Proposed new joining requirements for the Hong Kong Society of Accountants (HKSA) have been branded 'unrealistic' and 'too harsh'.
Existing members expressed concern about the proposed changes during an HKSA forum yesterday.
'I have been an accountant for 30 years and I believe I would only meet with about 70 per cent of the new requirements,' said one HKSA member at the meeting. 'The new rules would be just too harsh for new graduates. Anyone who met with the new requirements within three years of working at an accounting firm would have to be a superman.'
The proposals, under consultation until November 28, are designed to improve assessment of a candidate's practical experience.
At present, to be certified, professional accountants must be HKSA members. Members are required to pass a range of examinations plus have three to five years of practical experience, depending on their qualifications. The present system only requires a potential member to work in a certified professional accounting firm or a commercial organisation's accounting department. The requirements do not specify what the applicant must learn during that time in the workforce.
'This system is inadequate in assessing whether the applicant has appropriate experience,' claims Doug Oxley, chairman of a practical experience task force which is in charge of determining the new requirements.