The Canadian Embassy in London Source:&nbsp Shutterstock The Architects Registration Board (ARB) has reached an agreement with its Canadian counterpart to make transatlantic working easier for architects The ARB and Canada’s Regulatory Organizations of Architecture in Canada/Regroupement des Ordres d’Architectes du Canada (ROAC), signed the agreement off yesterday (22 April). It is the latest in a series of new international mutual recognition agreements made by the regulator post-Brexit. As part of the Canada-UK deal, eligible architects who are registered in the UK or Canada will be able to benefit from a ‘streamlined and quicker’ registration process to work in either country from 14 May, the two institutions say.Advertisement Eligble architects in the UK will need to have obtained an ARB-accredited qualification and registered with the ARB in order to work in Canada. Anyone who has registered with ARB, having passed the Prescribed Exam at Part 1 and Part 2 level and additionally completed a UK Part 3, also qualifies. On the other side, Canadian architects must have obtained a Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB)-accredited qualification or the same standard following ROAC certification. Additionally, architects moving to the UK from Canada will need to have completed the Canadian experience requirement and licensing examination. Alan Kershaw, chair of the Architects Registration Board, said: ‘The agreement opens significant new opportunities for architects in the UK and Canada to collaborate, building on the strong professional partnerships that already exist between the two countries. It will at the same time maintain the high standards the public have a right to expect.’ Ian R McDonald, chair of the Regulatory Organizations of Architecture in Canada/Regroupement des Ordres d’Architectes du Canada, said: ‘This agreement further strengthens the longstanding and historic relationship between the UK and Canada, as Commonwealth partners.’ He continued: ‘Architecture is a global profession and streamlining cross-border registration is key to expanding opportunities for qualified architects, while still upholding professional standards. We are delighted to have been part of the negotiations and final signing, and look forward to the new prospects this agreement creates for architects on both sides of the Atlantic.’Advertisement Douglas Alexander, minister for trade policy and economic cecurity, said: ‘Today’s landmark agreement will make doing business between our two countries much simpler for the architectural sector and help pave the way for a new generation of British architects. ‘It’s a welcome boost for the industry across the UK and Canada, providing exciting new opportunities for both nations to build on their historic relationship and delivering growth, this government’s number one priority.’ The ARB’s deal with Canada follows similar agreements with Australia, New Zealand and the United States to faciltiatet he fast-tracking of registration for UK architects abroad and vice versa in the wake of Britain’s departure from the EU in 2020, when the Architects Act 1997 was amended to end the UK’s automatic recognition of EU-qualified architects. While the Australian, New Zealand and US agreements speed up registration, a deal with Switzerland, signed off in June 2023, was the first government-to-government recognition of professional qualifications following Brexit for architects. 2025-04-23 Gino Spocchia comment and share TagsARB Canada RIBA