To practice engineering in Canada, you must hold and maintain a license from one of Canada’s engineering regulators. Specific requirements for licensure vary by regulator, but, generally, there are five criteria that must be satisfied:

  • Academics: Hold an engineering degree from a Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board-accredited undergraduate program or possess equivalent qualifications.
  • Work experience: Fulfill the engineering work experience requirement in the province or territory where you are applying for a licence.
  • Professionalism and ethics: Pass the Professional Practice Examination (PPE), which tests your knowledge of the laws that affect the engineering profession, the professional standards to which you will be held accountable, and ethical standards, and other topics such as patents, trademarks, and copyrights.
  • Good character: Applicants must demonstrate good character.  
  • Language: Applicants must demonstrate an ability to work in either English or French, depending on the province or territory in which they apply for licensure.

The role of Engineers Canada

Engineers Canada does not grant licenses to practise engineering. It supports Canada’s engineering regulators by:

  • developing national guidelines that provide advice on regulatory practices
  • developing tools to check the academic knowledge of those who did not graduate from an accredited engineering program
  • assisting with development of consistent exam requirements
  • facilitating the mobility of qualified labour, nationally and internationally
  • ensuring the academic credentials of graduates of accredited engineering programs are recognized

Learn more about the purposes of Engineers Canada.