CPA Australia members with a three-year undergraduate degree can now get licenses to work in the United States. Deputy Prime Minister and Trade Minister Mark Vaile said the agreement was a great result for Australian accountants. “Combined with the new E-3 Visa category for Australians this initiative means our CPAs have an unparalleled opportunity to enhance their skills in the largest market in the world,” Mr Vaile said. “The Australian US Free Trade Agreement established a working group on professional services to support Australian and US professional bodies and regulators to reach mutual recognition agreements. “Accountancy is one of the professions, along with legal and engineering, we are concentrating on at the moment. The MRA means for the first time Australian CPAs will no longer have to do extra study to have their qualifications considered equivalent to the US accounting degree. “Under the agreement 39 US states including California, Illinois, New York and Texas will now recognise the Australian qualifications of CPAs.” Earlier this month Mr Vaile met with US trade representative Rob Portman to review the AUSFTA’s first year of operation and obtain support for the professional services initiatives.