The Analyst Down Under

With just Rs. 46 left in the bank, I've never been so happy about having all my money chugged down a juicer before. The online transaction finally went through though not as smoothly as I would have liked to keep Monday mornings fresh and breezy. As soon as the ICAA received my application, they processed the payment, which was of course unsuccessful, despite my repeated reminders to notify me when the payment would be processed. I immediately attempted to activate an online session with my bank after talking to service adviser who advised me to call back within the next 3 hours (i.e. 12 pm PST and 6 pm Sydney) as soon as I had opened a 'window'. My bank had problems activating a session and only on the second inquiry did I realize that I only had internet processing for my other bank account - Dawoodi Hardware. I tried to transfer funds from my salary account to the business account thorough internet banking but the captcha's somehow never seemed to be right and I dec...

I had sent in my Pre-Application Skills Assessment (PASA) to the ICAA last Friday, but it isn't being processed until the coming Monday at least. It took Pakistan Post's Express Mail Service (EMS) about two days to reach Australia and another four days for Australian post to finally deliver it to the postal box address on the form. Tracking the package was not a problem, as both Pakistan Post and Australian Post provided tracking summaries of the package. Another risky undertaking that saved at least me Rs. 1,200 from an exchange service or a fat half-lie at my bank was that I included my VISA card details on the form for payment. I've sent them three emails so far to tell them that they will need to advise me the exact time and date of payment so I can activate an online session to be able to complete an online transaction. This is a potentially costly risk in case it doesn't work out, as I would have to pay Rs. 1,200 plus the local exchange rate for AUD, which has inc...

Its usually a nice feeling when you slip in your latest degree-certificate into your file. But I was almost embarrassed this time as I seemed to have amassed quite a bit of card paper in there already. The part that really stings is that the card papers may have helped me get more subsequent card papers, but haven't really helped me get back any of the hard-earned and getting-harder-to-manage paper that I've put into these things. That's why I need to get down under, remember? So that I can earn a lot of money in a respectable profession of my choosing and have plenty of time to enjoy life with my family in a beautiful country that respects nature and takes care of its citizens and seems to have more chances of surviving into the next decade/ century than where I am currently. I need to keep that in mind, because sometimes we get so involved in short-term goals and objectives that we forget the broader vision that keeps escaping us like a mirage. So, back to short...

Sweat, blood and tears are good. Then maybe you can just pass on those CIMA papers like I did (I shudder to think about the bucketfuls due for November at the Management Level, and beyond). I am grateful to the Lord and to all the people whose prayers pulled me through. On the other hand, life just isn't effortless any more. I know I don't always dot my is' and cross my ts' but I missed out on the minimum 7 band IELTS requirement in the writing section. Which means another Rs. 10k (or is it 12k already?) and unnecessary delays. I guess this time around I'll have to sit down and do some 'practice' - or at least one blog dedicated to IELTS exam strategy, because that's where I messed up. 'Unnecessary delays' is right because I just had a virtual classical Homer Simpson 'doh moment while going through the assessment criteria for immigration. Turns out I could have been in Australia already (yeah right), if I had applied just a few months earlier...

Of the three accounting bodies, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (ICAA) seems like the most reasonable program. All of the job posts I came across for accounting professionals also don’t distinguish between CPA and CA, while NA was not specifically mentioned. While the CPA program seems to have more stringent entry requirements (requiring coverage of all 12 core knowledge areas plus three additional units) and a more academically oriented program from the outset, it is only recognized in Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. The NIA membership does not have any recognition beyond Australia’s borders, or they have not mentioned this on their website. On the other hand, the ICAA is a member of the Global Accounting Alliance (GAA) bringing together the nine pre-eminent professional accounting member bodies in Australia, the United States, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, Hong Kong and England & Wales. The GAA represents over 700,000 of t...