The qualification requires 4 years of Accounting studies, followed by a 3 year closely administered training contract during which trainees are required to demonstrate the technical and professional competencies expected of a chartered accountant. Chartered Accountants are trained in IFRS, IFRS for SME (highly transferable to UK GAAP) and International Standards on Auditing from a tertiary institution level through to the completion of their training contracts.
The SAICA Chartered Accountant qualification is comparable to the ACA qualification and is recognised in the UK by the ICAEW.
South Africa has also become a premier destination for outsourcing of business processes and locally UK experienced hires are now available.