Education

Currently, international treaties are solely in place with EU and EFTA Member States (Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons of June 21, 1999, and EFTA Convention of January 4, 1960). These treaties warrant the requirements for reciprocal rights, provided that applicants are in fact licensed to perform audits in an EU or EFTA Member State or would meet the requirements for licensing. To the best of our knowledge, there are no bilateral treaties in force with any other countries.

However, reciprocity does not necessarily require a treaty (formal reciprocity). The FAOA therefore ascertains whether a country issuing relevant diplomas grants reciprocity (material reciprocity).

Countries which grant reciprocal rights to Swiss auditors       
According to the arrangements made to date, the following countries grant reciprocal rights for Swiss auditors:

• India
• New Zealand
• Philippines
• Turkey
• United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (see Licensing applications with UK qualifications)

Countries without reciprocal agreements            
Diplomas from the following countries cannot be recognized due to a lack of reciprocity:

• Algeria
• Argentina
• Australia
• Hong Kong
• Canada
• Morocco
• Peru
• Republic of Moldova
• Russian Federation
• South Africa
• United States

Applicants holding diplomas from countries with which reciprocity has not been established have the option of a facilitated access to the diploma examination for auditors (see EXPERTsuisse for further information on the requirements and procedures).

Important note regarding the licensing application       
Individuals who hold comparable foreign qualifications / diplomas can generally only be licensed if they are authorized to practice the profession of an auditor in their country of origin or to be entered in the corresponding public register. In addition, all other licensing requirements must be met before a licence as an audit expert can be granted. These include, in particular, proof of good repute, professional experience, and the necessary knowledge of Swiss law.

Persons holding a foreign diploma, comparable to a Swiss qualification (Art. 4 para. 2 let. d AOA) must prove that they have the necessary knowledge of Swiss law. Proof is deemed to have been provided if applicants have successfully passed an examination in accordance with regulations recognized by the FAOA (Art. 34 AOO).

For this purpose, the FAOA has recognized the EXPERTsuisse Examination Regulation of 30 April 2015 as proof of the required knowledge of Swiss law.

Framework and basis for reciprocity

As of December 12, 2023, a basis for reciprocity exists based on the FRC's declaration and the exchange of letters between the FAOA and the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) dated December 8, 2023. This means that persons who hold a professional qualification («Audit Qualification») in the United Kingdom as a «Chartered Accountant» and are or were until recently approved as a «Statutory Auditor» / «Responsible Individual» can be approved as audit experts in Switzerland.

Definition

The term «statutory auditor» refers to a person authorized to sign audit reports. These persons are also referred to as «responsible individuals» by the Recognised Supervisory Bodies (RSBs).

Licensing requirements

The following requirements must be fulfilled for licensing as an audit expert:

• Comparable foreign diploma
• Proof of the necessary knowledge of Swiss law (see Knowledge of Swiss law)
• Good repute / guarantee of impeccable auditing practice («fit and proper person»)
• Professional experience in accordance with Art. 4 para. 4 AOA and FAOA Circular 1/2022

Guidance from the FRC (recognition of Swiss qualifications and Swiss professional experience)

• FRC guideline of January 31, 2025, on the mutual recognition of statutory auditors/audit experts for accredited professional associations (Recognized Supervisory Bodies).
• On October 22, 2024, the FRC completed its assessment of the comparability of «law and practice» in connection with the statutory audit of annual and consolidated accounts of companies based in Switzerland. According to this assessment, professional experience in the field of statutory auditing can be credited toward the professional qualification (audit qualification «Chartered Accountant») as of October 22, 2024, provided that the employer — an audit firm based in Switzerland — holds the relevant accreditation in the UK (see additional information from the ICAEW and ACCA).
• FRC podcast of December 11, 2024, on the topic of Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRA).

Licensing procedure

British statutory auditors / responsible individuals who apply for a licence as an audit expert in Switzerland are required to undertake the following steps:

1. Completion of the «Knowledge of Swiss Law» exam 
Persons applying for a licence as an audit expert and who hold a comparable foreign qualification must demonstrate the required knowledge of Swiss law. The examination, which is based on the examination regulations approved by the FAOA, is conducted by EXPERTsuisse. Registration takes place directly via the EXPERTsuisse website. In addition, it is possible to register for a voluntary preparatory course, which is also offered by EXPERTsuisse. This is usually held in September/October. 

2. Submit an application for a licence as a Swiss audit expert 
The licensing as audit expert in Switzerland requires an accreditation as a statutory auditor/responsible individual in the UK with a professional association accredited by the FRC, namely with:

• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland (ICAI)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland (ICAS)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
• Association of international accountants (AIA) 
  The AIA is recognised by FRC UK as a Qualifying Body (RQB)

In addition, applicants must provide evidence of relevant professional experience and a good repute (fit and proper person).

The application for a licence must be accompanied by the necessary supporting documents, in particular:

• Certificate of membership / diploma
• Certificate of registration as a statutory auditor or responsible individual
• Certificate of passing the examination of the knowledge of Swiss law.

The application process includes:

1. Creating an account on the FAOA website (register)
2. Completing the online application for a licence as an audit expert.
   Detailed information on the required information for natural persons can be found in FAOA Circular 1/2007 (in particular margin number 7)
3. Completion of the payment process and submission of the release receipt

After completion of the online application, the release receipt can either be signed electronically with a qualified electronic signature in accordance with the Federal Act on Electronic Signatures of March 18, 2016, and submitted to the FAOA by email or signed by hand and submitted by post.

The required documents can be uploaded directly during the registration process or submitted later by email or post.

By submitting the release receipt, you agree that the FAOA may, if necessary, obtain further evidence of your professional qualifications in the United Kingdom, your registration status as a statutory auditor or responsible individual, and your reputation (fit and proper person) directly from the relevant professional association.

Individuals who claim comparable foreign diplomas for licensing must submit the questionnaire for the assessment of the equivalence of foreign diploma to the FAOA together with their application for licence.

This does not apply to qualifications / diplomas that are already listed under «Comparable foreign diplomas.»