Many accountants have worked overseas

Date: 4th September 2008

Many of the accountants that small business owners in the UK will hire to help them with tax returns will have worked overseas, a new survey has indicated.

Research from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and Robert Half suggested that as many as one in three accountants have worked in more than one country in their career.

On top of this, 30 per cent have experience of international projects where they have had to travel abroad.

However, the study also showed that businesses are likely to have to pay more for an accountant with overseas experience, as their average salary is £23,000 higher than that of a tax professional who has only ever worked in the UK.

"The increased global use of international reporting and auditing standards means businesses around the world need finance professionals with the training and knowledge who can understand and implement them," ICAEW chief executive Michael Izza explained.

"An internationally respected accountancy qualification is one of the prime factors behind this trend."