On April 4 2022 the Age printed an article about the Free Trade Agreement between India and Australia which includes architects.
Please be aware that the article was misleading. There is no Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) between Australia and India for Architecture.
India Free Trade Agreement
Officially known as the Australia India Economic Co-operation Trade Agreement, it was signed on 2 April 2022. DFAT have published some information on the AI-ECTA, available here: Australia-India ECTA outcomes | Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (dfat.gov.au)
The most relevant section to the architecture profession is “Benefits for Australian service suppliers and professionals”, specifically to the following paragraph on the operation of the professional services annex:
India has agreed to implement a framework to facilitate the mutual recognition of qualifications, licensing and registration procedures between professional services bodies. Australian professionals such as architects, engineers, and accountants will benefit as this framework will help improve the recognition of professional qualifications, and promote two-way mobility.
This agreement is a ‘framework to facilitate’ a Mutual Recognition Agreement between Australia and India. It is NOT a Mutual Recognition Agreement to recognise qualifications and registration in each country.
AACA will begin discussions with India on an MRA for the recognition of architecture qualifications and registration. MRA’s typically take years to come to fruition.
AACA Applicants
Until there is an MRA with India, there will be no change to our assessment processes:
- Indian qualifications will still require an Overseas Qualification Assessment, and
- Indian registered architects will not be recognized as registered in Australia. To become a registered architect an individual must apply through the Architectural Practice Exam, or the Experienced Practitioner Assessment (Overseas Applicant)
Please feel free to contact AACA if you have any questions.
