Will the new mutual recognition agreement for architects between Canada and the EU help architecture firms?

Maninder Sidhu, Canada’s Minister of International Trade, welcomed the launch of the Mutual Recognition Agreement for Professional Qualifications of Architects (MRAA) under the Canada-European Union (EU) Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Canadian architects already benefit from several mutual recognition agreements, including those with Australia, New Zealand, the US, Mexico, and the UK. The recently announced MRAA will remove barriers and streamline recognition of architectural qualifications between Canada and the EU, fostering mobility and collaboration. As the first such agreement under CETA, it positions both parties as leaders in professional recognition within trade frameworks. Canadian and EU architects must have 12 years of combined education, training, and experience, including at least four years of professional experience in an EU member state.