Exemplar Global and IRCA: How the Two Schemes Work

Why Auditor Certification Schemes Matter

When you complete a lead auditor course, you receive a certificate of attainment from the training provider. That certificate confirms you sat the course and passed the assessment. What it does not automatically do is register you as a certified auditor with an internationally recognised personnel certification body.

That is where Exemplar Global and IRCA come in. Both are personnel certification schemes for auditors. They operate independently from training providers and from certification bodies. Their job is to assess whether you, as an individual, meet defined competence requirements to be recognised as a qualified auditor at a particular level.

If you are planning a career in ISO auditing, understanding how these two schemes work is not optional. It shapes which courses you enrol in, how you document your audit experience, and how potential employers or clients perceive your credentials. This article walks through both schemes in plain terms so you can make an informed decision about which path suits your situation.

What Is Exemplar Global?

Exemplar Global is a US-based personnel certification body with a strong presence in the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia. It was formed from the merger of RABQSA International and Exemplar Global, and it operates under the international standard ISO/IEC 17024, which sets requirements for bodies that certify persons.

Exemplar Global certifies auditors across a range of management system disciplines, including quality (QMS), environmental (EMS), and occupational health and safety (OHSMS). It also certifies auditors in food safety, information security, and other fields.

The scheme works through a network of recognised training providers. When you complete a lead auditor course with an Exemplar Global Recognised Training Provider, the training organisation submits your results directly to Exemplar Global. Provided you meet the eligibility requirements, you can then apply for personnel certification through the Exemplar Global portal.

Exemplar Global uses a tiered auditor grading system. The main grades relevant to most auditors are:

• Provisional Auditor: For people who have completed approved training but have limited or no audit experience. This grade gives you a starting point and a pathway to progress.
• Auditor: Requires demonstrated audit experience in addition to training. You will need to document a defined number of completed audits before you can achieve this grade.
• Lead Auditor: The highest individual auditor grade. Requires lead auditor training plus evidence of audits conducted in a lead role.
• Principal Auditor: A senior grade recognising extensive experience and contribution to the profession.

Exemplar Global certification is time-limited. You must maintain your certification through annual fees and ongoing CPD activity. If you let your certification lapse, you may need to reapply and demonstrate currency again.

What Is IRCA?

IRCA stands for the International Register of Certificated Auditors. It is one of the oldest and most widely recognised auditor certification schemes in the world, founded in the United Kingdom in 1984. IRCA is now a division of the Chartered Quality Institute (CQI) and operates globally.

Like Exemplar Global, IRCA certifies individual auditors rather than organisations. It also operates under ISO/IEC 17024. IRCA has historically been strongest in the UK and Europe, but its certifications are recognised internationally, including in Australia.

IRCA also works through a network of approved course providers. A lead auditor course must be IRCA-certified before the training hours can count towards IRCA registration. You cannot simply attend any course and then apply to IRCA. The course itself must carry IRCA certification.

IRCA uses the following auditor grades:

• Provisional Auditor: Entry level grade for people who have completed an IRCA-certified training course but are still building audit experience.
• Auditor: Requires a defined number of completed audits, documented in an audit log.
• Lead Auditor: Requires lead auditor training plus evidence of audits conducted in a lead capacity.
• Principal Auditor: Senior grade for highly experienced auditors.

IRCA registration is also maintained through annual fees and CPD. The scheme requires you to log your ongoing audit activity and professional development to retain your grade.

For a deeper look at how to register step by step, see our guide on how to register with IRCA.

How the Two Schemes Compare

On paper, Exemplar Global and IRCA look very similar. Both certify individual auditors, both use tiered grading, both require ongoing CPD, and both are accredited under ISO/IEC 17024. But there are meaningful differences that affect which scheme is more useful depending on your situation.

Geographic Recognition

In Australia, Exemplar Global tends to be the more commonly referenced scheme. Many Australian training providers, including Audit Workshop, deliver courses recognised by Exemplar Global. Australian certification bodies and employers are familiar with Exemplar Global credentials, and the scheme has strong brand recognition across the Asia-Pacific region.

IRCA carries more weight in the UK and European markets. If you are working with multinational clients, seeking roles with UK-based certification bodies, or working in sectors where IRCA has a longer history, IRCA registration may carry more influence.

If your audit career is focused on Australia, New Zealand, or South-East Asia, Exemplar Global is typically the more relevant credential. If you have international ambitions that extend to the UK or Europe, IRCA is worth considering.

Training Provider Networks

Not all lead auditor courses are recognised by both schemes. A course might be Exemplar Global recognised but not IRCA-certified, or vice versa. Some courses carry both approvals. When choosing a training provider, it is worth checking which scheme or schemes the course is registered with.

Audit Workshop courses are delivered through an Exemplar Global Recognised Training Provider. This means that when you complete a lead auditor course with us and pass the assessment, your results are submitted directly to Exemplar Global, and you can apply for personnel certification from there.

The Application Process

Both schemes require you to submit an application that documents your education, training, and audit experience. The experience requirements are broadly similar, though the specific numbers differ between schemes and between disciplines.

For Exemplar Global, the application is submitted through their online portal. You will need to provide details of your completed audits, including the standard audited, the type of audit, your role, and the number of days. A referee may be required to verify your experience.

For IRCA, the process is similar. You submit your application with supporting documentation, and IRCA reviews it against their published competence criteria. IRCA is known for being relatively thorough in reviewing applications, so it pays to document your experience carefully and completely.

Fees and Ongoing Costs

Both schemes charge application fees and annual maintenance fees. The exact amounts change periodically, so it is worth checking the current fee schedules on the Exemplar Global and IRCA websites directly. Neither scheme is free, and the ongoing cost of maintaining certification is something to factor into your career planning.

If budget is a concern, focus on one scheme initially. Most auditors in Australia start with Exemplar Global and add IRCA later if their career takes them into markets where it adds value.

The Experience Requirements in Practice

This is where many people get tripped up. Completing a lead auditor course is only the first step. To move beyond the Provisional Auditor grade, you need to accumulate real audit experience and document it properly.

Both Exemplar Global and IRCA require you to maintain an audit log. This is a record of every audit you have participated in, including the date, the organisation audited, the standard, the type of audit, your role, and the duration. The log needs to be accurate and verifiable.

For Exemplar Global Lead Auditor certification in QMS, you typically need to have completed a defined number of audit days in a lead role. The specific requirements are published in their competence criteria documents, and they vary by discipline. For IRCA, similar requirements apply.

The practical implication is this: if you complete a lead auditor course but then do not conduct any audits, you will remain at the Provisional Auditor grade. Certification bodies and employers understand this distinction. A Provisional Auditor who has just completed training is in a different position to a registered Lead Auditor with a documented audit history.

If you are building your audit experience from scratch, our article on how to build audit experience before lead auditor training covers practical strategies for getting started.

Which Scheme Should You Choose?

The honest answer is that for most people in Australia, Exemplar Global is the right starting point. It is well recognised in the local market, the application process is straightforward, and most Australian training providers are set up to feed directly into the Exemplar Global system.

IRCA makes more sense if you are specifically targeting roles with certification bodies that prefer or require IRCA registration, if you have clients or employers in the UK or European markets, or if you want to hold both credentials to maximise your market reach.

Some auditors hold both. There is nothing stopping you from registering with Exemplar Global initially and then applying to IRCA once you have built up your audit log. The experience you document for one scheme will generally satisfy the requirements for the other, since both are looking at the same underlying competence.

What you should not do is assume that one scheme is universally superior. Both are accredited under the same international standard. Both are recognised by reputable certification bodies and employers. The difference is largely one of geography and market preference.

For a direct comparison of the value each credential carries in the current market, see our article on Exemplar Global vs IRCA certification: which is worth more in 2026.

How Audit Workshop Fits Into This Picture

Audit Workshop delivers Foundation, Internal Auditor, and Lead Auditor training for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001. Our lead auditor courses are delivered through an Exemplar Global Recognised Training Provider, which means your course results can be submitted directly to Exemplar Global for personnel certification purposes.

Our training is built around practical auditing skills. Dilawar Laghari, who founded Audit Workshop, has conducted over 500 external ISO certification audits across Australia, the Middle East, and South Asia. The courses reflect what actually happens in audit rooms, not just what the theory says should happen.

If you are working out which level of training to start with, our article on ISO Lead Auditor vs Internal Auditor: which course do you need walks through the decision in practical terms.

For those who want to understand the full career pathway from completing a course through to becoming a registered lead auditor with documented experience, our guide on the ISO auditor career path from internal auditor to lead auditor covers the progression in detail.

Maintaining Your Certification Over Time

Whichever scheme you register with, certification is not a one-time achievement. Both Exemplar Global and IRCA require ongoing maintenance through CPD and continued audit activity.

CPD for auditors includes activities like attending training courses, reading standards updates, participating in professional forums, and conducting audits. Both schemes publish guidance on what types of activities count and how many hours are required per year.

The practical advice here is to keep your audit log current from day one. Do not wait until your annual renewal to try to reconstruct what you have done over the past twelve months. A well-maintained log makes renewal straightforward and gives you a clear picture of your own development as an auditor.

If your certification lapses, both schemes have reinstatement processes, but they can involve demonstrating currency again and paying additional fees. It is far simpler to maintain certification than to let it lapse and have to recover it.

A Practical Summary

Here is the short version for anyone who wants the key points without wading through the detail:

• Exemplar Global and IRCA are both internationally recognised personnel certification schemes for auditors, both accredited under ISO/IEC 17024.
• Neither scheme is automatically included in a training course. You must apply separately and meet the experience requirements.
• Exemplar Global is generally more relevant in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. IRCA is stronger in the UK and European markets.
• Both use tiered grading: Provisional Auditor, Auditor, Lead Auditor, and Principal Auditor.
• Moving beyond Provisional Auditor requires documented audit experience, not just a training certificate.
• Maintain your certification through annual fees, CPD, and continued audit activity.
• Most Australian auditors start with Exemplar Global. Adding IRCA later is an option if your career takes you into markets where it adds value.

If you are ready to take the next step, explore the lead auditor and internal auditor courses available through Audit Workshop. Our courses are structured to give you the practical skills you need and the recognised training credentials to support your application for personnel certification through Exemplar Global.