The Master Tax Practitioner (MTP) designation is connected to other careers within the family of accounting, legal and financial service professions but with a distinct focus on taxation. Most Master Tax Practitioners are engaged in tax advisory work or extensive tax controversy work.  Master Tax Practitioners engaged in tax compliance work typically only to prepare and review complex returns of listed entities or very large businesses.

Master Tax Practitioner work covers a range of tax types, including corporate income taxation, value-added taxation, personal income taxation and limited work dealing with payroll taxation.  Most Master Tax Practitioners have developed a unique subspecialisation of tax expertise in areas such as international taxation, mergers and acquisitions as well as wealth planning.

Note: As per the recognition of criteria for RCBs and Tax Practitioners, the SARS readiness programme will be compulsory for individuals who want to register as tax practitioners from 1 July 2022. Click here​ to read more.

AWARDING CRITERIA

For the Master Tax Practitioner designation to be awarded, applicants must comply with the following two requirements: 

1.        Academic Component

In terms of the academic component, the applicant must have successfully completed an NQF Level 9 qualification that is wholly or mainly devoted to tax. An NQF Level 9 qualification of this nature typically includes a Master's degree or LLM (Master of Laws) degree in taxation. These degrees can be obtained in South Africa or abroad.  

For purposes above, qualification titles on NQF level 9 that will be accepted as a minimum are:

• MCom Taxation
• MAcc Taxation
• MCom Acc (Taxation)
• MPhil Taxation
• MPhil Acc (Taxation)
• LLM Master of Laws
• LLM South African Tax Law
• LLM International Tax Law
• PhD Tax Policy

2.       Experiential Learning or Experience Component

In terms of the practical workplace component, applicants must have engaged in tax work as their sole or main activity for 5 consecutive years out of the last 10 years. Proof that this requirement is satisfied is achieved by providing a resume of tax work experience (verified by an employer or other senior tax professional).

Competency Assessment

Applicants must provide SAIT with the following documents in order to be successful in the Master Tax Practitioner designation:

• Provide proof of prior tax work experience, verified by a third party;
• Provide proof of their qualification on National Qualification Framework (NQF) Level 9 as indicated in accordance with the academic component above (all of which include assessments);
• Provide proof of a clear tax record;
• Provide proof of a clear criminal record.

RETAINING CRITERIA

In order to ensure their currency of professional knowledge and to retain the Master Tax Practitioner Designation, members must comply with the following 3 requirements:

1.        Code of Conduct

Members must adhere to the Professional Body Codes of Conduct and Ethics. 

2.       Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Members must demonstrate a commitment to maintaining their skills by regularly involving themselves in continuous professional development. This requirement must be satisfied annually upon the close of each calendar year in which the person is a member of SAIT.  

Undertaking regular continuing professional development (CPD) ensures that the member:

• Maintains knowledge and skills to provide services of the highest quality;
• Remains current in terms of tax interpretation, legislation and policy direction; and
• Can properly advise clients of their rights and obligations in terms of the tax system. 

Members are required to fulfil mandatory 18 hours of annual CPD in order to maintain their SARS practitioner registration and their SAIT membership. This annual CPD requirement consists of:

These 18 hours must consist of:

10 hours of tax;

2 hours of ethics;

6 hours of learning related to the service provided by the member (such as accounting or law).

These CPD hour requirements include professional ethics.