CA (Chartered Accountant) — CA ANZ
Premier Australian chartered-accountant designation with Big-4 audit-firm preference and ASX-corporate-finance career path. Strong international portability via MRAs.
Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links.
Visit Official Site →Founded
2014 (CA ANZ unified body; predecessor ICAA from 1928)
HQ
Sydney, NSW, Australia (and Wellington, NZ)
Accreditation
CA ANZ is one of the three professional accounting bodies recognised under the Australian Corporations Act for general accounting practice. Registered Company Auditor (RCA) status — required for ASIC audit signoff — is a separate ASIC registration available to CA, CPA Australia, and IPA members meeting experience requirements.
Target Audience
Aspiring Australian and NZ chartered accountants, Big-4 audit-firm trainees, future audit partners, corporate finance / industry CFOs at ASX-listed entities.
Key Features
- CA Program: 5 technical modules (Risk & Tech, Audit & Risk, Financial Accounting & Reporting, Management Accounting & Applied Finance, Taxation) + Capstone
- Three-year Mentored Practical Experience (MPE) — 60 days of accounting experience verified by CA mentor
- Capstone integrated case-study assessment
- Audit signoff via Registered Company Auditor (RCA) registration with ASIC — separate, post-CA gate requiring 3,000+ hours of audit experience
- ~135,000 CA ANZ members across Australia and New Zealand
- MRA with ICAEW, ICAS, CAI (Ireland), CPA Canada, HKICPA, ICAI (India), SAICA (South Africa)
How to Get This Certification
Prerequisites
Approved degree (CA-accredited bachelor's degree in accounting OR equivalent) + employment with CA ANZ Approved Training Employer.
Accreditation: CA ANZ is one of the three professional accounting bodies recognised under the Australian Corporations Act for general accounting practice. Registered Company Auditor (RCA) status — required for ASIC audit signoff — is a separate ASIC registration available to CA, CPA Australia, and IPA members meeting experience requirements.
Why Get Certified — ROI
Salary Impact
CA ANZ-qualified in Australia: AUD$80,000-$110,000 newly qualified; AUD$120,000-$170,000 mid-career senior accountant / manager; AUD$220,000-$500,000+ audit partner / industry CFO (Hays Australia 2025 + Robert Half Australia Salary Guide).
Career Benefits
- What makes this stand out
- Premier Australian chartered-accountant designation with Big-4 audit-firm preference and ASX-corporate-finance career path. Strong international portability via MRAs.
- Industry recognition
- CA ANZ is one of the three professional accounting bodies recognised under the Australian Corporations Act for general accounting practice. Registered Company Auditor (RCA) status — required for ASIC audit signoff — is a separate ASIC registration available to CA, CPA Australia, and IPA members meeting experience requirements.
Who Should Get This Certification
Ideal for:
- Aspiring Australian and NZ chartered accountants
- Big-4 audit-firm trainees
- future audit partners
- corporate finance / industry CFOs at ASX-listed entities.
Consider alternatives if:
- Requires Approved Training Employer (ATE) — limits employer flexibility for self-directed candidates
- Cost is high (AUD$11,000-15,000) if self-funded
Pricing
Pricing varies.
Weaknesses
- Requires Approved Training Employer (ATE) — limits employer flexibility for self-directed candidates
- Cost is high (AUD$11,000-15,000) if self-funded
- RCA status is a separate, harder gate for audit signoff
- CA vs CPA Australia rivalry can confuse career choice for early-career accountants
Markets Served
Australia, New Zealand
Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links.
Compare with Similar Certifications
CPA Australia
More flexible than CA ANZ — does not require Approved Training Employer; can be completed by employe
IPA (Institute of Public Accountants Australia)
Third recognised Australian accounting body; lower-cost pathway with SME-practice focus. Combined IP