Sydney, June 19: Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) has identified critical shortages in 11 accounting, audit, and finance-related occupations in Australia, urging their immediate addition to the Final Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL).
“CA ANZ is calling for eleven occupations to be urgently added to the Final Core Skills Occupation List to address the ongoing shortages in accounting, audit and finance professionals across Australia which are not being filled by domestic candidates,” said CA ANZ CEO Ainslie van Onselen.
Australian businesses are under significant pressure with rising insolvencies, necessitating access to the expertise of accountants and auditors, both now and in the future.
To address this, CA ANZ has lodged a comprehensive submission on the draft CSOL with Jobs and Skills Australia, in collaboration with CPA Australia.
The joint submission highlights 11 occupations that are not being filled by domestic candidates, international students, recent migrants, or those on skilled visas.
“While there’s been lively debate about why yoga instructors, martial artists and dog handlers are among the occupations the government is ‘confident should be on the list’, it’s time to get serious. Failure to include auditors and accountants on the final list won’t help organisations meet their mandatory legislative and regulatory audit requirements. This will be particularly important when new climate reporting and assurance requirements take effect next year,” said van Onselen.
CA ANZ and CPA recommend that Jobs and Skills Australia include the following occupations on the final Core Skills Occupation List:
- Taxation Accountant
- Accountant (General)
- Management Accountant
- External Auditor
- Internal Auditor
- Finance Manager
- Financial Investment Adviser
- Financial Investment Manager
- Management Consultant
- ICT Security Specialist
- ICT Business Analyst
A survey conducted by CA ANZ of 449 Australian members between January 10 and February 15, 2024, found that vacancy fill rates were below 67 per cent for the roles of Taxation Accountant, External Auditor, Accountant (General), Management Accountant, Internal Auditor, and Finance Manager.
Additionally, a survey of the Australian Public Policy Committee member firms revealed a significant number of vacancies across Australia, with roles unfilled for External Auditors (310), Taxation Accountants (219), Accountant (General) (179), Management Consultants (108), Management Accountants (72), and Internal Auditors (67).
“CA ANZ looks forward to continuing to work with Jobs and Skills Australia, as well as the government, to ensure the nation’s skills needs are adequately met,” van Onselen added.
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