Australia’s major accounting bodies have acted to ease the accountant shortage by establishing a skilled migration internship program.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (ICAA), CPA Australia, and the National Institute of Accountants designed the program.
The program lasts for one year and combines 300 hours of formal study at an accredited training institute such as a university and 300 hours of work experience.
It is made to ensure that skilled migrants in accounting have the skills to communicate in the workplace and to find jobs in the profession.
The associations expect to gain the Federal Government’s approval for the program by the end of March.
“Once approved we [the bodies] will issue a request to all providers of training in this area to apply to be accredited to offer the program,” ICAA general manager for the chartered accountants program Sheena Frenkel.
The providers will determine the fees for the course.
“The shortage of skilled accountants remains the biggest challenge for our members,” Frenkel said.
“We have a much bigger demand and an almost static supply. It is taking three months to fill an accounting vacancy.”
The demand for accounting roles has risen from 300 points in 2004, to 602.81 in February 2008 according to the Oliver Job Index for Accounting.
