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Canadian CPAs seeking the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants designation

Learn about your eligibility to apply for membership with the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA) under the reciprocal membership agreement (RMA).

Since June 1, 2018, an RMA has been in effect between all Canadian CPA bodies and the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA).

If you would like to view the RMA, please contact your provincial/regional CPA body.

Eligibility requirements for CPA members seeking the HKICPA credential

You are eligible for the CPA credential issued by the HKICPA if you earned your Canadian CPA membership by completing the education, examination and experience requirements of either of the following:

  • legacy Canadian Chartered Accountants (CA) program
  • legacy Canadian Certified General Accountants (CGA) program
  • legacy Canadian Certified Management Accountants (CMA) program
  • post-unification Canadian CPA program

If you obtained your CPA designation by virtue of completing the education, examination and experience requirements of the legacy CGA or CMA program, you must have completed two years of full-time or equivalent part-time, relevant post-qualifying experience that involved the use of accounting, attest, management advisory, financial advisory, tax or consulting skills. The experience may be from employment in public practice, private industry, non-profit or government. The Verification of Post Qualification Experience Certificate form will need to be completed and submitted to the HKICPA.

Exclusion

Canadian CPAs are not eligible under this agreement if they obtained their credential by qualifying under a reciprocal agreement (i.e. mutual recognition agreement or reciprocal membership agreement) with another professional accountancy organization. 

Pathway to the HKICPA credential for eligible Canadian CPA members

The HKICPA will grant membership to eligible Canadian CPAs without the need to complete any additional assessments or experience. Audit and other services requiring registration or licensure are not covered by this RMA.

Complete the Application for registration as a Certified Public Accountant form and submit it to the HKICPA.

The final decision on admission to membership shall rest with the HKICPA.

Continuing professional development (CPD) 

Under this agreement, Canadian CPAs can satisfy CPD requirements either through their home CPA provincial/regional body or the HKICPA, as both parties will recognize the standard CPD requirements of the other party as satisfying their own.