The United States and the United Kingdom reach a mutual licensing agreement for architects
The UK and US Architects’ Registration Boards have reached an agreement that allows architects to benefit from a simpler licensing process in both countries. The MRA is the result of negotiations between the US National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) and its UK counterpart, the Architects Registration Board (ARB).
This agreement is the result of more than Nearly four years of investigation and negotiations between NCARB and ARB. In 2018, NCARB began the process of assessing UK registration requirements, comparing them to the licensing process in the US. The analysis found significant overlap between the criteria for both countries. These similarities form the basis of mutual agreement.
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The United Kingdom and the United States are among the world leaders in architecture. The Mutual Recognition Agreement will strengthen this, and will help qualified professionals to register between the two countries, and share their skills and services,” Alan Kershaw, President of the Architects Registration Board.
Last week, the agreement was ratified by all NCARD’s boards of directors, marking a significant milestone in this process. Before it is officially launched, each of the 55 US jurisdictions must individually decide whether or not to accept it. The mutual recognition agreement must also receive final review and approval in the UK by both the government and the ARB, a process that is expected to be completed sometime in 2023. The agreement will enter into force 60 days after the parties sign it.
The US currently has similar agreements with Canada and Mexico, signed in 2014, and with Australia and New Zealand, signed in 2017. Meanwhile, ARB does not recognize any other certifications outside the UK. The only exceptions are registrations issued prior to Brexit, when the EU Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications Directive was still in effect.
Both the UK and the US offer many opportunities for architects, so it is only fitting that many of the UK based architecture firms have a significant US presence. The New York skyline is evidence of this phenomenon, with the Hearst Tower designed by him Foster + PartnersThe Bryant Tower, by David Chipperfield Architects, or the Third World Trade Center office building, by Rogers Stirk Harbor + Partners. The opposite is also true, with many US-based offices operating in the UK. London building scalpelor from KPF or Stratford skyscraperFrom somare just a few examples. The Mutual Recognition Agreement aims to encourage this type of influence between the two countries.
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