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What is a CPE Compliance Check (i.e. CPE Audit)?

The annual monitoring process includes reviewing members’ annual declaration on CPE compliance and auditing a sample of members for compliance with the CPE requirements. This exercise aims to create greater awareness of CPE requirements and identify ways to support you in your continuous learning and development.

All ISCA members, except student members and members (experienced route), are subject to the annual CPE audit unless specifically exempted.

For members who are public accountants, ACRA may carry out a separate audit on the CPE compliance.

Members-in-retirement (MIR) are excluded from the audit although they are encouraged to pursue lifelong learning for professional enrichment and self-improvement.

The audit in the year will cover the following period:

Year of Audit

Period Covered

Membership categories subject to audit

CPE requirement

 

2022

 

1 January 2019 to 31 December 2021

Affiliate (ISCA)/ AAT (Singapore)

  • Rolling 3-year: 30 CPE hours, of which 15 hours must be verifiable, including 6 verifiable hours of ethics
  • Each year: A minimum of 5 verifiable CPE hours, including 2 verifiable hours of ethics

Associate (ISCA) / ISCA Professional Business Accountant (PBA) 

  • Rolling 3-year: 60 CPE hours, of which 30 hours must be verifiable, including 6 verifiable hours of ethics
  • Each year: A minimum of 10* verifiable CPE hours, including 2 verifiable hours of ethics

*Those with specialisation credential (e.g. ISCA FFP or ISCA IPFP) have to complete a minimum of 8 verifiable hours relevant to their specialised areas each year.

Associate (Specialist)

  • Rolling 3-year: 60 CPE hours, of which 30 hours must be verifiable, including 6 verifiable hours of ethics
  • Each year: A minimum of 8 verifiable hours relevant to the member's specialised area(s) and 2 verifiable hours of ethics

CA (Singapore) including Fellows

  • Rolling 3-year: 120 CPE hours, of which 60 hours must be verifiable, including 6 verifiable hours of ethics
  • Each year: A minimum of 20* verifiable CPE hours, including 2 verifiable hours of ethics 

*Those with specialisation credential (e.g. ISCA FFP or ISCA IPFP) have to complete a minimum of 8 verifiable hours relevant to their specialised areas each year.

*For newly admitted members who have not reached their first rolling 3-year period, please refer to CPE Requirements for the minimum CPE hours to be audited.

What happens if you are selected for the CPE Compliance Check?

You will be notified of the audit via email and post.

You will be required to login to the ISCA eServices Portal to submit your CPE records along with the evidence of participation for the verifiable CPE activities completed during the period.

The evidences of participation can be in the form of certificate, attendance lists or lecturers’ letters of certification.

ISCA will verify the verifiable CPE activities listed in your submission and assess whether the hours are accepted or denied.

After the audit is completed, you will be notified on the audit outcome.

What are the possible audit outcomes?

  • Outcome 1 “Compliant” – CPE requirements have been met and no further action is required from member.
  • Outcome 2 “Insufficient Hours” – CPE hours was denied during the audit resulting in shortfall of CPE requirement or insufficient. hours were submitted.
  • Outcome 3 “Non-Compliant” – The CPE requirements have not been met on a number of grounds such as no response received from the member despite repeated communications; no CPE records submitted; concerns about false declaration.

What are the remedial actions?

For “Insufficient hours” or “Non-Compliant” cases, a written explanation must be provided as to the reason(s) for non-compliance including plans to remedy the shortfall. An extension of up to six-month may be granted for the member to comply. After the extension period, the portfolio will be audited again. If a portfolio is deemed to be ‘Non-compliant’ after the second audit, it may result in non-renewal of membership.

For cases where there are concerns about false declaration, a report might be lodged to the Council/Investigation Committee on the grounds of professional misconduct. This may result in non-renewal of membership.