01-23-2009, 07:35 AM
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, san" id="quote">quote<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Toronto_Boy</i>
<br />Dear rabia-k
You asked, âi have heard that ACCA's can also work in BIG 4's in USA. do we have to sit for any CPA exams??? any1 any 1 having any idea about this ???.â
Well, you have to understand first the difference between working in Big 4 as Staff Accountant or Audit Manager and signing off audit report, and preference given by employers in Big4, public accounting and industry. Just working as Staff Accountant/ Audit Manager and signing audit reports are two different things. In USA and Canada both, any one can work in Big4 as a part of audit team in capacity of Staff Accountant/ Audit Manager as a regular employee of the firm for rest of the life, but canât sign audited financials/ report unless he/she is a member of AICPA/ CICA/ CGA in respective jurisdictions. Any of graduate of accounting and other business degrees and other non-recognized members of other foreign accounting associations including CAs (of ICAP) and ACCAs can get the job in these capacities in Big4 or other public accounting firms as well as in industry. But, usually due to stern competition, un-awareness and non-recognition of foreign qualifications by employers and various other reasons, in both public accounting and industry, employers usually do not prefer less qualified, non-recognized, non-designated by local associations employees, first to hire and then to consider later for internal promotions. Therefore, to avoid these obstacles, employees consider achieving local designations through MRAs, exemptions, and even by starting over again from scratch in case of Pakistani designations.
Specifically speaking, ACCA can work in Big4 in USA, as I have explained in above para, but cannot sign audited financials/ report. Moreover, as far as I know, at-least State Board of Accounting of Colorado accepts ACCA for satisfaction of educational requirements for exams/ license both. There are some other requirements also. Please visit their website for other details. Further, a candidate for CPA exams would have to go to USA. Also, please search this forum for âCPAâ.
Last words for all. Neither my car is better than your car kind of discussion is taking readers specially students anywhere, nor repetition of same ideas in different words is serving any purpose. All qualifications are good and have their pros and cons. Life and circumstances are dynamic, and it is upto the individual how he uses his qualification in ever changing situations. There is no perfect solution available for all situations.
Regards
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Just to add to Toronto boys post here I personally know Pakistani ACAs and Pakistani ACCAs (meaning trained in Pakistan) working in Big 4 accountancy firms in UAE, Saudi, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Australia, US, UK, Channel Islands, Luxembourg, Canada and ofcourse others in the industry in these countries and Jordan, South Africa etc. Pick up ICAP's member's directory and see the names of people in these countries plus another dozen, may be more. Similar is the case for ACCAs, it does not make a difference what qualification you have (in the long run) you have to make a mark on the world, your mark. One qualification may be preferred in a country for legal and historic reasons.
<br />Dear rabia-k
You asked, âi have heard that ACCA's can also work in BIG 4's in USA. do we have to sit for any CPA exams??? any1 any 1 having any idea about this ???.â
Well, you have to understand first the difference between working in Big 4 as Staff Accountant or Audit Manager and signing off audit report, and preference given by employers in Big4, public accounting and industry. Just working as Staff Accountant/ Audit Manager and signing audit reports are two different things. In USA and Canada both, any one can work in Big4 as a part of audit team in capacity of Staff Accountant/ Audit Manager as a regular employee of the firm for rest of the life, but canât sign audited financials/ report unless he/she is a member of AICPA/ CICA/ CGA in respective jurisdictions. Any of graduate of accounting and other business degrees and other non-recognized members of other foreign accounting associations including CAs (of ICAP) and ACCAs can get the job in these capacities in Big4 or other public accounting firms as well as in industry. But, usually due to stern competition, un-awareness and non-recognition of foreign qualifications by employers and various other reasons, in both public accounting and industry, employers usually do not prefer less qualified, non-recognized, non-designated by local associations employees, first to hire and then to consider later for internal promotions. Therefore, to avoid these obstacles, employees consider achieving local designations through MRAs, exemptions, and even by starting over again from scratch in case of Pakistani designations.
Specifically speaking, ACCA can work in Big4 in USA, as I have explained in above para, but cannot sign audited financials/ report. Moreover, as far as I know, at-least State Board of Accounting of Colorado accepts ACCA for satisfaction of educational requirements for exams/ license both. There are some other requirements also. Please visit their website for other details. Further, a candidate for CPA exams would have to go to USA. Also, please search this forum for âCPAâ.
Last words for all. Neither my car is better than your car kind of discussion is taking readers specially students anywhere, nor repetition of same ideas in different words is serving any purpose. All qualifications are good and have their pros and cons. Life and circumstances are dynamic, and it is upto the individual how he uses his qualification in ever changing situations. There is no perfect solution available for all situations.
Regards
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Just to add to Toronto boys post here I personally know Pakistani ACAs and Pakistani ACCAs (meaning trained in Pakistan) working in Big 4 accountancy firms in UAE, Saudi, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Australia, US, UK, Channel Islands, Luxembourg, Canada and ofcourse others in the industry in these countries and Jordan, South Africa etc. Pick up ICAP's member's directory and see the names of people in these countries plus another dozen, may be more. Similar is the case for ACCAs, it does not make a difference what qualification you have (in the long run) you have to make a mark on the world, your mark. One qualification may be preferred in a country for legal and historic reasons.
