Architects may set up architecture firms among themselves or with other natural persons, but the majority of shares must be held by registered architects. Qualified foreign architects can register with the Order of Architects subject to reciprocity and residency in Madagascar for more than 5 years. Upon registration, foreign architects can set up architecture firm at par conditions with Malagasy architects. Foreign non-registered architects or non-architects can, therefore, associate themselves with registered architects being entitled to hold up to 49% of the shares of the company.
"TITLE II - Of the exercise of the profession of Architect.
ARTICLE 7: No one may bear the title of Architect or practice the profession of Architect in Madagascar if he does not meet the following conditions:
▪ be of Malagasy nationality; ▪ hold an Architect diploma recognized by the State; ▪ enjoy their civic rights; ▪ be registered with the Order of Malagasy Architects.
ARTICLE 8: Only natural persons registered on the roll of the Order of Architects, in accordance with the provisions of Articles 9 and 10 below, may bear the title of Architect.
Legal persons registered on the roll of the Order of Architects in accordance with the provisions of Article 13 below may only bear the title of Architectural Society.
ARTICLE 9: Individuals of Malagasy nationality, who enjoy their civic rights, present the necessary guarantees of morality and fulfill the following condition, are registered on their request on the roll of the Order of Architects: hold a diploma of Architect recognized by the Malagasy State and obtained at the end of study cycles.
ARTICLE 10: Foreign natural persons residing permanently for more than five (05) years, are registered, at their request, on the roll of the Order under the same conditions of diploma, enjoyment of civic rights and morality as Malagasy Architects , if they can take advantage of reciprocity agreements.
If they do not fulfill the aforementioned conditions, their case will be submitted to the appreciation of the National Council of the Order of Architects.
Within the framework of the realization of a project with external financing, governmental or private, partially or totally, if a foreign Architect has been appointed, but cannot fulfill the conditions set out above, the latter must obligatorily associate, within the framework of the said project, to a national Architect registered on the roll of the Order of Architects.
ARTICLE 11: With a view to the joint exercise of their profession, Architects may establish between themselves or with other natural persons Architectural Companies.
They can take the following forms: ▪ Société Anonyme; ▪ Limited Liability Company; ▪ Association of Architects.
Any Architectural Society must be registered on the roll of the Order of Architects and communicate to the National Council of the Order its statutes and the quality of its associates as well as any modification made to its statutes.
ARTICLE 12: When an Architecture Company is constituted in the form of a Public Limited Company or a Limited Liability Company, it must comply with the following rules:
1) the Company's shares must be in nominal form;
2) more than half of the share capital must be held by Architects. [...]" (ORDINANCE N° 93018 of April 26, 1993 establishing the Order of Malagasy Architects and the regulation of the profession [google translation])
ORDINANCE N° 93018 of April 26, 1993 establishing the Order of Malagasy Architects and the regulation of the profession [google translation]
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