21200 Architects

What this occupation covers

Architects conceptualize, plan and develop designs for the construction and renovation of commercial, institutional and residential buildings. They are employed by architectural firms, private corporations and governments, or they may be self-employed.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 8 main duties for this code.

• Consult with clients to determine the type, style and purpose of renovations or new building construction being considered
• Conceptualize and design buildings and develop plans describing design specifications, building materials, costs and construction schedules
• Prepare sketches and models for clients
• Prepare or supervise the preparation of drawings, specifications and other construction documents for use by contractors and tradespersons
• Prepare bidding documents, participate in contract negotiations and award construction contracts
• Monitor activities on construction sites to ensure compliance with specifications
• Conduct feasibility studies and financial analyses of building projects.
• Architects may specialize in a particular type of construction such as residential, commercial, industrial or institutional.

Do not copy these lines into your reference letter. The letter has to describe what you actually did, in your employer’s words. DUTYPROOF flags wording lifted from the NOC as something to review, and an officer reading a letter that mirrors the NOC reads it the same way.

What DUTYPROOF screens for

This is DUTYPROOF’s screening threshold, not IRCC’s decision. For this NOC, screening requires at least 2 of its 8 official duties to be evidenced in your own words, plus the required letter elements. IRCC asks that you performed the actions in the occupation’s lead statement and a substantial number of its main duties — so treat the duty coverage as the number that matters, not the badge.

Codes this one is confused with

The NOC profile names these itself. Choosing the wrong code of a look-alike pair is the most common way genuine work experience fails to establish eligibility.

• 20011 Architecture and science managers
• 21223 Database analysts and data administrators
• 21201 Landscape architects
• 21399 Other professional engineers
• 21231 Software engineers and designers
• 21300 Civil engineers
• 21311 Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)

Excluded from this code

• Architecture and science managers (See 20011 Architecture and science managers)
• Database architect (See 21223 Database analysts and data administrators)
• Landscape architects (See 21201 Landscape architects)
• Naval architect (See 21399 Other professional engineers)
• Software architect (See 21231 Software engineers and designers)
• Structural engineer (See 21300 Civil engineers)
• Technical architect - hardware (See 21311 Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers))

Job titles filed under this code

A title on this list does not by itself put your experience in this code — the duties in your letter decide that.

architect · architectural project manager · architectural standards specialist · chief architect · consulting architect · industrial and commercial buildings architect · residential architect · residential building architect

Employment requirements

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited school of architecture or completion of the syllabus of studies from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) is required.
• A master's degree in architecture may be required.
• Completion of a three-year internship under the supervision of a registered architect is required.
• Completion of the architect registration examination is required.
• Registration with a provincial regulatory body is required in all provinces and the Northwest Territories.
• Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification is offered by the Canada Green Building Council and may be required by some employers.