From internationally trained architect to working in Canada
A guide for BCN members, based on an interview with a Nigerian-registered architect and former firm owner. They are now in their third year in an architecture role in Alberta. Read the full interview in his own words.
The short version
- Don’t wait for the “architect” title. Licensing takes about 3–4 years. Get into an architecture firm in a related role now.
- Apply for architecture roles, not generic PM roles. The interviewee spent two months applying for project manager and coordinator jobs without an offer. After switching to architecture roles, they were hired within four weeks.
- Start the licensing paperwork early. It runs alongside your job, and the work you do now counts towards it.
- Unlearn and relearn. Canada builds differently and follows the code strictly. The candidates who adapt are the ones who get ahead.
Roles to target, best fit first
| Role | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Architectural designer | Closest to a Nigerian architect’s day-to-day work: client meetings, design, site visits |
| Architectural technologist | Drawings, details and code compliance, which is how you learn Canadian construction |
| Architecture project coordinator / project manager | Uses firm-owner and site-supervision experience; best once you know local codes |
| Residential designer / interior designer | Stepping stones that count as relevant experience |
| Kitchen designer (e.g. Home Depot, cabinet companies) | Easy way in. One of the interviewee’s friends moved from kitchen designer to architectural designer. |
Avoid getting stuck in survival jobs such as warehouse or fast food work if you can. A related professional role, even a junior one, builds the Canadian experience that counts.
Licensing: two pathways
Run by the CACB (Canadian Architectural Certification Board), then the provincial association. In Alberta that’s the AAA (Alberta Association of Architects).
Pathway 1: credential certification (most newcomers)
- Submit your education and licence documents to the CACB. Verification takes about 6 months.
- Register with the AAA as an intern architect.
- Log supervised work hours under a registered architect in the Canadian Experience Record Book (CERB).
- Pass the ExAC (Examination for Architects in Canada).
- Complete an oral interview.
- Total time: about 3–4 years.
Pathway 2: BEFA (Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect)
- For architects with long practice at home. The interviewee describes the requirement as roughly 7+ years of practice within the 12 years before moving.
- You work under a licensed Canadian architect for about 6 months, then the CACB assesses your experience against Canadian standards. It’s much faster than Pathway 1.
- If you’re still in Nigeria and close to qualifying, it may be worth getting more years of practice before you move.
Check current requirements and fees with the CACB and AAA before applying. They change.
What’s different from practising in Nigeria
- Materials: houses and apartment buildings up to six storeys are mostly wood-frame. Commercial buildings are mostly steel and concrete, though some are wood. In Nigeria the norm is concrete and blocks.
- Building envelope: the cold climate means multi-layer wall and roof systems where every layer matters.
- Codes and bylaws are enforced. There’s no room for error, and small mistakes become very expensive. Expect a lot of reading and research.
Common mistake
Sticking to how things are done at home. Employers want people who learn local standards quickly.
Next step
Try the free BCN career app to see how your experience lines up with architectural designer, technologist and project coordinator roles in Canada.