<p>Basically I want to find out whether there are opportunities to work abroad for American accountants who know foreign languages. I understand that each country has its own tax system (well obviously), but maybe there's a demand for US-educated accountants in American companies at their foreign branches?..</p>
<p>the short and obvious answer to your question is no, there are not that many type of jobs you are describing. in fact sometimes its hard enough for accountants to do work from one state to another. however, it all really depends on your job and type of accounting, and i’m sure you could pull something unique and there are still jobs like you’re describing. also keep in mind that many accountants aren’t necessarily in pure “accounting” jobs, eg: a managerial or executive role. </p>
<p>i think as we move away from gaap and into the world of IFRS, there may be more opportunities like what you’re describing. if you could give a little more specific information on what type of accounting you’d like to be doing, what countries you’re talking about, your education level, etc you might get a more relevant response.</p>
<p>Interesting question…would a minor in Chinese help me at all for accounting abroad (in China or Hong Kong)?</p>
<p>Actually I wonder if IFRS might make less such jobs available. An IBM(for example) operation in China needs to report financial data back to headquarters according to GAAP, not whatever China uses. For tax purposes they need to follow Chinese regulations, but their financial statements flow into the company’s consolidated statements and ultimately the SEC and FASB are the ones making the rules for those(and people on Wall Street not in Shanghai are most concerned with those reports). Assuming the accountants in China are not trained first and foremost in GAAP(a reasonable assumption), American multinationals have to either train their own or bring in people trained in American schools(maybe students who could get student visas but not H1B’s to work?). </p>
<p>If the accountants generated by Chinese schools were learning IFRS and that’s what we were using, they could just use them instead.</p>
<p>jonahrubin, while your point is valid, you have to realize that for an example you described, all the GAAP operations are being done back in the United States at company headquarters. … thus although it is international tax, tax accountants from IBM headquarters in the United States wouldn’t be sent abroad to the CFC. this is really just the tip of the iceberg, and really this meshes into complicated tax law, and of course FIN 48/FAS 109. You’ll find that many CFC comptrollers are really local accountants from the country the CFC is in.</p>
<p>I know someone who works for a French company’s American HQ as a tax director. He travels to the company HQ in Paris sometimes. If you were to work a high profile job at a branch of an Asian company in America, you might be able to travel to Asia on business.</p>
<p>Your priority should be to get some accounting experience so you can move into high profile positions where people would actually pay to fly you somewhere. Think about it, if you want to travel for work, you’ve got to do something that is worth the expense, and that won’t happen in an entry-level position no matter what you’re doing.</p>
<p>If you know a foreign language, you might have a better chance of working for one of the Big 4 in a foreign office. Regardless, there are opportunities out there, especially in public accounting. Holding a CPA might also give you a leg up when competing against foreign accountants.</p>
<p>It could help you in your daily life if you know little Chinese. Actually, in most multi-international company in China, especially in Shanghai, Hongkong, most staffs in Financial Dept know English. And all the financial statements are in English.</p>
<p>Yes there are a ton of American accountants working abroad. Mostly in American companies that have branches overseas. I met my husband (an accountant) while he was working in the UK as an expat for an American oil company. There were several American accountants in the various UK offices. He also was offered a post in Italy (that didn’t work out for various reasons 
) but then worked in Egypt. And we had accountant friends in the same company who have worked all over the world - Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Dubai, Australia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Jakarta, Venezuela, Canada etc etc</p>
<p>swimcatsmom, was he working abroad there as in stationed there, or was it just an extended project/business meeting for which he was working abroad? One reason I’m starting to come back to accounting rather than law or a PHD in accounting is because I want to have a shot at doing international work, but did he have to move to the country to do work?</p>