Architect – automatic recognition of qualifications

Do you wish to work as an architect in Poland? If you are a citizen of one of the EU Member States, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Lichtenstein and you have obtained your qualifications to practise the profession of architect in one of those countries, you need to apply for recognition of qualifications in Poland. If your academic diploma is on the list of diplomas that are recognised in the European Union, you may apply for automatic recognition of qualifications. Read below to find out about the procedure.

How to proceed

What you should know and who can use this service

Who may apply for recognition of professional qualifications

You may apply for recognition of qualifications if you are a citizen of one of EU Member States, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Lichtenstein and you have obtained your qualifications to practise the profession of architect in one of those countries, and you meet the requirements specified in the Act of 15 December 2000 on professional self-government of architects and construction engineers.

When automatic recognition of qualifications is possible

The procedure for automatic recognition of qualifications will be possible if the applicant’s diploma or other documents approved by the European Commission are listed in:

• Notice of the Minister for Transport, Construction and Maritime Economy of 20 August 2013 on the list of diplomas and other documents issued by the European Union Member States other than the Republic of Poland, Swiss Confederation, Members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) – parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, confirming qualifications to practise the profession of architect and the periods of education

and

• Attachments to Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications

If your diploma is not listed in one of the above-mentioned documents, you may apply for recognition of your qualifications under the general system.

Representative for service of documents

If you live abroad and you have not appointed a representative residing in Poland to act on your matter, you are required to name a representative for service of documents in Poland, unless all documents are to be delivered by means of electronic communication. If you do not appoint such a representative, all documents addressed to you will remain in your case file as if they have been delivered to you.

When you should complete this procedure

At any time

Where you can complete this procedure

IZBA ARCHITEKTÓW RZECZYPOSPOLITEJ POLSKIEJ W WARSZAWIE ul. Stawki 2A, 00-193 Warszawa

What to do step by step

1. Submit an application for automatic recognition of qualifications to practise the profession of architect

Documents

2. Formal analysis of the application and its attachments

The National Council of the Chamber of Architects performs the initial analysis of the application to verify whether the applicant has submitted all documents necessary to conduct the procedure of automatic recognition of qualifications. If the documentation is complete, it is forwarded to the National Qualifications Commission (KKK).

The National Council of the Chamber of Architects notifies the applicant of the receipt of the application no later than one month of the date of receipt. Such notice states the date of filing the application and the case number.

Documents

Time limit

Within 1 month

3. Request to correct any formal defects

If the application is found incomplete, the National Council of the Chamber of Architects requests the applicant to correct the formal defects within the indicated time limit. If the defects are not corrected within the indicated time limit, the National Council notifies the applicant that the application will not be considered.

Time limit

The time limit to correct the defects in the application is given in the notice.

4. Examination of the application in terms of statutory requirements

The National Qualifications Commission submits the application to the team appointed from among the members of the National Qualifications Commission, who verifies whether the applicant meets:

• the requirements to practise the profession of architect specified in the Act of 15 December 2000 on professional self-government of architects and construction engineers, allowing for a decision on automatic recognition of qualifications to practise the profession of architect

or

• the requirements for recognition of qualifications to practise the profession of architect under the general system.

If the application is found incomplete or the required attachments have not been submitted, the applicant will be requested to correct such defects. If the applicant does not correct such defects within the indicated time limit, he/she will be informed that the application will not be considered.

In the event of justified doubts as to whether the documents confirming the applicant’s qualifications to practise the profession of architect are authentic, or as to whether the education requirements specified in the EU regulations have been met, the National Council requests such bodies to certify the authenticity of the documents or to certify whether such documents indeed confirm that the applicant has met the education requirements.

Once the applicant corrects any defects in the application, the team of the National Qualifications Commission issues its opinion and presents it to the National Council.

5. Decision on automatic recognition of qualifications to practise the profession of architect

Having read the opinion of the National Qualifications Commission (KKK), the National Council of the Chamber of Architects issues its decision on automatically recognising or refusing to automatically recognise the professional qualifications of the architect.

The National Council of the Chamber of Architects issues its decision to automatically recognise qualifications to practise the profession of architect to the applicant.

At the same time the National Council obliges the regional chamber of architects indicated by the applicant to enter the applicant in its register of members, provided that the applicant has written and oral command of the Polish language necessary to practise the profession of architect.

If the National Council decides that the applicant does not meet the requirements specified in the Act of 15 December 2000 on professional self-governments of architects and civil engineers, the National Council of the Chamber of Architects examines the application for recognition of qualifications under the general system, applying the provisions of the Act of 22 December 2015 on the principles of recognising professional qualifications acquired in the Member States of the European Union accordingly, and in relation to matters not regulated by this Act - the provisions of the Code of Administrative Procedure.

Documents

6. Submitting the decision on automatic recognition of qualifications to practise the profession of architect to the competent bodies

Once the decision becomes final, the National Council of the Chamber of Architects submits its decision on the recognition of qualifications to:

• the Main Inspector for Building Supervision (GINB), in order for a relevant entry to be made in the Central register of persons holding construction licences (CRUB)
• the regional chamber of architects indicated by the applicant, in order for a relevant entry to be made in the register of its members

7. Entry in the Central register of persons holding construction licences

Based on the received decision of the National Council of the Chamber of Architects on the recognition of qualifications, the Main Inspector for Building Supervision:

• makes a relevant entry in the Central register of persons holding construction licences (CRUB)
• sends to the applicant its decision on making a relevant entry in the Central register of persons holding construction licences (CRUB)

Documents

Time limit

After receiving the final decision on the recognition of qualifications.

8. Resolution of the regional chamber of architects on making a relevant entry in the register of its members based on the obligation imposed by the National Council

In relation to the decision on the recognition of qualifications and the obligation imposed by the National Council of the Chamber of Architects, the regional chamber of architects adopts a resolution on making a relevant entry in the register of its members.

The documents confirming the recognition of qualifications and that the applicant is accepted as a member of the regional chamber of architects are handed to the applicant during a special open meeting with the members of the regional chamber and invited guests.

Documents

How much you will have to pay

735 zł

The payment for the procedure of recognition of qualifications should be paid to the bank account indicated by the Polish Chamber of Architects.

How long you will have to wait

How can you appeal

The applicant is entitled to apply for re-examination of his/her application following the decision of the National Council of the Chamber of Architects, within 14 days of the date of receipt of such decision. If the applicant wishes to appeal against the decision of the National Council of the Chamber of Architects issued as a result of such re-examination, he or she should file a complaint to the Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw, within 30 days of the date of receipt of such decision. The complaint is filed through the National Council of the Chamber of Architects.

Good to know

A citizen of a Member State holding professional qualifications to practise the profession of architect or construction engineer is entitled to use in the territory of the Republic of Poland his/her original title indicating his/her education completed in the Member State, or its abbreviation in the language of such Member State.

The documents related to the procedure of the recognition of qualifications are kept in the office of the National Council of the Polish Chamber of Architects.