A new Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) will streamline licensure for architects in United States, Australia, and New Zealand. It will allow more qualified architects to enter the global marketplace by reducing common barriers to eligibility.
The new agreement—signed by the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA), the New Zealand Registered Architects Board (NZRAB), and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)—recognizes the level of competency established through each country’s initial licensure processes and acknowledges the value of the various pathways to licensure within each country. By doing so, the three organizations are reducing unnecessary barriers to reciprocal licensure.
The new agreement reflects primary changes to the eligibility criteria, including eliminating the existing requirement that architects have 6,000 hours of post-licensure/registration experience and accepting architects who obtained their license/registration through various routes, including alternative qualifications and international architect pathways.
The new MRA will go into effect on November 6, 2024, and will replace the existing MRA between the three countries.
