Home > Membership & Practice > Licensing and Practice Information > Applicants from outside Canada and the USA
Licensing Information for Applicants from Outside Canada and the USA
Occupational Career Map for Foreign-Trained Architects (PDF file, 15pp., 259 KB) Developed in collaboration with the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, Access to Professions and Trades Unit in October 2003 (updated January 2010 in collaboration with the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration).
 | Download Adobe Reader free to view PDF files |
The following general information has been prepared for the benefit of persons from outside of Canada and the USA who may be considering applying for licence/registration as an architect in Canada. Information specific to Ontario is included at the bottom of this page.
The architectural profession in Canada is both self-governing and self-regulating.
Provincial legislation or Architects Acts have created ten independent provincial architectural licensing authorities whose primary purpose is the licensing or registration of architects to ensure their competency and ability to provide proper professional services to the public.
Most architects in Canada are self-employed; however, many architectural firms, private corporations and governments employ architects. In order to become an architect in Canada, you must obtain a licence or registration from the Provincial Architectural Association in the province where you intend to work.
In Canada, there are three major requirements for an architectural licence or registration:
1. Educational Requirements
A professional degree or diploma in architecture is required. This degree or diploma must be certified by the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) as meeting the Canadian Education Standard. A certificate from the CACB is not an architectural licence or registration nor a permit for immigration to Canada - it is only one part of a three-step process.
The CACB is the only body recognized by the architectural profession in Canada for the assessment of education qualifications or academic credentials.
2. Experience Requirements
All candidates must complete a period of internship to satisfy the Canadian Experience Standard. A minimum of 5600 hours of experience under the Intern Architect Program (which includes a minimum of 3720 hours in various mandatory professional activities) must be recorded in the Canadian Experience Record Book and accepted by the provincial architectural association. There may be a minimum amount of experience to be gained in the province prior to licensure or registration.
Experience gained outside Canada may be submitted for consideration.
3. Examination Requirements
All candidates must successfully complete the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) in order to satisfy the examination requirement. The ARE currently consists of nine parts or divisions.
Steps to Obtain an Architectural Licence in Canada
The following steps must be undertaken to obtain an architectural licence in Canada:
STEP ONE- Process for Assessment of Academic Qualifications
Applicants must apply for certification of their academic qualifications through the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB). The following information must be submitted directly to the CACB:
- a completed application (see address below to obtain an application form);
- an official Transcript of Record, or notarized copy thereof, of all studies relevant to the architecture degree (and certified copies of translated transcripts, if the original is not in French or English);
- notarized copies of degrees or diplomas in the original language (and a notarized copy of translation of the degree or diploma, if the original is not in French or English);
- course descriptions of the program in architecture (or a translation of course descriptions, if the original is not in French or English);
- an academic portfolio of studio work; and
- an application fee of C$700 plus value added taxes (as at January 1, 2000) payable in Canadian or American currency only. Credit cards are not accepted.
An applicant may be required to attend an interview in English or French before a regional Committee of Examiners, for a detailed evaluation, as part of the assessment process by the CACB. If such an interview is required, the decision to grant a visa to the applicant is at the discretion of the Canadian immigration authorities.
The assessment process has three possible outcomes:
- a CACB certificate may be issued if the academic qualifications meet the Canadian Education Standard;
- the applicant may be required to eliminate deficiencies in particular subject areas by successfully completing courses recommended by the CACB;
- the academic qualifications may be rejected.
STEP TWO - Internship
After an applicant has obtained CACB certification, he or she must find a Mentor and apply to enroll in the Internship in Architecture Program with one of the ten provincial architectural associations. Membership as an Intern Architect costs between C$75 and C$200 annually depending on the province.
The Internship in Architecture Program manual, which contains the Canadian Experience Record Book, must be obtained by each applicant. Each applicant must record work experience and satisfy the requirements of the Canadian Experience Record Book. The experience must be reviewed and accepted by the provincial architectural association. The applicant may submit experience gained outside Canada for consideration.
STEP THREE - Examination
Applicants must also successfully complete the Architect Registration Examination (ARE). Examinations are administered exclusively on computers at a network of testing centres across Canada and the USA. The cost to take all nine divisions of the ARE is C$1400 plus value added taxes (as at January 1, 2000). Applicants may begin taking the examinations after obtaining CACB certification and eligibility from the provincial architectural association.
Provincial Associations Requirements
Applicants may also be required to comply with certain other requirements (such as ongoing continuing education requirements, an oral examination, an admission course, etc.) in order to maintain Intern Architect membership or to become licensed or registered in certain provincial architectural associations. In order to practice architecture in a province, it may be necessary to obtain a Certificate of Practice or its equivalent. Specific requirements may be obtained from the provincial architectural association.
Once the requirements for education, experience and examination have been satisfied (together with any additional requirements that might apply within a specific province), an individual will be eligible to apply for licence or registration with the provincial architectural association. Membership costs between CAN $600 and CAN $750 annually depending on the province.
The fees, documentation and assessment process outlined above are subject to change without notice.
More detailed information may be obtained from the provincial architectural association. Applications for certification of academic qualifications may be obtained from:
The Canadian Architectural Certification Board
1508-1 Nicholas St
Ottawa, Ontario K1N 7B7
Canada
E-mail: info@cacb.ca
The information on this page has been endorsed by the ten provincial architectural associations.
Additional information for those interested in applying for licence in Ontario
- In Ontario, the Internship in Architecture Program is known as the Intern Architect Program.
- Applicants are required to complete the OAA Admission Course, a week-long, intensive series of lectures held each May/June in Toronto, Ontario.
- At this time, Intern Architects are not required to participate in the mandatory OAA Continuing Education Program.
For additional information specific to Ontario contact:
Kim Sumi at: kims@oaa.on.ca or Jessica O'Rafferty at: jessicao@oaa.on.ca
|
Licensing and Practice Information