Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI) has scrapped a policy which required trainees to seek permission from their current employer before interviewing with a firm where they wanted to transfer their training contract.

The policy, which also required prospective employers to verify that permission had been given, will change following “constructive engagement” with the competition watchdog.

The CCPC raised concerns with CAI after receiving a complaint in June 2025, warning that the policy could restrict competition for accounting trainees and risked breaching competition law.

Although CAI was of the view that the rule did not have a significant operational impact, following positive engagement with the CCPC, it agreed to amend the policy.

The CCPC said it considers that the revised policy will give trainees more freedom and flexibility should they wish to transfer their training contract to another firm.

Under the revised rules, employer approval is now only required after a trainee accepts a new role and is ready to transfer, not before interviewing or exploring opportunities. CAI also has a complaints procedure in place for any issues relating to transfers.

CAI has updated the policy on its website, notified chartered accountant training firms and communicated the changes directly to trainee accountants.

The CCPC said the change removes a significant barrier to competition while maintaining proportionate requirements such as ensuring trainees complete any outstanding training requirements before transferring and resolving obligations like repayment of fees covered by their original firm.

Craig Whelan, director of antitrust at the CCPC, said: “We welcome CAI’s constructive and timely engagement to address our competition concerns.  

“Labour market restrictions are increasingly coming to the attention of competition authorities worldwide. Anticompetitive restrictions don’t just harm employees — they can harm the wider economy by holding back productivity growth and stifling the innovation that comes when new people bring fresh ideas into organisations.  

“Competitive markets drive better outcomes — and the job market is no exception. When firms compete to hire and retain talent, workers benefit through higher pay, better conditions and greater career opportunities. Restrictive policies and agreements between firms deny employees these benefits.  

“This issue is now firmly on our radar. We are warning firms and professional associations to review their practices. Where we find anticompetitive conduct, we will not hesitate to take enforcement action.”