APEC Architect

New Zealand is a participant in the APEC Architect Project. The project's purpose is to facilitate the mobility of architects providing architectural services throughout the APEC region.

Through this, senior New Zealand architects that meet the criteria are entered onto the New Zealand section of the APEC Architect Register as APEC Architects.

Criteria
Applicants to become APEC architects are required to:

• be registered in their home economy
• have completed a minimum period of professional practice of 7 years after initial registration in any participating economy
• have gained experience in all the following categories of architectural practice; preliminary studies, preparation of brief, design and contract, documentation, and administration.

In addition, at least 3 years of the 7-year period must have been undertaken as an architect with sole professional responsibility for the design, documentation and contract administration of buildings of moderate complexity or, in collaboration with other architects, as an architect in charge of and professionally responsible for a significant aspect of the design, documentation and/or contract administration of complex buildings.

To apply an application form must be filled out. There is no application fee. There is, however, an annual fee for being a New Zealand APEC Architect of $250 (GST included) per annum.

Cross-Border Registration entitlements
APEC Architects are entitled to access fast-track cross-border registration procedures with other participating economies where specific bilateral or multilateral arrangements have been entered into. In these procedures the host economy to which the APEC Architect is applying for registration must accept the architect's home economy's judgement that the architect is competent in terms of generic architectural skills and knowledge. The host economy is only permitted to undertake any additional assessment in regard to any aspects of the architectural process in that economy that are unique to that economy.

New Zealand currently has these one-off arrangements with Japan, Singapore and Canada. New Zealand has a specific registration procedure for APEC Architects from these economies who wish to be registered in New Zealand.

Separately, all New Zealand Registered Architects are entitled to registration in Australia as of right, and vice versa.

Being an APEC Architect also assists individual architects in terms of personal marketing, especially when working offshore. 

Administration
An APEC Architect Monitoring Committee administers the procedures for registration as an APEC Architect in each participating economy. To contact the New Zealand APEC Architect Committee, email info@nzrab.org.nz or call 04 471 1336.

Participants
The following economies are participants in the APEC Architect Project: Australia, Canada, People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, United States of America.