Through legislation, each provincial and territorial professional regulatory association has both the authority and the responsibility to establish standards of admission and competence for individuals seeking to become licensed to practice architecture in their respective jurisdictions.
The Regulatory Organizations of Architecture in Canada (ROAC) have worked collectively to develop and adopt nationally recognized standards of competence. These standards are embodied in the Canadian Standard of Competency for Architects, which establishes consistent criteria that individuals must meet regardless of their chosen path to licensure. Recently introduced amendments to the province’s fair registration practices legislation mean new rules that affect the path to becoming licensed as an Architect in Ontario. To learn more, click here.
Find out more information on becoming licensed as an Architect in Ontario after following a path of education, experience, and examination in the province.
Discover how to become an architect through the apprenticeship Syllabus Program offered by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC).
Information for internationally trained professionals who have been licensed as architects in a jurisdiction outside of Canada.
Within Canada, the required professional competence is normally obtained and demonstrated through a combination of formal education, supervised experience, and professional examinations. The provincial and territorial regulators have collectively agreed to endorse a variety of pathways to licensure in order to allow broad yet comprehensive and robust access to the profession for individuals from diverse circumstances. These include options for domestic candidates and foreign candidates, and are included in the linked diagrams.
Download Each pathway to licensure was developed by ROAC. Individuals typically progress through the domestic professional education pathway. The other pathways to the profession are the Syllabus Work/Study Program and options for those with international professional education. In some cases, ROAC has empowered an agent to administer components of the pathway on its behalf. However, all registration and licensing authority rests with the provincial and territorial regulatory associations.
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Information on individuals who are licensed to use the title “architect” and practise architecture in Ontario.
The Internship in Architecture Program (IAP) is the path to licensure as an architect in Canada. Learn more about what this entails in the province of Ontario.
Those currently studying architecture can join the OAA for free to stay informed about the requirements for licensure in Ontario.
On October 12, 2023, the OAA Interns Committee hosted the third Meet the OAA event over Zoom, helping introduce the Association (and its role as regulator of Ontario’s architecture profession) to students, while also sharing more information about the path to licensure in the province. It is now available for on-demand viewing below and on the OAA's You Tube channel.
Human Rights Code
Vocational associations Every person has a right to equal treatment with respect to membership in any trade union, trade or occupational association or self-governing profession without discrimination because of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status or disability.
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Important References
FAQs: Path to Licensure Paths to Licence Matrix ROAC Licensure Options From "Intern Architect to Architect" via the IAP February 2024 Regulatory Notice: Synopsis of Changes to Licence Requirements
IAP Contacts