Nepali Accountants: The Pathway to Migrating to Australia

Three assessing bodies — CPA Australia, CA ANZ, IPA

Three professional accounting bodies are approved by the Department of Home Affairs to run the migration skills assessment for accounting occupations: CPA Australia (Certified Practising Accountants of Australia), Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), and the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA). All three are recognised equally for migration purposes — none is inherently the 'better' choice, and the assessment outcome for a given ANZSCO code carries the same visa-relevant weight regardless of which body you use.

The assessment checks that your degree provides adequate coverage of the required competency areas — including specific accounting, finance and quantitative-methods units the body considers core — and, depending on the ANZSCO code, may require evidence of relevant work experience. Nominate the specific accounting ANZSCO code your assessment is for (commonly 221111 Accountant General, 221213 Management Accountant, or 221214 Taxation Accountant) — the code should match the role you actually intend to work in.

ICAN recognition: a separate, faster professional-membership route

If you're a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nepal (ICAN), it's worth knowing this is distinct from the migration skills assessment. CA ANZ's International Pathway Program recognises ICAN, alongside the equivalent bodies in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, offering members in good standing (generally requiring 5 or more years of full CA membership) a faster route into CA ANZ professional membership than the standard qualification route.

This is a professional-membership benefit, not a substitute for the migration skills assessment itself — you may still need the standard CA ANZ (or CPA Australia, or IPA) migration assessment for your visa application, so confirm directly with CA ANZ how the two processes interact for your specific situation before assuming one covers the other.

Fees and processing time

As at 2026, indicative assessment fees are: CPA Australia around AUD $514 (offshore) to $565, CA ANZ around AUD $560 (CA ANZ full members are exempt from the assessment fee), and IPA around AUD $545–600, with a faster-processing option typically priced higher. All three publish their own current fee schedule — confirm the live figure before applying, since these move periodically.

CPA Australia currently quotes a standard processing time of around 15 business days for a qualification assessment, with a faster option available for eligible applications. Processing times for CA ANZ and IPA are broadly comparable but should be checked on each body's own current page. All three bodies only accept English test results from an approved in-person test centre for the qualification assessment.

Visa options for accountants

Accounting occupations sit on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), giving access to the points-tested subclass 189 (Skilled Independent), 190 (Skilled Nominated) and 491 (Skilled Work Regional) visas. They also sit on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), governing the employer-sponsored subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) and the subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme.

Accounting has historically been treated as a 'pro-rata' occupation by Home Affairs, meaning invitations for the points-tested visas are managed on a schedule the Department sets rather than issued in a single large batch — a processing-administration fact, not a comment on any individual applicant's chances. Check the current occupation-ceiling arrangements on the live SkillSelect and occupation-list pages rather than assuming last year's position still applies.

No licensing board — but membership still matters professionally

Unlike nursing, medicine or law, there's no government licensing board you must register with to work as an accountant in Australia. Once your skills assessment is positive and your visa is granted, you can start work without a further registration step.

That said, ongoing professional-body membership (CPA, CA, or IPA designation) still matters commercially — many Australian employers and clients expect it — and it's a separate track from the migration assessment with its own study, examination and experience requirements. Plan for this as a career step after your visa is settled, not a visa prerequisite.

English language requirements

There's no separate professional-body English standard for accountants the way there is for nursing or teaching — the requirement sits with the visa subclass. For the points-tested visas (189, 190, 491), Competent English is the baseline: IELTS 6.0 in each band, or the equivalent PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT or Cambridge score. A higher score directly strengthens your EOI profile, since it's one of the more controllable factors through focused test preparation.

Separately, CPA Australia, CA ANZ and IPA all require an approved in-person English test result as part of the qualification assessment itself — in practice, you'll generally sit one English test and use the result for both the assessment and the visa application, provided it remains within each body's current validity window.

Verifying your Nepali documents

Whichever assessing body you use, expect to submit academic transcripts, degree certificates, and (depending on the ANZSCO code) employment references. Nepali academic documents generally need to be stamped by Nepal's Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, then legalised by the Department of Consular Services at Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before they're accepted as verifiable evidence.

If you're relying on ICAN membership alongside a university degree, provide the full professional-body registration history — assessing bodies generally want the complete picture, not just the base degree. A MARA-registered migration agent can help confirm which of the three assessing bodies and which visa pathway best fits your specific qualification and career plans. Migratio matches you with one free.

Which body should Nepali accountants use for the migration skills assessment?

Any of CPA Australia, CA ANZ, or the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) — all three are approved for migration purposes and carry equal weight for the visa application. The choice often comes down to fee, processing time, or a preference for later professional-body membership.

Does ICAN membership let me skip the migration skills assessment?

Not automatically. CA ANZ's International Pathway Program offers eligible ICAN members a faster route into CA ANZ professional membership, which is separate from the migration skills assessment your visa application needs. Confirm directly with CA ANZ how the two processes interact for your situation.

Do accountants need a professional licence to work in Australia?

No. Unlike nursing or medicine, there's no government licensing board for accountants in Australia. Once your skills assessment is positive and your visa is granted, you can start work. Ongoing CPA/CA/IPA membership is a separate, career-level consideration.

Is Accountant on Australia's skilled occupation list?

Yes. Accounting occupations sit on the MLTSSL (governing the points-tested 189, 190 and 491 visas) and the CSOL (governing the employer-sponsored 482 and 186 visas).

Do Nepali accounting degrees need verification?

Yes. Assessing bodies generally check that your qualification documents are stamped by Nepal's Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and legalised by the Department of Consular Services at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before accepting them as verifiable evidence.

Can I sit the required English test online for the accounting skills assessment?

No. CPA Australia, CA ANZ and IPA all require English test results from an approved in-person test centre for the qualification assessment — home or online test formats aren't accepted.