HKIA Circular: 65/2025

ARB Circular: 24/2025

Our Ref.: 20250930-03
 

HKIA/ARB Non-Local Architectural Professionals Admission 2026

A Non-Local Architectural Professional (NLAP) who successfully completes an assessment conducted jointly by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA) and the Architects Registration Board HKSAR (ARB) may be admitted as a Member of the Institute, and in accordance with the Architects Registration Ordinance, he/she will be readily accepted as a Registered Architect by ARB.

HKIA and ARB are inviting eligible NLAP to apply for the Non-Local Architectural Professionals Admission in 2026.

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 :

Professional qualifications other than the list above will be considered case by case based on the applicant’s individual merits.

NLAP 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 experience) are required

• to submit a professional profile, and
• to pass the Professional Interview (Professional Assessment Paper 9)  

NLAP with not less than 2 years of practical experiences (Group B)

NLAP Group B candidates with not less than 2 years of recognised post-professional registration local practical experience 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);
• to submit a professional profile; and
• to pass the Professional Interview (Professional Assessment Paper 9).

No logbook and nominations of advisers and office supervisors are required for NLAP.

NLAP shall also submit a professional profile, which is a summary of the applicant’s local and non-local practical experience with supporting documents, narratives, drawings, photos, etc. in A3 or A4 format, or other formats as may be directed by the Institute’s Professional Assessment Committee.

For details of eligibility, and relevant local and overseas Practical Experience for NLAP, please refer to Section 3 and Appendix E of the latest HKIA/ARB Professional Assessment Handbook.

(Important Note: For 2025 July PA Handbook amendments on NLAP sections, please refer to :https://hkia.net/en/whats-on/3/information/detail/752)

Application procedure

Application Period: 1-31 Oct 2025

If you find yourself eligible and interested in applying for NLAP Admission, please submit on or before 5:30pm of 31 October 2025 by email to joinhkia@hkia.org.hk with below documents:

1. HKIA Membership Application form (NLAP)
2. Payment slip with cheque/ payment proof;
3. Your professional profile (Annex A – Template of Professional Profile)
4. 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, the application may risk not being processed in time for NLAP Admission 2026.   

Eligible candidates for enrolling in NLAP Admission 2026 will receive written acknowledgement email from HKIA/ARB. 

All candidates will be automatically registered for the Professional Assessment Lecture Series 2026 to be held in July to October 2026 (Papers 1, 2, 6 and 7), January to February 2026 (Papers 3, 4 and 5) and April 2026 (Paper 8), though attendance of the lectures is non-compulsory. Video recordings will be provided subject to consent of lecture speakers.   

ALL NLAP Group B candidates who have not passed Papers 1 and 2 previously will also be registered for the Professional Assessment Papers 1 and 2 to be held in November 2026.

Both

1. NLAP Group A candidates, and
2. NLAP Group B candidates who have passed both Papers 1 and 2

are eligible to sit for NLAP Professional Interview by email invitation.

Package fee

The package fee for NLAP is HK$15,000. Kindly note that HK$5,000 is non-refundable under any circumstances.

The NLAP package fee already includes the fee for a complete series of Professional Assessment lectures of the particular Professional Assessment year, Professional Interview and where applicable, Professional Assessment 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,
HKIA Secretariat

Encl.    Membership Application Form

           Payment Slip

           Annex A – Template of Professional Profile

To download the circular, please click here.