The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia was established in Melbourne, Australia, in 1886. It is Australia’s largest professional accounting organization, one of the world’s largest professional accounting bodies, and the first professional accounting body in the Southern Hemisphere. The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants adhere to two major sets of accounting standards: International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), respectively. Consequently, CPA Australia has a widespread presence across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, making it particularly suitable for professionals practicing in Belt and Road countries, expatriates, and foreign enterprises. Easy Ways to obtain a CPA Australia certificate
Currently, CPA Australia has over 172,000 members in Australia and overseas, including nearly 30,000 in senior leadership roles, and operates 20 offices worldwide, including locations in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Singapore, and London.
Value of Certification: Salary Premium and Policy Benefits
The financial returns for CPA Australia certificants are highly substantial. Data from 2026 shows that the average annual salary for a CPA Australia is approximately A$80,614, with entry-level positions at around A$68,314 and senior roles exceeding A$130,000. Experienced certificants typically earn between A$80,000 and A$120,000 annually, with some reaching A$150,000. The average annual salary for CPA members is 20% to 30% higher than that of non-members. In the Chinese market, CPA Australia has been listed as a priority hiring criterion by an increasing number of multinational corporations, the Big Four accounting firms, and global competence centers.
The Institute has over 500 recognized employers worldwide and has signed mutual recognition agreements with accounting associations in more than 15 countries and regions.
2026 Exam Structure and Requirements
The CPA Australia exam is divided into the Foundation Stage and the Professional Stage. The Foundation Stage covers 12 subjects (including 6 compulsory subjects), and graduates with finance and accounting-related degrees can typically receive exemption from up to 10 subjects. The Professional Stage consists of 6 subjects, including 4 core subjects (Ethics and Governance, Financial Reporting, Strategic Management Accounting, and Global Strategy and Leadership) and 2 elective subjects. The exams are open-book, with question types primarily consisting of multiple-choice and case analysis questions. There are over 30 test centers in mainland China, allowing candidates to take the exams without traveling abroad. Additionally, CPA Australia administers two exam sessions per year, providing a regular preparation cycle and a relatively high certification efficiency.
Perspective: CPA Australia Exam Difficulty—Open-book Does Not Mean Easy, but It Is Indeed More Accessible Than AICPA
CPA Australia Difficulty: Moderately Easy (Emphasis on Application) Rather Than Rote Memorization. In terms of pass rates, the average pass rate for the Professional Stage in Australia is over 60% (over 80% for the Foundation Stage), far exceeding the U.S. version’s 60.01% (45%–55%) and the approximately 50% pass rate for each subject in the U.S. CPA exam. This does not mean the exam is simple; rather, the approach differs—emphasizing application over rote memorization. There are three key challenges for Chinese candidates:
First, the exam is conducted entirely in English, requiring a high level of proficiency in financial English;
second, the number of subjects is substantial—the Australian CPA qualification involves up to 12 subjects across the Foundation and Professional stages, requiring sustained preparation and study;
third, open-book exams allow candidates to bring reference materials, but the focus is on analytical judgment rather than simply looking up information in books, requiring candidates to possess a certain level of analytical and judgmental ability. However, the Australian Institute of Chartered Accountants (AICPA) offers favorable policies for Chinese candidates: graduates with degrees in finance or accounting from Australia may be exempt from up to 10 subjects, requiring only one subject to be taken; some candidates holding a domestic CPA certificate may be exempt from 11 subjects, requiring only one subject to be taken, significantly reducing the pressure of exam preparation.
