TLDR at end.
First time posting, thank you for having me.
I am a Canadian who moved to the USA recently for family reasons. I applied to this accounting firm (one of the biggest four in the world) and completed a first interview. The company emailed me after and said to proceed to next round, I need to get an International Education Evaluation completed to ensure I can get licensed in the USA. Okay, sounds fair. Until I found out what was involved.
- The International Education Evaluation is run by a third company, with a no refund policy (should have been my first red flag in retrospect) – $225 USD.
- I need to send in my degree ($105 CAD), transcripts ($40 for school 1, $15 for school 2) to this company.
- The process for evaluation takes 6 weeks.
After doing everything above, I sat down and thought about how my gut feeling was screaming at me the entire time and I ignored it because I trusted the company process due to its reputation. Then I called the US licensing board and found out that I DID NOT NEED TO DO ALL THAT.
Canada and USA has a reciprocal licensing agreement that did not require me to go through all that. I knew the basics before this interview but was confuddled by all the different organizations and associations and companies involved for USA licensing that I trusted that a top accounting firm would know more than I do. THEY DID NOT.
I managed to cancel my orders for a copy of my degree, but not for my transcripts (the one time my universities were efficient at anything). No response from the evaluation company on the $225 USD so I plan on disputing with the bank for no service rendered (I cancelled the evaluation process). Then I called the accounting firm.
I exhibited my extreme displeasure (as much as I can as a Canadian anyway), and sent in information regarding what was needed as a Canadian. The company says they require this evaluation for all international candidates and didn't know there was a specific process for Canada (and Mexico FYI). To be clear this is not upon a conditional offer, but FOR MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ROUND OF INTERVIEWS!!!
Canada and USA has similar COL so while the amount of money I spent was significant, it was not critical to my living expenses. I can't imagine how someone from another country where the exchange rate is significantly different to fork over so much money for a chance of a job.
In retrospect I wished I had trusted my gut feelings in the beginning. I am still very angry and frustrated about all this and I want to leave the country (can't because of family reasons).
If I had any doubts about big four accounting firms before (already did while in Canada because of the long hours, the toxic environment, and the mass firing of employees during COVID), this makes me more determined to never work for them.
Thanks for reading.
TLDR: big four accounting firm requires international candidates for fork $225 USD minimum to a third party to validate their education in order to move to next round of interviews.