This question came up today and I wonder if other people have international experiences you can share.
One guy in our office, originally from South Africa (where he studied and worked for several years - unsure if he was registered previously) has just completed his official architecture registration here in Australia, after about 2 years of interviews, exams, 'skills proving' and lots of filling out of forms. Another guy, who is newly arrived and is currently registered in the UK, faces a similar process to get registered here too. In short, a really difficult, arduous, and expensive process just to be able to be called an 'architect', which you already are qualified to be in another country.
Is Australia just a bit ridiculously strict about it all? People in the office seem to think that going from here to the UK is just as bad, in regards to pretty much having to start from scratch.
As a young graduate (not yet registered), this has me a bit discouraged. I currently intend to get myself registered, then go and do some travelling, and work abroad for a while. The idea is that being registered here will make it easier to find equivalent work elsewhere. But is there any point to getting myself registered before I leave, if I'm just going to have to go back and work as an intern again?
And so I wonder, what are other countries like, when it comes to acknowledging registration from elsewhere? I imagine they're all different, but please share!
So, if you can get reciprocity in an ASEAN member country, you can practice in Australia under the ASEAN MRA rules. That might be faster for a UK architect.
gwharton
Oct 22, 12 4:13 am
I should clarify my previous comment. To qualify for reciprocity in Australia, you would need to do so through the APEC Architect program, qualifying for licensure in an APEC country participating in the program. The most likely way to do that would be through reciprocity in an ASEAN country, using the ASEAN MRA to get reciprocity in an APEC participant, and thus making an end-run to licensure in Australia. The UK is not an APEC participant, but a UK architect might be able to get cross registered in an ASEAN country, which would allow direct APEC transferrence to Australia, or transferrence through another ASEAN country (like Singapore).
LOOP!
Oct 22, 12 6:42 am
Wouldn't worry about it too much. Work towards your registration here in Oz and then travel and work. I have friends here who've done exactly what you said, and although not technically "architects" now in the UK, have landed some pretty great jobs over there. Having registration in another country is well regarded in most places, except, from what I can gather, in the US. But why would you want to practice there anyway when you're already in Australia ;)
Also, you can work for awhile longer after registration and become an APEC architect. I think there is glacial movement towards opening up more reciprocal agreements between countries.
LOOP!
Oct 22, 12 6:53 am
Also, some of the Aussie firms are very well regarded in the UK, and vice-versa down here, so you won't be "starting from scratch" if you leave. Lots of folks have senior positions at large firms, or even run them, and aren't registered. Not saying it's not a good thing to strive for, but your career abroad won't necessary be hampered by lack of registration in wherever you are; my personnel experience has been that's it's more about what you bring to the table.
shandee
Oct 22, 12 10:20 pm
Gwharton - that sounds fairly full on, to go that route you'd be essentially going through three sets of registrations! Perhaps useful though if you want to leave your options open for being able to work just about anywhere in future.
But that's good to know, intotheloop. Worth working towards then.
What about places other than the UK?
You mentioned that registration in the US is not as well regarded - by that you mean that being registered overseas and trying to work in the US is not really recognised, or the other way around?
From what I've heard, mainland europe sounds a bit more relaxed about registration requirements - and once you're registered within Europe, you're essentially good for anywhere else there, correct?
What about in Asia, esp. Singapore, Hong Kong? Again with the ASEAN reciprocity, being able to work in one country would pretty much open up everywhere else?
DinaF
Sep 24, 18 5:13 am
Hi Shandee,
Currently in this situation. Wanted to ask if you figured a way around this?
Hi all,
This question came up today and I wonder if other people have international experiences you can share.
One guy in our office, originally from South Africa (where he studied and worked for several years - unsure if he was registered previously) has just completed his official architecture registration here in Australia, after about 2 years of interviews, exams, 'skills proving' and lots of filling out of forms. Another guy, who is newly arrived and is currently registered in the UK, faces a similar process to get registered here too. In short, a really difficult, arduous, and expensive process just to be able to be called an 'architect', which you already are qualified to be in another country.
Is Australia just a bit ridiculously strict about it all? People in the office seem to think that going from here to the UK is just as bad, in regards to pretty much having to start from scratch.
As a young graduate (not yet registered), this has me a bit discouraged. I currently intend to get myself registered, then go and do some travelling, and work abroad for a while. The idea is that being registered here will make it easier to find equivalent work elsewhere. But is there any point to getting myself registered before I leave, if I'm just going to have to go back and work as an intern again?
And so I wonder, what are other countries like, when it comes to acknowledging registration from elsewhere? I imagine they're all different, but please share!
You can get reciprocal registration in Australia through the ASEAN Architecture Council mutual recognition system. http://www.aseanarchitectcouncil.org/about.html
So, if you can get reciprocity in an ASEAN member country, you can practice in Australia under the ASEAN MRA rules. That might be faster for a UK architect.
I should clarify my previous comment. To qualify for reciprocity in Australia, you would need to do so through the APEC Architect program, qualifying for licensure in an APEC country participating in the program. The most likely way to do that would be through reciprocity in an ASEAN country, using the ASEAN MRA to get reciprocity in an APEC participant, and thus making an end-run to licensure in Australia. The UK is not an APEC participant, but a UK architect might be able to get cross registered in an ASEAN country, which would allow direct APEC transferrence to Australia, or transferrence through another ASEAN country (like Singapore).
Wouldn't worry about it too much. Work towards your registration here in Oz and then travel and work. I have friends here who've done exactly what you said, and although not technically "architects" now in the UK, have landed some pretty great jobs over there. Having registration in another country is well regarded in most places, except, from what I can gather, in the US. But why would you want to practice there anyway when you're already in Australia ;)
Also, you can work for awhile longer after registration and become an APEC architect. I think there is glacial movement towards opening up more reciprocal agreements between countries.
Also, some of the Aussie firms are very well regarded in the UK, and vice-versa down here, so you won't be "starting from scratch" if you leave. Lots of folks have senior positions at large firms, or even run them, and aren't registered. Not saying it's not a good thing to strive for, but your career abroad won't necessary be hampered by lack of registration in wherever you are; my personnel experience has been that's it's more about what you bring to the table.
Gwharton - that sounds fairly full on, to go that route you'd be essentially going through three sets of registrations! Perhaps useful though if you want to leave your options open for being able to work just about anywhere in future.
But that's good to know, intotheloop. Worth working towards then.
What about places other than the UK?
You mentioned that registration in the US is not as well regarded - by that you mean that being registered overseas and trying to work in the US is not really recognised, or the other way around?
From what I've heard, mainland europe sounds a bit more relaxed about registration requirements - and once you're registered within Europe, you're essentially good for anywhere else there, correct?
What about in Asia, esp. Singapore, Hong Kong? Again with the ASEAN reciprocity, being able to work in one country would pretty much open up everywhere else?
Hi Shandee,
Currently in this situation. Wanted to ask if you figured a way around this?
Thanks.