If you trained as an architect outside Canada, there is a route to a Canadian licence for you, and only one route includes the ExAC. Foreign graduates have their degree certified by the CACB, complete the Internship in Architecture Program (IAP) and write the ExAC. Licensed, experienced architects can apply through the BEFA program, which has no exam, or through a mutual recognition agreement. This guide from Examitect, an independent ExAC prep platform unaffiliated with the CACB, maps each route from the official pages as they read in October 2026, then covers the Canadian material that is usually new to someone trained abroad: codes, CCDC contracts and CHOP.
| Education | CACB academic certification against the Canadian Education Standard |
|---|---|
| Experience | IAP, 3,720 hours to finish, 2,800 to sit the ExAC |
| Exam | ExAC, once a year, in English or French |
| Licensed abroad | BEFA, or a mutual recognition agreement |
| Who licenses | The provincial or territorial regulator |
Architecture is regulated by province and territory. The eleven regulators work together through the Regulatory Organizations of Architecture in Canada (ROAC), and ROAC's Foreign-Trained Architects page sets out "three registration pathways for foreign-educated or foreign-trained applicants". Whichever route you take, applicants "are required to satisfy the same entry-to-practice competencies".
| Route | Who it suits | Where the ExAC sits |
|---|---|---|
| Academic certification, IAP and ExAC | Foreign graduates, licensed or not, who do not qualify for the other two | Required, after at least 2,800 IAP hours |
| BEFA (Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect) | Architects licensed abroad with at least seven years of post-licensure experience | Not part of the program, which "does not comprise writing an exam" |
| Mutual recognition agreement | Architects registered in a partner jurisdiction who meet that agreement's terms | Not listed among the steps ROAC publishes |
The order matters. ROAC says BEFA is for architects "ineligible to apply through mutual recognition agreements", and the IAP route is for applicants who qualify for neither. So check the agreements first, then BEFA, then academic certification.
Every route ends with an application to the regulator where you will practise, which can add its own conditions. The national IAP Manual (p.4) notes that some jurisdictions require "courses, oral examination, interviews, etc." before registration, and the Ontario Association of Architects' BEFA page lists Ontario-only conditions under Section 13 of the Architects Act, such as good character and citizenship, permanent residence or membership in a recognized organization of architects.
The Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) assesses your education against the Canadian Education Standard (CES) on behalf of ROAC. Its About Academic Certification page calls certification "a mandatory step for graduates seeking licensure", and you need the certification number to register for the IAP.
The CACB Eligibility page requires a professional degree in architecture, one that qualifies a graduate to pursue licensure. The common types are a five-year Bachelor of Architecture or a Master of Architecture; other formats may be considered with proof from the regulator in the country that granted the degree.
The Modes of Certification page sets out three pathways:
The Canberra Accord helps with education only. The CACB's Canberra Accord page says graduates of a signatory program get "a streamlined assessment process", but the Accord "does not address matters related to professional registration or licensure". You still need the IAP and the ExAC.
The CACB's Assessment Process and Outcomes page describes a review that maps your courses to the CES subject areas, ending in one of three results:
| Outcome | What it means for the ExAC |
|---|---|
| Full certification | You can register for the IAP and, once you have the hours, the ExAC. |
| Provisional certification | You are short only in Professional Practice. You can start the IAP but must finish the named courses within 18 months, and you cannot write the ExAC until you hold full certification. |
| Certification not granted | You are short in other CES areas and must complete the recommended coursework before reassessment. |
The ExAC's Eligibility page and the ExAC Framework Document (p.4) both say only full CACB certification is accepted; provisional certification is not enough.
One common mix-up: the CACB also issues an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report for immigration. Its ECA page says the report is "intended solely for immigration purposes" and "does not qualify you to practice as a licensed architect in Canada". The CACB can link an ECA file to an academic certification file on request.
The IAP is the internship every candidate logs between graduating and writing the ExAC. The national IAP Manual (4th edition, revised July 2022) sets the standard, and each regulator adds rules in Appendix B. The key figures:
The IAP Manual (p.8) says credit is granted only for experience gained as a Recognized Student or while enrolled as an Intern in the IAP. Its section on international experience (p.10) adds three rules:
There is one specific allowance. The IAP Manual (p.9) says an Intern enrolled in the US Architectural Experience Program (AXP), in a state where it is mandatory, may apply to have that experience credited with acceptable documentation. Beyond that, ask your regulator in writing before you count any foreign hours. Our post on whether you need the IAP for the ExAC covers the Manual as a study reference.
The Manual also names NCARB's Architect Registration Examination (ARE) as an alternative to the ExAC (p.4), but says not all jurisdictions still recognize it (p.7). If you passed the ARE, ask your regulator before registering for the ExAC.
BEFA was developed by ROAC and is administered by the CACB. The Program Overview describes it as "a pathway to licensure for foreign licensed architects", assessed against the Canadian Standard of Competency for Architects. The Eligibility Requirements page asks for all of the following:
The program runs in three stages: eligibility, an online demonstration of competency and an interview with a panel of Canadian architects. The BEFA FAQ lists twelve competency areas, from programming and code research to bidding and professional practice, and says the Canadian experience must be supervised by a licensed architect in the province or territory where you intend to be licensed.
The same FAQ states that BEFA "does not comprise writing an exam", and that the certificate serves as "a recommendation for recognition as an equivalent to successful completion of the Canadian Education, Experience, and Examination Standards". In our view, the interview still rewards the Canadian knowledge the ExAC tests, so the study advice below applies to BEFA candidates too.
ROAC's Professional Mobility page calls registration under an agreement "a streamlined process", with eligibility that varies by agreement. As of October 2026, ROAC publishes these:
| Agreement | What ROAC says |
|---|---|
| United States and Canada | An updated agreement with NCARB took effect January 15, 2026. Licence-for-licence for holders of an unrestricted, active licence; US architects need an active NCARB Certificate. |
| United States, Mexico and Canada | A tri-national agreement between NCARB, ROAC and Mexico's COMPIAR. |
| Australia, New Zealand and Canada | Fast-track registration for architects recognized as APEC Architects in their home economy. |
| United Kingdom (ARB) | Effective May 14, 2025. UK architects complete four online modules on practice areas unique to Canada, such as seismic and climate code requirements. |
| European Union | In force December 18, 2025. Requires 12 years of education and experience, at least four years of practice in an EU Member State after obtaining the right to practise, and an online pre-registration course run by ROAC. |
None of the steps ROAC lists on these pages include the ExAC; the UK page says there is "no re-assessment of your architect competencies" once the ROAC process is complete. Terms change, so read your country's agreement on roac.ca before you apply.
If your route runs through the IAP, the exam is the same one every Canadian graduate writes: four three-hour sections over two consecutive days, once a year (Framework Document p.10). For 2026, exac.ca lists November 2 and 3. See ExAC structure and timing for the format and the retake plan for the three-attempt rule.
The Framework Document (p.4) says candidates must be fluent in English or French, and the two versions are mirror exams with the same items (p.6). The 2026 Preparation Guide says you choose your language at registration and bans dictionaries and translation devices (p.6), bilingual dictionaries included (p.12). The ExAC Choice of Language page advises choosing "the language in which you are most proficient". The exam is metric, though some questions give imperial units to convert (p.6).
A province-specific note for Quebec: the Ordre des architectes du Québec's page on mastery of French requires proof of appropriate knowledge of French under Article 35 of the Charter of the French Language, usually through the OQLF exam if you did not study in French. That is a licensing rule, separate from your ExAC language. Our writing the ExAC in French guide covers the French references and terminology.
In our view, design skill transfers well; Canadian codes, contracts and practice usually do not, and two of the four sections are built on them (Preparation Guide p.4):
Our recommendation, which is our opinion rather than CACB guidance: read CHOP and Ching cover to cover, tab and drill the NBC and NECB, and start timed practice questions from week one, because they show which Canadian topics you are missing. The 12-week ExAC study plan sets a pace of 6 to 10 hours a week. A Canadian-trained study partner can fill gaps fast (see group study vs alone), and your employer may help with time or costs (see getting your firm to support your prep).
Use this sequence to work out where you stand. It follows the order ROAC sets out, checking the agreements and BEFA first.
Note whether you hold a professional degree, a foreign licence, or both, and your years of practice since licensure.
If you are licensed in the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, an EU Member State, Australia or New Zealand, read that agreement on roac.ca first.
With a foreign licence and seven years of post-licensure experience, plan for six months of supervised Canadian work before the interview.
Choose the right mode, and remember an ECA report for immigration is not the same thing.
Get any foreign employment pre-approved, reach 2,800 hours to sit the ExAC and 3,720 to finish.
Write in your strongest language and prioritize the NBC, CCDC contracts and CHOP, then meet your regulator's own requirements.
These rules change (the US agreement was updated in January 2026), so recheck each official page when you apply. Whichever route you take, the experience you bring from abroad is an asset. Once you know your route, the free ExAC study plan is a good place to start.
Foreign-trained architects write the ExAC only on the academic certification and IAP route. ROAC lists two other pathways: the BEFA program, which has no exam, and mutual recognition agreements for architects registered in partner jurisdictions.
The CACB maps your courses to the subject areas of the Canadian Education Standard and issues full certification, provisional certification or no certification. Provisional certification means you are short only in Professional Practice; you can start the IAP but need full certification before you can write the ExAC.
The Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect program is a pathway to licensure for architects licensed abroad, developed by ROAC and administered by the CACB. Applicants need at least seven years of post-licensure experience, then complete an eligibility review, an online demonstration of competency and a panel interview after six months of Canadian experience.
A US-licensed architect may qualify under the updated NCARB and ROAC mutual recognition agreement, in effect since January 15, 2026. It is licence-for-licence for holders of an unrestricted, active licence and an active NCARB Certificate, and ROAC's published steps do not include the ExAC.
The Canberra Accord does not give you the right to practise in Canada. The CACB says it covers educational accreditation and does not address registration or licensure. A signatory degree gets a streamlined academic assessment, but you still complete the IAP and pass the ExAC.
Foreign work experience counts only in some cases. The IAP Manual says not all jurisdictions recognize international experience, and that international employment must be pre-approved and supervised by an architect. Confirm with your regulator before counting any hours.
The ExAC can be written in English or French, and you choose the language when you register. Dictionaries, including bilingual dictionaries, and translation devices are not permitted, so choose the language you are most fluent in.
An ECA report is not academic certification. The CACB issues ECA reports for immigration through IRCC, and says they are intended solely for immigration and do not qualify you to practise as an architect. For licensure you still apply for academic certification or BEFA.