Yes, a person can pursue the Chartered Accountant (CA) qualification after completing the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). While ACCA is a globally recognized qualification, pursuing a local CA (such as ICAI in India) offers statutory signing authority and deep expertise in local laws, creating a powerful,, high-earning, and flexible, dual-qualified profile.
Use your ACCA membership to become a CA. If you're a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) who gained membership through a professional pathway program you may be eligible to apply for CA ANZ membership. The pathway to CA ANZ membership for an ACCA member is straightforward.
To become a chartered accountant with the ACCA, you must complete three years of professional experience. You have to achieve nine Essentials and four or more Options performance objectives during this time. These objectives relate back to areas of the ACCA syllabus, putting your technical knowledge into practice.
CA inter students are eligible for five ACCA exemptions. Only after passing both CA IPCC groups can you take advantage of these exemptions. Business and Technology (BT), Management Accounting (MA), Financial Accounting (FA), Taxation (TX), and Audit and Assurance (AA) are among the exempt disciplines.
Initial Salary Advantage:
CA professionals typically earn ₹6-8 lakhs annually at entry level, slightly ahead of ACCA holders at ₹5-7 lakhs.
Is ACCA harder than CA? Generally, CA is considered tougher because of its very low pass rates and lengthy articleship requirement in India. ACCA has a more flexible exam structure, on-demand exam options for early levels, and modular progression.
All Big 4 accountancy firms – Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG – are active recruiters of ACCA-affiliated accountants. Choice often depends on your interest area: audit, consulting, tax, or advisory.
CPA Canada used to have a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with the ACCA, but that ended in 2021. So, there's no longer a direct shortcut to transfer your ACCA to a Canadian CPA. However, being an ACCA member means your education and experience already meet the entry requirements for the CPA Canada program.
A qualified CA receives 9 exemptions. So, qualified CA's are required to attempt only 4 papers of professional level in ACCA.
Pursuing ACCA after CA: Is it beneficial? If someone is considering what to pursue after CA to strengthen their financial career, ACCA is a highly valuable choice. It is especially beneficial for professionals aiming to work with multinational firms or explore opportunities abroad.
Individuals who describe themselves as Chartered Certified Accountants must be members of ACCA and if they carry out public practice engagements, must comply with additional regulations such as holding a practising certificate, carrying liability insurance and submitting to inspections.
In this blog, we have addressed the most asked questions about the ACCA qualification like, can you finish ACCA in 2 years? On average, it takes two to three years to prepare for all 13 exam papers, but you may earn the qualification in 18 months if you focus on the major eight.
Both courses are well-recognized and prestigious and serve the purpose of accounting aspirants, especially if they want to pursue an international career. ACCA is globally recognized, while CPA is more relevant in the US market.
The starting pay for a fresh ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) student in India is INR 5.5–11 lakhs per year while the senior positions can offer INR 19–30 lakhs per year.
An individual seeking the CPA designation that has foreign education credentials, including the ACCA qualification, must have that education evaluated by a foreign credential evaluation service in order to determine how many credits will count towards sitting the Uniformed CPA Examination.
9.1 Any conditional exemption(s) awarded by ACCA has an expiry date and a failure to convert the award to a full exemption within the required timeframe will result in the expiry of the awarded conditional exemption(s).
That's because the ACCA and CA both are accounting and finance-based qualifications and have some common subjects. So, if you want to pursue CA after ACCA, you don't have to repeat those subjects.
The typical duration for ACCA is 2–3 years, depending on exemptions, study pace, and exam planning. Class 12 students may take 3–3.5 years, while CA Inter and commerce graduates complete it faster.
Applied Skills ACCA exam order
For most students, Audit Assurance is generally considered to be the toughest paper, especially at this level. For the Applied Skills exams, along with Performance Management, this is the subject that I get the most queries about.
The ACCA qualification offers a pathway to become a Chartered Certified Accountant with international recognition. While ACCA members are undoubtedly Chartered Accountants, it's crucial for individuals and businesses to understand the nuances between ACCA and other national CA qualifications.
- Is ACCA more difficult than CFA? No, the CFA qualification tends to be considered slightly more difficult than ACCA - but this is to some extent a subjective matter, differing from person to person. Many people don't make it through the three levels of CFA because of the time required to finish the course.
USA academic partnerships. For our members, universities in the USA will not grant credit towards completed ACCA coursework. There are no expedited routes of study for ACCA members.
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) plans to discontinue remote examinations from March 2026, reported the Financial Times. The move will mean most candidates must return to in-person exam centres, as the organisation responds to increasing instances of exam misconduct.
An ACCA Member is someone who has completed all the academic and practical requirements of ACCA qualification, including the relevant work experience and approval of membership application. ACCA members are considered fully qualified professionals in the finance and accounting sector.
Both CA and ACCA are esteemed qualifications with distinct focuses and benefits. While CA is a perfect fit for those interested in accounting and auditing in India, ACCA is meant for finance enthusiasts with a global perspective.