The Regulatory Organizations of Architecture in Canada (ROAC) and the United Kingdom’s Architects Registration Board (ARB) signed a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA), effective on May 14, 2025. It states the two parties agree to recognize certain U.K. and Canadian qualifications to make registration quicker and easier for eligible Architects.
The basic eligibility requirements include meeting education, experience, and examination requirements. Applicants must also be currently registered and in good standing in their home jurisdictions.
There are different requirements depending on if you are a Canadian registered Architect applying to the United Kingdom, or a U.K. Architect applying to Canada. The ROAC has detailed information about the MRA, including application forms, steps, and FAQs. The MRA secretariat is the Architectural Institute of British Columbia (AIBC), which will be coordinating applications for ROAC.
ROAC to ARB: The Process
Application Process
- Applicants check the ROAC website for eligibility and other requirements—contact registration@aibc.ca for any questions.
- Applicants apply for a ROAC certificate, filling out the form and paying the fee.
- The AIBC will coordinate with ROAC jurisdictions to confirm good standing status and verify whether they meet the education, experience, and examination requirements. Architects licensed via the Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect (BEFA) program or another MRA are not eligible. The AIBC will send forms to be filled out by the relevant ROAC regulator.
- The AIBC, on behalf of ROAC, will issue a ROAC certificate, confirming eligibility.
- Applicants will then contact the ARB. They will need to successfully complete the UK Adaptation Assessment, which is an online portfolio and interview requirement. The ARB charges a fee for this assessment.
- Once completed, applicants can register with the ARB.
- Applicants check the ROAC website for eligibility and other requirements—contact registration@aibc.ca for any questions.
- Applicants apply for an ARB certificate, filling out the form and paying the fee.
- The AIBC will review and, if eligible, the applicant will be given access to the required course (same course/online modules developed for applicants from the European Union).
- The AIBC will issue a letter to applicants to confirm eligibility, with a copy to the ROAC jurisdiction(s) in which they wish to register.
- Applicants can apply for Architect registration with their intended ROAC jurisdiction, subject to submission of jurisdiction-specific forms/requirements/fees.