HKIA Circular : 93/2022
ARB Circular: ARB/29/2022
8 December 2022
HKIA/ARB Non-Local Architectural Professionals Admission 2023
Non-Local Architectural Professionals (NLAP), after going through an assessment jointly held by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA) and the Architects Registration Board HKSAR (ARB), may become a member of HKIA and as a registered architect under the Architects Registration Ordinance.
HKIA and ARB are inviting eligible NLAP to apply for admission via the Non-Local Architectural Professionals Admission (NLAPA) 2023.
Eligibility
NLAP must hold a valid professional registration to practise architecture, as administered by a national registration body of architects recognised by HKIA/ARB, with adequate relevant local professional experience.
The list of national registration bodies currently recognised by HKIA/ARB is as follows :
|
Country |
Registration Board |
|
Australia |
Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA) |
|
Canada |
By provincial registration |
|
People Republic of China |
National Administration Board of Architectural Registration (NABAR) 中華人民共和國一級註冊建築師 |
|
New Zealand |
Architects Education and Registration Board, New Zealand (AERB) |
|
United Kingdom |
Architects Registration Board (ARB) |
|
USA |
National Council of Architects Registration Boards (NCARB) |
Professional qualifications other than the list above will be considered case by case based on the applicant’s individual merits.
NLAPA with not less than 15 years of practical experiences (Group A)
NLAP Group A candidates with not less than 15 years of post-professional registration practical experience (both local and overseas experiences are counted as the experience) are required
- to submit a professional profile, and
- to pass the Professional Interview (Professional Assessment Paper 9)
NLAP with not less than 5 years of practical experiences (Group B)
NLAP Group B candidates with not less than 5 years of recognised post-professional registration local practical experiences are required
- to pass Papers 1 and 2 of the Professional Assessment (candidates should follow the 8-year validity rule for Professional Assessment Papers 1 and 2), and
- to submit a professional profile, and
- to pass the Professional Interview (Professional Assessment Paper 9
No logbook and nominations of advisers and office supervisors is required for NLAPA scheme.
The professional profile should be a summary of the applicant’s local practical experience, with supporting documents, narratives, drawings, photos, etc. in A3 or A4 format.
For details of eligibility for NLAPA, please refer to Section 3 and Appendix E of the PA Handbook in Annex B.
|
(a) |
Relevant practical experience with: |
|
|
|
i) |
a local architectural practice; or |
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ii) |
an HKSAR government department / quasi-government organisation dedicated to providing architectural services. |
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(For the avoidance of doubt, working as a project manager or client’s representative in supervising another architect’s work shall not be regarded as relevant local practical experience recognised by HKIA/ARB.)
Such practical experience shall be under the guidance of an HKIA member or fellow, who is a full-time member of the practice; or
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|
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(b) |
In lieu of the above, a minimum of 5 years of continuous full-time teaching of architecture in an HKIA accredited/ recognised architectural programme in a local university would be counted as equivalent to 5 years of local practical experience, subject to specific recommendation by the head of the relevant department/teaching unit. |
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Application procedure
If you find yourself eligible and interested in applying for NLAPA, please complete the attached HKIA membership application form and payment slip and return them to the HKIA/ARB Premises on or before 5:30pm of 13 January 2023 (Friday) with your professional profile and substantiating documents required as stated in membership admission guidelines on page 6 of the enclosed application form.
Vetting and confirmation on qualification from issuing authorities may be lengthy on some occasions. Therefore, applicants are reminded to provide all relevant and complete documentation; otherwise they may risk not being processed in time for NLAPA 2023.
Eligible candidates for enrolling in NLAPA 2023 will receive written notification from HKIA/ARB in June 2023.
All candidates will be automatically registered for the PA Lecture & Seminar Series 2023 to be held in July – September 2023 (for Papers 1, 2, 6, 7 and 8) and January – February 2023 (Papers 3, 4 and 5), though attendance of the lectures is non-compulsory.
ALL NLAPA Group B candidates who have not passed Papers 1 and 2 previously will also be registered for these Papers to be held in November 2023.
Both
- NLAPA Group A candidates, and
- NLAPA Group B candidates who have passed both Papers 1 and 2
are eligible to sit for NLAPA Professional Interview (Paper 9 of Professional Assessment) in September 2023 with dates to be confirmed.
Package fee
The package fee for NLAPA is HK$39,000. Nonetheless, a special concessionary rate of HK$30,000 would be applicable for those candidates who have HKIA Associate membership for at least one year prior to the application for NLAPA.
The NLAPA package fee already includes the fee for a complete series of PA lectures & seminars of that year, Professional Interview and where applicable, PA Papers 1 & 2. However, a relevant fee will be charged for retaking one or both written papers, or the Professional Interview after the first attempt.
Should you have any questions, please contact HKIA/ARB Secretariat Jenny Lai at 3155 0424 or Cindy Yue at 3155 0428.
Yours sincerely,
Watson Chan
Registrar
Encl.
[Membership Application Form]
[Payment Slip]
[Annex A – Template of Professional Profile]
[Annex B – Extract of PA Handbook]