Pre-CoVid, when building was booming, the opposite happened in architecture. Because of a shortage of architects, NCARB, the licensing board, had been actually loosening the requirements and time involved for licensure. The increased emphasis on the MArch is, I think, more content related as the knowledge required to get a building built has become more complex and specialized.
Post-CoVid, who knows?
The time it takes to complete an MArch is all over the board, depending on the applicant’s undergraduate experience and the requirements of the individual MArch program. The rules vary widely from MArch to MArch and the timing ranges from 1 year to 3.5, which is to me an amazing span for the same degree.
My son did a 4 year BA in art studio/art history then worked for 2 years in the marketing department of an architecture firm before getting a 3.5 year MArch. He doesn’t regret it because each segment was worthwhile and contributed to making him a better architect, but for sure it was costly. The old joke about architecture is that the reason you see so many famous architects still working in their 70’s and 80’s is that they’re still paying off student loans!