Fast Track Professional

I. Criteria
To qualify for the Fast Track Professional route, applicants must provide evidence that:

• You are a lawyer or accountant with a recognised professional body (including those recognised by The Chartered Governance Institute and its Divisions in other jurisdictions); and
• You are a current member in good standing of your professional body; and
• You have maintained your professional status as a lawyer or accountant for at least five years; and
• You have gained at least five years’ experience since you qualified as a lawyer or accountant, which is relevant to the role of a Chartered Secretary and/or Chartered Governance Professional; and
• The law degree should have included Corporate or Company Law

II. Professional status
An applicant who is a lawyer needs to be a member of one of the following:

• Hong Kong Bar Association
• The Law Society of Hong Kong
• Law Society or Bar Association in China
• Law Society or Bar Association recognised by the other Divisions of The Chartered Governance Institute

An applicant who is an accountant needs to be a member of one of the following:

• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
• Chartered Institute of Public Finance Accountancy (CIPFA)
• CPA Australia
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland (ICAI)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS)
• Institute of Public Accountants (IPA)
• The Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CICPA)
• The Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA)
• Accounting bodies recognised by the other divisions of The Chartered Governance Institute

III. Relevant experience
Applicants must provide evidence of the five years’ relevant post-qualifying experience in the following areas:

• Company secretarial practice
• Compliance
• Legal
• Corporate governance
• Financial management and accounting
• Strategic management

IV. Required evidence
Applicants are required to provide evidence (certified true copies) of the professional status and relevant post-qualifying experience:

1. For professional status:

• You have been a lawyer or accountant for at least five years (e.g. confirmation from your professional body, membership, certificate/identification, receipts of payment for membership, etc.); and
• You currently hold the professional status in good standing (e.g. a good standing letter from your professional body).

Applicants are required to provide the contact details of your professional body. The Institute reserves the right to verify your status with your professional body.

2. For relevant post-qualifying experience:

• Evidence to show examples of the areas you have worked in which demonstrate the relevant experience, including a completed application form (S013c), detailed CV and/or another professional profile.

Applicants are required to provide contact information of your employing organisation. The Institute reserves the right to verify your employment status with your employing organisation.

1. Applicants should complete the application form (S013c) with all the required documents:

• Applicants who have not previously registered as HKCGI students should apply online for the Fast Track Professional route with the HKCGI studentship registration.
• Applicants who are currently HKCGI students may login to the HKCGI account to apply for further exemptions under the Fast Track Professional route.

2. All applications will be reviewed by the Institute. An interview will be arranged if required.

3. Unsuccessful applicants shall be assessed for module exemptions based on their relevant recognised university degrees and/or professional qualifications (applicable for new HKCGI students).

All applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis and subject to the final decision of the Institute.