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Reciprocity and Affiliations

Reciprocity and Affiliations

1. Recognition of other professional accounting organisations (PAOs)

SAICA recognises the need to grant membership to those members of other PAOs that meet SAICA competency requirements (defined for purposes of recognition at point of entry to the profession). Provision of this route to SAICA membership and to the right to use the designation CA(SA) is important because it :

2. Reciprocity

2.1 Qualifying as a CA(SA) if you are a member of another professional accountancy body

If you are a qualified member of another professional accountancy body, you may be eligible to register with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) as a Chartered Accountant (South Africa) (CA(SA)). We offer various routes to membership including through:

Reciprocal Membership Agreements (RMA):

A Reciprocal Membership Agreement (RMA) is where no further professional education, training or examination requirements need to be met.

Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRA):

A Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) is where no further professional education, training or examination requirements need to be met.

Pathways to Membership Agreements:

A Pathways to Membership Agreement is where further professional education, training and/or examination requirements need to completed before being able to register with SAICA.

Any other professional bodies

Members of all other professional accountancy bodies not listed above:

Such members will be required to complete the full SAICA qualification route as follows:

  1. Completion of a SAICA-accredited undergraduate degree (applicants should enquire directly with universities offering SAICA accredited programmes as to whether any exemptions can be granted) (https://www.saica.co.za/LearnersStudents/InformationonEducationProviders/InformationonAccreditedProgrammes/tabid/465/language/en-ZA/Default.aspx); and
  2. Completion of a SAICA-accredited postgraduate degree (applicants should enquire directly with universities offering SAICA accredited programmes as to whether any exemptions can be granted for direct entry into the programme) – commonly known as the CTA (Certificate in the Theory of Accountancy) (https://www.saica.co.za/LearnersStudents/InformationonEducationProviders/InformationonAccreditedProgrammes/tabid/465/language/en-ZA/Default.aspx); and
  3. Completion of the first part of the Qualifying Examination - Initial Test of Competence (ITC) – completion of a SAICA accredited CTA is an eligibility requirement to register for this exam (https://www.saica.co.za/LinkClick.aspx?link=2904&tabid=472&language=en-ZA); and
  4. Completion of a Professional Programme that is accredited by SAICA (https://www.saica.co.za/LearnersStudents/InformationonEducationProviders/InformationonAccreditedProgrammes/tabid/465/language/en-ZA/Default.aspx) ; and
  5. Completion of the second part of the Qualifying Examination – Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) – successful completion of the ITC as well as the Professional Programme and 20 months under a formal training contract are eligibility requirements to register for this exam (https://www.saica.co.za/LinkClick.aspx?link=3405&tabid=472&language=en-ZA); and
  6. Completion of a training contract (period of practical experience under formal contractual terms and regulations) (https://www.saica.co.za/LinkClick.aspx?link=283&language=en-US)

2.2 Registration of CAs(SA) with other professional bodies

As a CA(SA) you may be eligible to register as a member with a number of international accountancy bodies. These agreements are in place for membership rights only and there are usually other requirements in place for audit rights.

SAICA has agreements with the 16 bodies. We have also included, under the heading "Other Professional Bodies", information on registration requirements for CAs(SA) for a number of professional bodies with whom SAICA does not have any formal recognition agreements.

Please note the following important contact information:

How to request a letter of good standing

Please visit our member portal at https://my.saica.co.za to log your request. Once logged onto the portal, click on the menu labelled “Profile”, then look for the menu labelled "manage membership", then click on “confirm membership details”, a pop-up menu will appear where will be able to select the checkbox for "letter of good standing".

Alternatively, if you want to give special instructions (e.g. emailing letter to a third party, like NASBA/CPA Canada/CAANZ) to SAICA or attached additional documents, go to the "new queries" menu to log a new query (the area would "membership", the category would "confirm membership" and the subcategory would "Letter of good standing"). The system will issue you with an email confirming your request is received and a case will reflect as open under the "queries" menu.

If you are struggling to log onto the member portal, please send your query to ***@saica.co.za or call +27 11 621 6600.

Please note that the information presented below is correct as at 1 January 2023. Please verify the information on the relevant institute’s website.

Reciprocal Membership Agreements (RMAs) with SAICA:

Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRA):

Pathways to Membership Agreements:

Recognition of other professional bodies policy CA 2023 (pdf)

2.3 Other professional bodies

3. AGA(SA) designation – Policy for the recognition of other other professional bodies

Recognition of other professional bodies policy AGA 2022 (pdf)

Note: There are currently no agreements in place with other professional bodies for AGAs(SA) – this is currently being explored by SAICA.

For general enquiries about qualifying as a CA(SA) if you are a member of another professional accountancy body contact ***@saica.co.za

Local and international affiliations

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is the independent, international organisation that helps businesses and other organisations take responsibility for their impacts, by providing them with the global common language to communicate those impacts. The GRI provides widely used standards for sustainability reporting – the GRI Standards. SAICA sees the GRI as an important role player in the sustainability conversation.
More information can be accessed on GRI's website

International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB)

The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) is an independent standard-setting body that serves the public interest by setting high-quality international standards for auditing, quality control, review, other assurance, and related services, and by facilitating the convergence of international and national standards. In doing so, the IAASB enhances the quality and uniformity of practice throughout the world and strengthens public confidence in the global auditing and assurance profession.
IAASB website

International Federation of Accountants (IFAC)

The IFAC are the global voice for the accountancy profession. They serve the public interest through advocacy, development, and support for their member organisations and the more than three-million accountants who are crucial to the global economy. SAICA is a member of the IFAC, ensuring that the voice of South Africa and its members are heard in this international member body. SAICA participates in various advocacy initiatives with IFAC including in the areas of integrated thinking, reporting, sustainability and corporate reporting.
IFAC website

Integrated Reporting Committee (IRC) of South Africa

The IRC is an association, not for gain, in South Africa founded in May 2010. The role of the IRC as a national body is to provide direction on matters relating to integrated reporting and integrated thinking in South Africa through guidance, technical information papers, conferences and other activities. The website has useful information to accountants and others on integrated reporting, such as relevant developments in corporate reporting, award programmes, recent publications, blogs and sector-specific sections. The IRC offers membership to organisations and corporates. SAICA is a founding member of the IRC, together with the IoDSA, JSE and ASISA.

International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC)

The International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) is a global coalition of regulators, investors, companies, standard setters, the accounting profession, academia and NGOs. The coalition promotes communication about value creation, preservation and erosion as the next step in the evolution of corporate reporting. SAICA holds a seat on the IIRC and is therefore a voting member with input into the direction of the strategy of this global body. Integrated reporting was born out of South Africa and SAICA ensures that the South African integrated reporting remains internationally recognised among the highest quality reports in the world.
IIRC website

Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors

The strategic focus of the IRBA is to protect the financial interests of the public by ensuring that only suitably qualified individuals are admitted to the auditing profession and that registered auditors deliver services of the highest quality and adhere to the highest ethics standards.
IRBA website

The Institute of Directors South Africa

The Institute of Directors South Africa (IODSA) is a professional body for directors and is a non-profit company that exists to promote corporate governance and to maintain and enhance the credibility of directorship as a profession. The IODSA’s mission is to support those charged with governance duties through thought leadership and create a platform for peer interaction. The IODSA also serves as a hub for collaboration between like-minded professional institutes, which ultimately fulfils their vision of better directors, better boards and better business.
IODSA website

National Business Initiative (NBI)

The National Business Initiative (NBI) is a voluntary coalition of South African and multinational companies, working towards sustainable growth and development in South Africa and the shaping of a sustainable future through responsible business action, thereby demonstrating business action for sustainable growth. Since our inception in 1995, the NBI has made a distinct impact in, amongst others, the spheres of housing delivery, crime prevention, local economic development, public sector capacity building, further education and training, schooling, public, private partnerships, energy efficiency and climate change. The NBI provides various pieces of content that is shared with our SAICA structures as well as the MIB structure and SAICA supports its drive towards sustainable business development.
NBI website

International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board

The IPSASB develops accounting standards and guidance for use by public sector entities. The structures and processes that support the operations of the IPSASB are facilitated by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). The IPSASB’s strategic objectives are: - Strengthening Public Financial Management (PFM) globally through increasing adoption of accrual-based International Public Sector Accounting Standards™ (IPSAS™) - Delivered through two main areas of activity, both of which have a public interest focus: • Developing and maintaining IPSAS and other high-quality financial reporting guidance for the public sector • Raising awareness of IPSAS™ and the benefits of accrual adoption
IPSASB website

Recognised Controlling Body Forum

The forum is made up of most of the 11 SARS-recognised controlling bodies, who also represent the majority of the nearly 24 000 registered tax practitioners in South Africa. The forum provides a platform where these bodies can discuss, agree and collaborate on matters affecting the tax administration, regulation of the tax profession and also matters directly affecting tax practitioners and taxpayers, mostly in relation to SARS administration and operations.

Affiliation with ACFE

Association of Certified Fraud Examiners - South Africa Chapter

The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners is the world’s largest anti-fraud organisation and premier provider of anti-fraud training and education. Together with nearly 90,000 members, the ACFE is reducing business fraud worldwide and inspiring public confidence in the integrity and objectivity within the profession. The South African Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE SA) is a recognised South African professional body, representing and governing fraud examination professionals in South Africa.
ACFE SA website