2 answers
5
Asked 2910 views

An Architect that just moved to the US?

Is there a way to gain experience in architecture field for a foreigner ?

I worked as architect in Egypt for 8 years
Just feeling lost about starting my career in the US
I am pursuing NCARB certification

career architecture architect
Answer This
5

2 answers

0
Updated
Share a link to this answer
Share a link to this answer

Michelle’s Answer

Hello, Saad !

Once you pass the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards certification, you can then get a License which is borderless. You can work anywhere. It would be a good idea to consult with the place you are doing your certification as they can be accurate and up to date on how to get work in Virginia as an Architect. You have 8 years experience with this field of work already, so after you become Licensed, the next step would be to apply for work.

To work as an Architect in the U.S. when you are from Egypt, you will need a work visa, similar to an H-1B visa which is temporary. Your field of work may qualify because of the special skills needed to do the work. To get the visa, you'll need to already have a job offer. H-1B, H-1b1 and the E-3 visas are not provided to Egyptian architects so you will have to check with your local immigration office, embassy or consulate for accurate information and details. Once you get a visa, you can then go for your license in the state you want to work in. Licensing is mandatory in all states. It is a rather complex and detailed path, so I would advise consulting with an immigration lawyer for the best guidance.

You can contact the International Union for Architects for information, too. This is an international organization that has some Egyptian and many other international architects from other countries. I left the link to their website for you below.

If you haven't done so already, think about creating an online and hard copy portfolio as well as a video of your work. Hopefully you've taken photos of previous projects you've worked on in Egypt. These will help you showcase your work once you are Licensed and have the correct visa.

While you are taking the steps, you can probably consider writing Journal Articles for professional Journals. Some journals that you can consider would be the International Journal of Architecture, International Journal of Architectural Design and Planning STM Journals, International Journal of Architecture, Arts and Applications, International Journal of Architectural Heritage, International Journal of Architecture and Planning, International Journal of Arts Architecture and Design, The Journal of Architecture and the International Journal of Architectural Computing.

I hope this helps as you begin your plans and I wish you all the best !

Michelle recommends the following next steps:

INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR ARCHITECTS WEBSITE https://www.uia-architectes.org/en/
Thank you comment icon Thanks alot for your reply and your time answering this I have dual citizenship so the visa part wont be necessary but still thanks for mentioning that There is alot of valuable information that you mentioned and will be really helpful Saad
Thank you comment icon You are welcome for the advice. It's great about the dual citizenship. That will save you a lot of process. I hope you find a position that you really love ! Michelle M.
0
0
Updated
Share a link to this answer
Share a link to this answer

Alecia’s Answer

You are in a prime area for this transition, with DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia being ideal locations. Cities like Chicago, LA, and Houston are also excellent choices due to their strong international communities. Focus on the type of architecture you know best, whether it's residential, industrial, commercial, or educational. Don't overlook large engineering firms with architecture departments; they may offer less exciting projects but provide better pay and benefits. If you know Revit, make sure to highlight that skill. If not, take the time to learn it. Firms prefer not to train someone in both Revit and licensing at the same time. Also, reach out to the Virginia NCARB board to see if your overseas experience can be credited.
Thank you comment icon Thanks Alecia for your response I have a decent experience with Revit and working on improving it while waiting on NCARB record establishing process Will definitely contact Virginia Board as you suggested thanks for mentioning that as well So my main concern is Does firms tend to give basic training to new employees on the way the do the job in the US? I am aiming for Entry level jobs for now so i could learn and develop Or do you suggest another way to approach that Thanks again for your time to reply that i appreciate it Saad
Thank you comment icon Saad, every firm I've worked for has had a slightly different office standard and they always have an onboarding process, although some are more robust than others. Be upfront about what your familiar with and what you'd like to be trained on; I assume you're fairly comfortable with design but less so with code analysis, for example. At the entry level you are going to get a lot of training and mentoring, especially if you ask for it. I've never met an architect who did not want to help the newer generation, and everyone is flattered if you ask them specifically for mentorship. Even if that individual is too busy to take on the task they will direct you to the person to seek out. Alecia Drenckhahn
Thank you comment icon Thanks a lot again Thats makes me more confident about i will expect with work and gain experience I am always looking to learn more and improve myself Saad
0