxation agent in Australia.

If you wish to offer public accounting services in Australia (including book keeping services) you will need to fulfil the minimum enrolment requirements to obtain a Practising Certificate (Public Practice Certificate), which is issued by CPA Australia.

The minimum requirements to obtain a Public Practice Certificate include:

• completion of examinations approved by the CPA Australia Board in the subjects of Australian company law, taxation and audit procedures; (note the CPA Program Foundation Program - Fundamentals of Business Law exam is not a substitute for Australian company law);

• CPA Program Taxation or Advanced Taxation exam;

• Public Practice Program (distance learning program and residential); and
  relevant Australian work experience.

Additional requirements are prescribed by Australian regulators for members wishing to offer taxation, financial planning or insolvency services.