Within Canada

With the exception of Yukon and Nunavut, all architects working within any Canadian jurisdiction must be registered with the regulator of that jurisdiction.  An architect practicing in Yukon or Nunavut must be registered in at least one Canadian jurisdiction. 

NWTAA is a signatory of the Reciprocity Agreement of the Regulatory Organanizations of Architects (ROAC), which uniformly recognizes credentials and eligibility for an individual's registration across Canada and allows for licensing between the territorial & provincial regulators with a minimum of barriers.  The agreement is applicable to all architects in good standing in their originating or primary ("home") jurisdiction.

While this agreement facilitates an expedient registration, regulators may still require conditions to be met or reject applications where the public interest is at risk.

The reciprocity agreement aligns with the provisions of the federal/provincial/territorial Agreement on Internal Trade.

United States

A Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) between Canada and the United States took effect on January 1, 2014, which supersedes the previous Canada/US Inter-Recognition Agreement. Signatories include all Canadian jurisdictions and, as of July 2017, the following US states and territories:

  • Alabama
  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • District of Columbia
  • Georgia
  • Guam
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Louisiana
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • New Hampshire
  • New Mexico
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Puerto Rico
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • US Virgin Islands
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin

This list of signatories may change as more US jurisdictions sign on.

United States and Mexico

The Tri-National Mutual Recognition Agreement for International Practice of Architecture was jointly developed by the Regulatory Organanizations of Architects (ROAC), the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) and the Federacion de Colegios de Arquitectos de la Republica Mexicana (FCARM) in order to remove barriers and provide qualified architects the opportunity to offer professional services across borders while ensuring the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare.

NOTE: Idaho, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada and New York have not signed onto this agreement.

For more information, including the application process, visit the ROAC Website.

Australia and New Zealand

Canada is a participant in the APEC Architect Project, which is designed to facilitate a "fast-track" registration path for senior architects who are designated as "APEC Architects" by their home country. As of February 2015, Australia and New Zealand are signatories to a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with Canada.

All APEC applicants coming to Canada are processed by the Architectural Institute of British Columbia (AIBC).

For more information, including the application process, visit the ROAC Website.

European Union

The Regulatory Organanizations of Architects (ROAC) and the Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE) have signed a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) for the practice of architecture among member states in the European Union and Canada.  WIth this agreement, qualified architects from EU countries who satisfy the requirements of the agreement will be eligible to register with any Canadian juridiction and practice architecture.

The agreement is currently awaiting ratification by the European Parliament, which is expected at any time.

All Other Countries

Architects who cannot take advantage of the above-noted recognition agreements may still be eligible to practice through the Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect (BEFA) program invigilated by the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB).

Alternatively, architects who do not satisfy the requirements of the BEFA program may have their education certified by the CACB, which then allows for enrollment in the Internship in Architecture Program (IAP).

ROAC, encouraged by the Government of Canada, continues to actively explore and negotiate recognition agreements with other countries.