When starting afresh in a new country it helps to have a support network. With the US being a major draw for CAs, Ken Croarkin CA, of ICAS, and David Powell, of Chartered Accountants Worldwide Network USA, offer some advice for those thinking of making the leap

Words: Ryan Herman

The US has long attracted people looking to advance their careers and broaden their experiences. Despite reports of increasingly stringent entry requirements, ICAS has seen a noticeable rise in enquiries from members considering a move across the Atlantic.

That interest isn’t limited to the US. It also applies to Canada, where both the visa system and pathway to citizenship are a lot more straightforward.

For an insider’s perspective on relocating to the US, CA magazine spoke to Ken Croarkin CA, a Partner with EisnerAmper, an ICAS Council member and Ambassador in New York, where he has lived since 1998, and David Powell, CEO of Chartered Accountants Worldwide Network USA, who moved to the US 28 years ago and is based in Boston.

Here, they answer key questions about working in the US and explain the benefits of being a CA stateside.

To what do you attribute the growing interest in moving to the US?

Ken Croarkin CA, ICAS Ambassador for New York: There’s a lot more opportunity. Even though you might not be from here, if you work hard it is still a place where can you grow and accelerate your life and professional career and it can be life-changing both in terms of experience but also financially.

David Powell, CEO of Chartered Accountants Worldwide Network USA: I agree, but would add there is a hire-fire mentality here. Some people find that off-putting, but it means there is lot more recruitment going on at any given time and, unlike in Europe, you don’t have that massive exit cost. So I think the flexibility makes the economy far more dynamic, and that means you can take more risks because you can recover from them more easily if something doesn’t work out.

What are the most frequently asked questions from CAs planning to make the move?

David: Ken and I will both have ICAS members contact us directly, and they tend to ask the same questions: how can I get a job, and how can I become a US Certified Public Accountant (USCPA)? I always advise CAs to go to the CAW Network USA website, because that has the answers to those questions and more.

One thing I would note is that you’re starting afresh over here, and that applies to things such as insurance and credit history too.

What is the most straightforward route to working in the US?

Ken: When I arrived here, there were CAs who had been working for non-Big Four firms in the UK and Ireland who would end up working for one of the Big Four over here. There were also a number of us, myself included, who transferred directly from a Big Four firm there to their US offices here, as well as a number of people on work secondments from industry. It’s now less likely that you move to a completely different firm here from the one you were working for back home – that’s one of the biggest changes I’ve seen over the years.

David: If you’re with a firm that has a US office, that’s the easiest route – although that does mean you’re tied to that firm for the duration of your L1 visa. So you should have it baked into that agreement that, after a certain period, your firm will help you move towards getting a green card. If you want to stay here permanently, that will put you on the path to becoming a US citizen. An alternative is to marry an American, but obviously that depends on your personal circumstances!

The system for applying for a work visa can be very complicated. I arrived on an H-1B Visa. I was offered the job in November, and I was working in Denver the following March. That is no longer the case. Hardly anyone is using that visa because it can take 12 months to be processed, and that was before President Trump introduced a $100,000 fee for employers wanting to hire somebody on an H1-B.

Many companies are using short-term J1 visas, but once that ends, you have to return home (and you can run into all sorts of problems if you overstay). Once you move back home, if you’re working for the same company, then you could look at returning to the US on an L1 visa, for example.

But I strongly advise anyone to download our guide which includes a summary of visas (or look at the table below). We’ve selected the ones most relevant to CAs.

How does that complexity compare with Canada?

David: The US has become increasingly difficult to enter, whereas with Canada, if you’re an accountant with a recognised qualification, you can get a two-year visa, open-ended, and you don’t have to tie yourself to any particular company. And, as you've then been paying taxes for two years, you are eligible for an expedited path towards getting a permanent residency.

When you first came to the US, how important was it to have a network of other CAs to lean on?

Ken: One of the biggest things you realise is the value of attending school or university in America, because generally that’s where you build the connections that lay the foundations for your life and career here. When you come here as a CA without that network, it places an even greater importance on linking with members of ICAS or similar institutes, with people who have those shared experiences. I’ve got a group of CAs here who I met when I arrived 28 years ago, and they’ve been close friends ever since.

I went to two of Scotland’s games at the World Cup. After one of the games, I’m in Boston and suddenly somebody shouts out “Ken”. I turn around and it’s a CA who I hadn’t seen since I moved to America. Then he introduces me to another CA who I also hadn’t seen since I left Glasgow. You’ll find CAs everywhere! It really is a global passport, providing a lot of opportunity internationally.

Aside from the multitude of visas, what else should a CA know about working in the US before they arrive?

David: Apart from networking, we also focus on education because if you’re a CA and you’re also a USCPA, like Ken, you must submit CPD to ICAS and CPE [continuing professional education] for your state board. We’re accredited by Nasba [National Association of State Boards of Accountancy] to run CPE-eligible events. So when I run a webinar, should Ken attend, he can get a certificate which he can then use for his CPD for ICAS and his CPE for the state board.

Even if you’re only in the US for a short period, it’s important to understand the regulations that may affect you. For example, if you own a mutual fund in the UK, should you sell it before you move here? The answer is probably yes – if you move here and you don’t declare it properly to the IRS within a year, you could face a massive penalty.

When do ICAS and CAW hold their next event in New York?

Ken: It’s a networking event on 29 September in Manhattan and will be hosted by ICAS CEO Gail Boag and President David Cruickshank CA. There will also be a short presentation on the sort of financial advice that David [Powell] highlighted earlier. Being a member of ICAS automatically qualifies you for membership of CAW Network USA which also puts on other social events through the year. If you are in the area, come along to one of our events and I hope to see you there.

David: Also, look out for our relaunch later this year, as CAW Network USA will become CAW Network Americas, to cover Central and South America as well. There aren’t many CAs in those territories, but the expansion means they can join the network and access webinars that count towards CPD and CPE requirements.

And finally, from a personal perspective, why do you still love living in New York and Boston, respectively?

Ken: I came for two years. That was 28 years ago. Fundamentally the business part of New York is the same. It’s always been a fast-moving city, and I still find it as exciting now as I did then. Everything is more or less on your doorstep, even if you live in the suburbs. It's similar to London in some ways, but London is twice the size geographically, whereas everything here is condensed into the five boroughs and getting from one place to another is pretty straightforward.

David: I live eight miles south of Boston, and I find it much easier to get around than any other major US city. It's worth taking a walk along the Freedom Trail, which connects 16 American Revolution landmarks in the city. And on the back of the World Cup, Boston and Glasgow are now sister cities, which should prove a useful ice-breaker for many ICAS members.