No, you cannot join (or you will not be cleared to join) on the arc outside an IAF unless there is a published transition there.

You can join the arc inside the IAF...only make sense,if you can join at the IAF and then fly over the arc at X altitude you should be able to join the arc at X altitude inside the IAF. Just make sure you have enough distance to make the turn to final and descend...those are the usual challenges.