Do You Need a CA or CPA to Become a Financial Controller? A Guide for Accountants
It is one of the most common questions I hear from finance professionals at Finance Manager level. Do I need a CA or CPA to become a Financial Controller?
The short answer is that it helps a great deal, and in many businesses it is expected. But it is not always essential, and the absence of one does not have to end your progression.
This article explains how employers in Australia and New Zealand view professional qualifications, when they matter most and what to do if you are not qualified.
What the market expects
Look at Financial Controller job ads in Australia and New Zealand and you will see CA, CPA or equivalent listed in a large share of them. Sometimes it is “essential”. Often it is “preferred” or “highly regarded”.
Salary surveys reflect this too. Robert Walters’ 2026 salary guides, for example, note that Australian employers strongly value CA and CPA qualifications for Financial Controllers, and that CA or CPA significantly influences earning potential for Finance Managers in New Zealand.
The reason is simple. A Financial Controller is responsible for the integrity of the numbers, controls and compliance. A professional qualification gives employers some assurance of technical knowledge, ethics and ongoing professional development.
The main qualifications
In Australia and New Zealand, the most common qualifications for finance leaders are:
CA (Chartered Accountant), through Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. Traditionally associated with public practice and audit, and highly regarded for technical and controllership roles.
CPA (Certified Practising Accountant), through CPA Australia. Widely held across industry, government and commerce.
CIMA and CGMA, focused on management accounting and business decision making. Well regarded for commercial and business partnering roles.
For most Financial Controller roles, CA and CPA are treated as broadly equivalent. Some listed, audit-heavy or technical roles show a preference for CA, especially where the candidate will work closely with auditors. CIMA is well recognised for commercial roles, and many employers treat it as equivalent, though some controllership roles still ask specifically for CA or CPA.
When a qualification matters most
A qualification tends to be essential or strongly preferred when:
The business is listed, heavily regulated or subject to significant audit scrutiny
The role involves statutory reporting, technical accounting or group consolidation
The role is in a larger organisation with formal recruitment criteria
The role is a step towards CFO, where boards often expect a qualified finance leader
The hiring manager is qualified and values it personally
In these situations, candidates without a qualification may be screened out before anyone reads their achievements.
When it matters less
A qualification can matter less when:
The business is small or mid-sized and privately owned
The role is more commercial or operational than technical
The candidate has a long, strong record of results in similar roles
The hiring manager is the owner or MD and cares more about practical ability
The candidate is known to the business through a referral or internal promotion
In these situations, experience and evidence can outweigh the letters after your name.
If you are part-way through
If you are studying, show your progress clearly. “CPA Program, four of six subjects completed, expected completion June 2027” tells the reader you are committed and gives them a timeline.
Many employers are comfortable appointing a candidate who is close to finishing, especially if the rest of the application is strong. Some will support you to complete it.
If you have stalled, think seriously about finishing. For Financial Controller and CFO roles, completing the qualification is often one of the highest-value career moves you can make.
If you are not qualified and do not plan to be
Some experienced finance professionals have built strong careers without a CA or CPA. They may have come through a different path, such as bookkeeping, operations or an overseas qualification. Some have decided that further study is not practical.
If that is you, you can still progress, but you need to be deliberate.
Target the right roles. Focus on businesses where practical experience is valued more than formal credentials. Private, family owned and mid-sized businesses are often more open.
Make your evidence stronger. Your achievements need to do more work. Show clean audits, strong controls, technical judgement and results that a qualified candidate would be proud of.
Show ongoing learning. Short courses, systems certifications, governance training and industry programs all show that you keep your knowledge current.
Use your network. Referrals and direct approaches help you avoid being filtered out by a qualification requirement before anyone sees your work.
Overseas qualifications
If you qualified overseas, such as through ACCA, ICAEW, CIMA or a national accounting body, check whether your qualification is recognised in Australia or New Zealand. CA ANZ and CPA Australia both have pathways and mutual recognition agreements with many overseas bodies.
Make your qualification clear on your resume and, where helpful, note its local equivalent or recognition status. Recruiters may not know every overseas qualification, so help them understand yours.
How to show your qualification on your resume
If you are qualified, make it visible early. Include it in your profile, next to your name if you like, and in a clear qualifications section. Recruiters often search for it directly.
Include the full name of the body and the designation. If you hold other relevant credentials, such as a master’s degree or governance qualification, list them too, but keep the focus on what matters most for the role.
What about an MBA?
An MBA can be useful for finance professionals aiming at senior commercial or general management roles. It is not a substitute for CA or CPA in most Financial Controller roles. If you are deciding between them, the professional accounting qualification usually has more direct value for controllership. For a broader view at CFO level, see CA, CPA or MBA for CFO roles.
The cost and time of qualifying
Completing CA or CPA takes time and money. Most programs require several subjects, usually studied part time over two to three years, plus a period of relevant work experience. Fees add up, and study while working full time is demanding.
Many employers support staff to qualify, through study leave, paid fees or both. If your employer offers support, use it. If not, it is worth asking, particularly if you can link the qualification to your role and the business’s needs.
Think about the return. For many finance professionals, the qualification opens doors to higher-paid Financial Controller and Head of Finance roles that would otherwise be much harder to reach. Over a career, that difference can be significant.
Ongoing professional development
Once qualified, you will need to meet continuing professional development requirements to keep your designation. That is a good thing. It keeps your knowledge current and gives you evidence of ongoing learning for your resume.
Choose CPD that supports your next move. If you are aiming for Financial Controller, focus on technical updates, controls and leadership. If you are aiming for commercial roles, focus on strategy, pricing and business partnering.
A qualification is a filter, not a finish line
It is worth being clear about what a qualification does. It gets you through the first screen and gives employers confidence in your technical base. It does not win you the role on its own.
Many qualified candidates are overlooked because their resume reads like a list of duties. The qualification opens the door. Your evidence of results, judgement and leadership is what gets you through it. For more on building that evidence, see what a Financial Controller resume needs to show.
What recruiters do with the requirement
When a client lists CA or CPA as essential, most recruiters will not put forward an unqualified candidate, however strong. They cannot afford to look as though they ignored the brief.
When it is listed as preferred, there is more room. A recruiter may present an unqualified candidate with a strong record, especially if they can explain why the client should consider them. Help them do that. Make your results, technical depth and learning easy to see, and give the recruiter a clear reason to take the case to their client.
If you are regularly screened out by the requirement, consider approaching businesses directly or through your network, where a conversation about your experience can happen before anyone checks the box.
Interview questions about qualifications
If you are not qualified, expect to be asked about it. Have a clear, confident answer.
“I did not complete my CPA because I moved into a hands-on Finance Manager role early and focused on practical experience. Over the last ten years I have led audits, statutory reporting and controls in three businesses, and I keep my technical knowledge current through regular training. I am also happy to discuss completing the qualification if it matters to your board.”
That answer is honest, confident and shows flexibility.
Common mistakes
Hiding a partial qualification rather than showing progress
Applying for roles that list CA or CPA as essential without addressing the gap
Relying on experience alone without strong, quantified evidence
Not explaining an overseas qualification clearly
Letting a stalled qualification drift for years
Showing your qualification on an accountant resume
Put CA, CPA or CIMA after your name and again in your qualifications section. If you are still studying, list the subjects you have completed and your expected finish date. Recruiters screen for this early, so do not hide it. The accountant resume guide shows where it sits alongside everything else.
Your next step
If you are part-way through, set a completion date and put it on your resume. If you are not qualified, review your target roles and focus on businesses that value practical results, then make your evidence as strong as possible.
If you want your resume and LinkedIn to present your qualifications and experience in the strongest possible way, my Gold package covers your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn and positioning strategy.
If you are unsure whether your qualification status is holding you back, book a complimentary Clarity Session.
