Breaking: the IRS has postponed EA international testing, with no new date set
If you are an Enrolled Agent candidate outside the United States, the date you were counting on has moved. International scheduling was due to open on 1 September and testing on 2 September. The IRS has now postponed both, and it has not set a new date. If you are inside the US, nothing changes, domestic testing has been running since 1 July and continues.
Here is the announcement in the words of the IRS itself, so you are reading it from the source rather than second hand.
What it actually means for you
Two things matter in that notice. First, there is no new date yet, so plan for uncertainty rather than a fixed target, and watch the PSI and IRS pages for the announcement. Second, and this is the reassuring part, if you already hold a pass in one or two parts and were worried about the three-year carryover clock running out while you wait, the IRS has said you will be given additional time because of the delay. You are not going to lose a pass you earned because of a postponement outside your control.
What to do while you wait
The delay does not have to be dead time. In fact it hands you the weeks you would otherwise have spent racing paperwork against a 1 September clock.
Use the wait well
- Finish your PTIN. If you do not have one, apply now with Form W-12 and Form 8946. It is the longest pole and it does not depend on the testing date.
- Get your PSI account ready. Set it up with your details exactly as they appear on your ID, so you can book the moment a new date lands.
- Keep studying. A postponed exam is still a coming exam. Most people start with Part 1, Individuals, and the extra time is a gift if you use it.
- Watch the source. New dates will appear on the PSI website and IRS.gov first, not on rumour threads.
This is exactly the kind of moment our free session on 29 August is built for. "How to Become a US Enrolled Agent from Anywhere" was already about the international route under the new remote arrangements, and with the opening now delayed, the hour is even more useful for working out where you stand and what to prepare next.
MojiTaxTurn the wait into a head start
Global Tax Studies is run by the team at MojiTax, who run a self paced EA course covering the full syllabus, so the weeks before a new date is set are weeks you can already be learning. You can look inside on a free trial before deciding.
See MojiTax EA trainingJoin the discussion
Waiting on the international opening, or weighing whether to switch to a US test centre? Compare notes with other candidates. Pick whichever room you already live in: our WhatsApp group, the LinkedIn group, the Facebook group. They all connect back through the Global Tax Studies community page.
Source: IRS Enrolled Agent News at irs.gov/tax-professionals/enrolled-agent-news, last updated 14 August 2026. Confirm current status on the PSI website and IRS.gov before you act.