i would like to knw which qualification is most accepted by employers in dubai ... ACA (ICAEW) or CPA(US)?

Posted by sam

UK’s Association of Chartered Accountants accreditation hits Dubai

by Paul Clarke 6 November 2007 12 comments

Dubai accountants are to be offered the chance to earn the British ACA accreditation locally for the first time.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) reckons rapid expansion in the Gulf has driven an increased need for qualified accountants, which has prompted it to set up shop in the region.

So far, the ICAEW has been in talks with the Gulf branches of the big four accounting firms – KPMG, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young and Deloitte – but says investment banks could still benefit from a surge in ACA qualifications.

“The tendency here is for investment banks to poach accountants from the big four once they have been trained, and then pay them a lot more money,” says Jonathan Worrell, international business development manager at the ICAEW.

Until now, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the US’s Certified Public Accountant (CPA) have been the favoured qualifications in the area, but the ACA hopes to muscle in on the market. There are currently 500 people in the Gulf who hold an ACA.

Worrell says that having a presence on the ground shouldn’t deter firms from recruiting internationally: “There is a real shortage of good quality people within this region, and from speaking to the firms, they are looking all over the world to try and get the good people in. However, hopefully this will encourage people to train locally.”

Comments (12)

  1. Last week’s meeting between Queen Elizabeth, King Abdullah, and Gordon Brown was all-over the news. Why? The bloodshed in Iraq, Iran’s nuclear ambitions,the Turkish-Kurdish border tensions…among other vital issues that included investments in islamic insurance, Audit&Risk review matters, and Saudi investments in UK’s real estates and foreign assets invested in Gilts. The meeting was described as friendly and all-smiles.
    As for the ACA, it still has along way to go to surpass the age-old CPA which many pro accountants and auditors seek throughout their careers. For some, it’s much better to earn a master of accountancy from Cambridge for instance than to seek an ACA. You will get the chance to enjoy the cloudy skies and eat fish and chips. But remember, nowadays the trend is in trading and investment banking and not in accounting and audit, because the two cannot be combined!.

  2. i think that icaew is a leadership qualification in the field of accounting and finance.it provids good opportunity in the world. lastly it is heart of finance.acca is a way of finance.

  3. I don’t know why e-financial career, a very respectable site, allows somebody to have such a racist message to be posted. Somebody with the name ‘Arabs suck’ has posted the above message.

  4. I have interviewed many Indian CAs, many of them dont have stuff either in Finance or in Accounting. Indian CA is of no use in International markets and it is much hiped course in India.

  5. I am a graduate of Financial Economics wanting to embark on a financial career, but majority of employers offer the acca or cima. I would want to do ACA,but not many employers provide this opportunity. PLEASE, if any one has been in my place in the past let me know wat to do. Thanks.

  6. hi Asad

    check the ICAEW website for ACA student, it gives you the list of firm offering ACA in your area.

    hope that was useful info.

  8. salams..yes i was pushed 2 d same juncture after having decided on pursuing with the icaew qualification..
    but now I am being offered a training arrangement with BDO in Dubai to sign the ICAEW Training agreement.
    Please note..I am from Sri Lanka.

    ICAEW IS THEEEEE BEST ACCOUNTING QUALIFICATION ONE COULD HAVEE QUALIFIED WITH..

  11. i would comment on MR.SURESH coments dated (10dec 2007) how dare he comments on indian CAs…& use words like stuff…this utter nonsense on his part…indian CAs r the best…most of the big positions in international world r occupied by indian CAs…..so jus take care…ok

  12. i would like to knw which qualification is most accepted by employers in dubai … ACA (ICAEW) or CPA(US)?

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