Full Membership | Associate Membership | Affiliate Membership | Special Circumstances
Full Membership
Full Membership is reserved for individuals with formal defined qualifications in the field of architecture. It includes the following categories:
- Architects
- Interns or Intern Architects
- Graduates
- Faculty Member
- Retired Architects
Members in these categories may use the MRAIC (Member of RAIC) or FRAIC (Fellow of RAIC) abbreviation.
Licensed (or Registered) Architects are encouraged to use the title “Architect” after their name. This not only clarifies professional status, but also helps reinforce the numerous important roles in society held by architects.
Qualifications
The qualifications acceptable for full membership are as follows:
(i) registered and licensed as an architect with a Provincial or Territorial architectural regulator in Canada;
(ii) registered as an intern with a Provincial or Territorial architectural regulator in Canada;
(iii) a full-time faculty member in good standing at a School of Architecture in a Canadian University;
(iv) a graduate of an accredited architectural program in Canada who has earned an M. Arch degree or its equivalent;
(v) a graduate of an international architectural program who is residing or employed in Canada and who has obtained certification from the Canadian Architectural Certification Board or has otherwise satisfied the Board of their qualifications;
(vi) registered as a retired architect with a Provincial or Territorial architectural regulator in Canada.
View the eleven provincial/territorial associations.
Additional Full Membership Categories
The following membership categories are available to those who are full members in good standing with the RAIC and meet specific qualifications.
Fellows
The College of Fellows formally recognizes members and distinguished laypersons who have made outstanding contributions to the profession. Fellowship in the RAIC is an honour conferred on members singled out for their contribution to research, scholarship, public service or professional standing to the good of architecture in Canada, or elsewhere.
A Member must have been a member of the Institute for at least five years prior to nomination as a Fellow. Fellowship is bestowed for life and is one of the highest honours the Institute can confer upon a Member.
Fellows may use the FRAIC (Fellow of the RAIC) abbreviation.
Retired Members or Retired Fellows
A full Member or Fellow retiring may continue as a retired Member of the RAIC with reduced annual fee payments. Retired Members retain all their rights and privileges.
A letter, attesting retirement from practice, is to be included with the renewal form to be considered for retired status.
Retired members may use the MRAIC (Member of the RAIC) abbreviation and retired Fellows may use the FRAIC (Fellow of the RAIC) abbreviation.
Life Members or Life Fellows
A full Member or Fellow may become a Life Member or Life Fellow after 40 years of continuous membership with the RAIC (or reach 75 years of age and have completed 10 years of membership), or at the discretion of the Board of Directors. Life Members shall retain all their rights and privileges.
A copy of your RAIC certificate or your provincial association certificate is required or if this is not available a letter attesting to membership continuously for 40 years will be considered.
Life members may use the MRAIC (Member of the RAIC) abbreviation and Life Fellows may use the FRAIC (Fellow of the RAIC) abbreviation.
Life Members or Life Fellows are members of the RAIC free of charge.
Affiliate Membership
Affiliate membership is available for those who are involved in the design and construction industry and who are associated with the architectural profession. They may be persons, corporations, organizations or other entities.
Affiliates in good standing may indicate that they are Affiliates of RAIC but they cannot use the abbreviation RAIC.
Associate Membership
There are two categories of Associates:
International Associate
International Associate membership is reserved for those who have an architectural license or the equivalent from a non-Canadian licensing authority and demonstrate good standing in the profession in the locale in which they are licensed. Such persons may be resident within or outside of Canada.
International Associates in good standing may indicate that they are International Associates of RAIC, and may use the title International Associate RAIC or Int’l Assoc. RAIC but not RAIC Associate or the initials RAIC alone or the initials IARAIC as a suffix to their names.
Student Associate
Student Associate membership is reserved for those who are enrolled full-time in a professional degree program in architecture at a Canadian University School of Architecture, RAIC Centre for Architecture (Athabasca University) or in the RAIC Syllabus Program.
Student Associates may indicate that they are Student Associates of the RAIC but they cannot use the abbreviation RAIC in any form.
Student Associates can be members of the RAIC free of charge.
Special Circumstances
Maternity/paternity leave
Members requesting maternity/paternity leave must submit their request in writing and provide supporting documentation showing that they have acquired the same status from their licensing association or from their employer (in the case of members who are not registered architects).
Pending approval, the member will then be excused from paying annual dues. The member will retain all benefits during their time on leave.
Submit a request deferral here.
Submit a request fee waiver here.
Relief from Fees (leave of absence)
Members may request relief from fees for reasons of financial hardship, medical/compassionate leave, travel, sabbaticals, etc. Members requesting a relief from fees for any of the above reasons must submit their request in writing, outlining the reasons for the request in detail.
The request shall be brought to the Executive Committee for approval, at which time the committee retains the right to request further supporting documentation.
Submit a request deferral here.
Submit a request fee waiver here.