The profession most equipped to address tax complexities needs to invest in the next generation, finds The Tax Institute
Sydney, 22 September 2026: Tax professionals have been in high demand following this year’s Federal Budget tax changes. Yet in a world where tax is becoming increasingly complicated the profession most equipped to address these complexities is fighting for survival.
In ‘The State of Tax Education in Australia’, a report published by The Tax Institute on 22 September, the findings are alarming: the supply of new entrants into the tax profession is contracting at every stage of the pipeline. Fewer secondary school students are engaging with accounting, university enrolments are declining in accounting and commerce, and a large cohort of experienced practitioners (58%) is approaching retirement age. As a result, the demand for taxation professionals will continue to outstrip supply, and shortages are likely to persist.
Further to this conundrum, new tax professionals entering the workforce after completing tertiary education are finding that their foundational education did not equip them for practice, and 82% of their employers agree.
A significant majority – 80% of research respondents – have been in a role where they needed to upskill beyond their existing education level, 99% believe continued, specialised learning is beneficial to their tax career, and 1 in 3 are actively upskilling specifically to take the next step in their career.
“Not only is there a shortage of people entering the tax profession, but our mainstream secondary and tertiary education institutions aren’t set up to teach the very specific technical knowledge that a good tax adviser needs. Employers are competing to engage a shrinking pool of emerging professionals, then needing to invest in further training. It means that replacing tax and accounting staff as they retire or move into other careers is a slow process that can’t stand up to the demand for excellent tax advice,” says Doctor Sharon Smulders, Academic Director at The Tax Institute.
Solving the skills shortage
Despite these concerning findings regarding the high demand for a profession that is facing a supply shortage and quality crisis, The Tax Institute is leading the way in finding solutions.
One is ongoing, structured professional development specific to tax technical learning. The Tax Institute offers both long-form qualifications via its Higher Education courses, including being the only institution in Australia to offer the Chartered Tax Adviser program, and short-form microcredential units through The Tax Academy. The following are The Tax Institute’s graduates reported outcomes including:
- 78% gained confidence to take on new opportunities after completing structured tax study.
- 74% took on new responsibilities or projects.
- 41% achieved a salary increase of up to $50,000 post study.
- 26% received a promotion directly following their studies.
- 11% went on to start their own practice or business.
- 60% of Chartered Tax Adviser designation recipients received a promotion or took on senior responsibilities.
One example of these positive outcomes is Emily Greer. Originally on a creative career path, Emily landed a job at the Australian Tax Office call centre during COVID-19 in 2020. It was here that she discovered a new love for the logic and structure of tax, which motivated her to return to university to pursue a Master of Business (Professional Accounting). Following that, she joined Grant Thornton in Brisbane, working in tax compliance.
To deepen her technical knowledge, Emily enrolled in the Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) program through The Tax Institute, which went beyond what workplace alone could offer. Emily has continued studying with The Tax Institute in line with her and her employer’s joint goal of building her expertise as a senior tax practitioner.
Other proactive solutions aimed at replenishing the tax profession’s ranks include The Tax Institute’s regular engagement at university open days and a series of ‘Office Crawls’ through which university students in accounting and related disciplines are invited to tour tax firm offices, understand more about a career in tax and make professional connections that encourage them to enter the tax profession. The value of these initiatives for the profession is evident, with BDO recently offering office crawl participant Dhruti Budhwar a job in their audit team, commencing in January 2027.
“In the context of a structural supply shortage, employer investment in professional tax education is not merely a staff benefit, but a strategic necessity,” says Sharon.
“However, with 32% of registered tax agents already past retirement age and accounting enrolments at historic lows in many jurisdictions, the window for proactive action is narrowing. The profession, employers, education providers and policy makers need to act with intention and speed.”
The full report published by The Tax Institute, in collaboration with DXP Consulting, is available to download here.
ENDS
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