CPA firms turn to offshore teams as accounting shortage deepens

By AI, Created 2:35 PM UTC, May 25, 2026, /AGP/ – The U.S. accounting profession is short more than 1.3 million licensed accountants from its 2019 peak, and CPA firms are using offshore staffing to fill capacity gaps. MYCPE ONE says firms using dedicated offshore teams are growing about twice as fast while cutting comparable labor costs by 60% to 70%.

Why it matters: - The accounting talent shortage is limiting firm growth, stretching senior staff, and forcing CPA practices to turn away business. - Offshore staffing is emerging as a practical way for firms to add capacity without relying only on a shrinking domestic labor pool. - MYCPE ONE says its model is helping firms scale faster while lowering operating costs on comparable roles.

What happened: - The U.S. accounting profession has lost roughly 1.3 million licensed accountants since 2019, falling from 1.93 million to about 653,000. - The AICPA has called the situation a “pipeline crisis.” - The average time to fill a CPA-credentialed role is now 73 days, 41% longer than comparable non-credentialed positions. - Eighty-three percent of CFOs say they cannot find qualified accounting talent. - MYCPE ONE said CPA firms using dedicated offshore accounting teams are growing revenue at about 2x the rate of firms relying only on domestic hiring. - MYCPE ONE said those firms are also cutting operational costs by 60% to 70% on comparable roles.

The details: - MYCPE ONE is an integrated growth platform for CPA and accounting firms serving more than 3,000 practices and 250,000 accounting professionals across the U.S., Canada and the U.K. - The company has spent more than a decade building offshore accounting staffing infrastructure for CPA firms. - Jody Grunden, a CPA who runs a subscription-billing accounting practice, said his firm has used MYCPE ONE’s offshore staffing model to achieve more than 35% average annual growth. - Grunden said his firm previously used other offshore providers and lacked visibility into who was handling client files. - With MYCPE ONE, the firm can interview the exact person doing the work and communicate in real time across time zones. - Grunden’s model uses one offshore team member per onshore accountant. - The offshore team handles bank reconciliations, bill pay, invoicing and other defined process work. - Grunden said the firm does not hire onshore staff for roles owned by the offshore accounting team. - MYCPE ONE says its offshore professionals are trained in U.S. GAAP, federal and state tax compliance, and the major software used by CPA firms. - Supported software includes QuickBooks Online and Desktop, Xero, Drake, Lacerte, UltraTax, ProSeries, CCH Axcess, Bill.com, Gusto and Jetpack Workflow. - The hiring model lets clients interview candidates before hiring, and teams are dedicated rather than shared pools. - The company says its operations are built for real-time collaboration rather than next-day turnaround. - MYCPE ONE says its offshore setup is SOC 2 Type II compliant and compliant with IRS, AICPA and FTC requirements, with ISO-certified offshore offices. - Engagement models include offshore staffing, Managed Offshore Services and a Build-Operate-Transfer model for firms that want to own a captive offshore entity later. - The company’s broader ecosystem includes AI learning, continuing professional education accredited by more than 25 regulatory bodies, AI-powered benchmarking, assessments, learning and development, M&A advisory, digital marketing, website development, AI implementation, managed IT and enterprise cybersecurity. - MYCPE ONE says it operates 40+ office locations across 20+ cities globally.

Between the lines: - The headline labor shortage is not just a hiring problem; it is reshaping how accounting firms organize work and deliver services. - MYCPE ONE is positioning offshore staffing as an operating model, not a short-term outsourcing fix. - The company’s emphasis on direct candidate interviews, dedicated teams and compliance suggests firms want control and visibility, not just lower labor costs. - The broader platform strategy points to a bet that accounting firms need technology, training and back-office support together to scale.

What’s next: - CPA firms under hiring pressure will likely keep testing offshore staffing to protect margins and capacity. - MYCPE ONE is likely to keep expanding its managed services and build-operate-transfer offerings as firms look for longer-term workforce solutions. - The firm’s broader services suggest more accounting practices may bundle staffing with CPE, AI and IT support as growth constraints persist.

The bottom line: - The accounting talent shortage is forcing a structural shift, and offshore staffing is becoming one of the clearest ways CPA firms are trying to grow anyway.