Gain audit rights in the UK as a CPA Canada member

Audit is a regulated area in the UK, and membership of the ICAEW will not automatically grant you the right to audit in the UK. Below are details of what CPA Canada members need to do in order to gain audit rights in the UK.

How to gain audit rights in the UK

In order to gain audit rights in the UK, individuals joining the ICAEW will need to:

• Gain the ICAEW audit qualification
• Obtain an ICAEW practising certificate
• Apply to be an ICAEW Responsible Individual

The Audit Qualification (AQ)

If you plan to work in audit then you should apply for the Audit Qualification on admission to ICAEW membership.

What is the Audit Qualification?

The Audit Qualification is:

• A statutory status needed by and applied for by a member
• It is issued by the ICAEW under delegated powers from the UK Companies Act
• When combined with a practising certificate, this allows a member to then apply for audit rights - ie the ability to sign a statutory audit report

Why do you need an audit qualification?

Working in audit, you will be considered as working in a regulated area, which means that the audit work conducted is supervised by one of the UK’s Recognised Supervisory Bodies (RSB’s) which monitor firms to ensure that work is completed competently, ethically and appropriately.

How to obtain the Audit Qualification

In order to obtain the Audit Qualification you must have:

• Current membership of the ICAEW
• Current membership of CPA Canada and hold the CPA, CA designation
• Pass the aptitude test

If you wish to join ICAEW with audit rights, please complete and submit the aptitude test application (PDF 159KB/3 pages).