On October 26, 2018, representatives from the architectural regulatory authorities of Canada and the European Union signed a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA), giving architects the opportunity to work across the Atlantic. Danica Djurkovic, President of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia, represented the AIBC.
The Canadian Architectural Licensing Authorities (CALA) and the Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE) have confirmed the ACE-CALA Mutual Recognition Agreement for the Practice of Architecture among member states in the European Union and Canada.
The agreement comes into force in summer 2019.
“We are committed to working with our counterparts to streamline cross-border registration, and increase the opportunities available for qualified architects. As with the 2015 APEC Architect MRA with Australia and New Zealand, the Canada-EU agreement is another key step in recognizing that architecture is a global profession. This agreement was years in the making, and we are delighted to have been part of the negotiations and final signing,” says Mark Vernon, CEO of the AIBC.
The agreement represents a decade of negotiations, bringing trans-Atlantic recognition of professional credentials under the auspices of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), a free-trade agreement between Canada, the European Union, and its member states.
Qualified architects from each country who satisfy the requirements of the agreement will be granted a credential that will lead to a license to practice architecture in the host country. The agreement opens doors to qualified architects as the world and architectural practices become more globally connected.
The basic eligibility requirements include:
- A qualified architect from the EU and Canada shall be registered or licensed or otherwise recognized and is a member in good standing in their home jurisdiction and have completed a minimum of 12 years of education, training, and practice in the field of architecture, in one or more of the states, provinces or territories of their home jurisdiction, of which a minimum of four years shall be post-registration/licensure experience;
- Proof of “Good Standing” in the home jurisdiction, as verified by the local regulatory authority;
- Knowledge of the codes, laws, and other matters applicable to the practice of architecture in the host country;
- Mobility across borders in the European Union and across provinces and territories in Canada and;
- European architects seeking licensure in Canada must complete a 10-hour online course on Canadian domain-specific requirements in architecture.
Full registration instructions for those eligible and interested in applying will be posted shortly on the CALA website.