Engineer First Time Applying in Canada

About this Category

This category is for engineers-in-training (EIT) or other individuals who are applying for registration as a professional engineer (P.Eng.) for the first time in Canada.

Application Requirements

To apply for registration as a professional engineer (P.Eng.) with Engineers and Geoscientists BC you must meet academic, experience, law and ethics, language, and good character requirements.

A free webinar titled Path to Professional Licensure is available in the Knowledge Centre. It is recommended that anyone applying for registration to become a professional engineer view this webinar to learn about the application requirements and how best to present one's qualifications.

Academic Requirements

To apply for registration as a professional engineer, you are required to have the equivalent of graduation from a 4-year full-time bachelors program in applied science, engineering, geoscience, science, or technology. If you do not have an undergraduate degree in engineering from an accredited university program, you may be assigned academic examinations and/or an interview.

Learn More About Academic Requirements for Professional Engineer Status

Experience Requirements

To become registered as a professional engineer, you must demonstrate that you have a minimum of 4 years of satisfactory engineering work experience. To satisfy the Canadian environment experience requirement, applicants must satisfy the Canadian Environment Competencies, and demonstrate knowledge and experience of Canadian regulations, codes, standards, quality control, safety awareness, professional accountability and communication. If you gain experience in a different discipline from your academic degree, you will need to undergo an academic review and possible interview and/or examinations.

Learn More About the Experience Requirements for Professional Engineer Status

Software Engineering Applicants

Applicants who wish to apply for registration through the software discipline can refer to the detailed information provided to determine whether they are required to be a professional registrant with Engineers and Geoscientists BC.

Learn More

Law and Ethics Requirements

English Language Competence for Practice

English Language Competence for Practice is evaluated through:

  • An essay written as part of the Professional Practice Examination (this is phasing out after November 2022),
  • Communication competencies through the Competency Assessment System,
  • Comments of referees/validators, and
  • Comments of interviewers (if an interview is required), and
  • If required, an approved English Language Test (IELTS, CAEL or Duolingo English Test*) beginning in January 2023. More guidance can be found in Assessment of English Language Competence (PDF).
    *Note that an experience assessment will be conducted first before determining whether an appropriate English language test is required. Do not register or submit results unless an approved English language test is specifically assigned or requested.

Good Character Requirement

All applicants must prove that they are of good character and good repute. Engineers and Geoscientists BC will review the information provided in your application to ensure that you meet these standards. To learn more about these requirements, see the page for Good Character Requirement and Registration Hearings.

How to A​pply

Applications are made through Engineers and Geoscientists BC's Online Application tool.

Documents Required

  1. A completed online application.
  2. Certified* copies of 2 pieces of government-issued identification (ID) for registration. Both pieces of ID must contain the applicant’s full legal name, must be valid (i.e., not expired) at the time of registration, and at least 1 piece of ID must contain your photo. For more guidance on acceptable forms of IDs, please review the Guideline on Certified Identification Documents. Applicants are required to upload as 1 document through their application dashboard.
  3. Official transcripts, sent directly to the offices of Engineers and Geoscientists BC from your educational institutions (EITs are exempt if already submitted). If required, a transcript request letter is available to send to your academic institution(s). 
  4. Completed experience report using the Competency Assessment System,
  5. Thesis abstracts for masters or PhD if applicable (submitted through the Competency Assessment System), and
  6. Confirmation of registration/licensure from other professional engineering regulatory or certification organizations outside of Canada, if applicable.

In lieu of 3, 4, and 6, US-Licensed Professional Engineers may submit an NCEES Record. Note that upon review, applicants with an NCEES record may be required to report their experience using the Competency Assessment System.

*To have your document certified, the copies of both your original IDs must be signed, dated and stamped by an acceptable certifying official. Please refer to the Guideline on Certified Identification Documents for a list of acceptable certifying officials and the steps for ID certification.

How Much Does it Cost?

Find more information about application and registration fees on the Fee Schedule.

Throughout your application process, you can expect fees for:

If applicable to your application, additional fees may be required (e.g., academic exams, interviews). 

After registration is granted, all registrants are subject to annual fees (prorated in the first year of registration).

Fee Schedule

After Applying

If you have further questions, you may find the answer on our Frequently Asked Questions.

It takes approximately 4–6 months to review your application after we have received all of the required documents.

For information about checking the status of your application please see Application Status.

Initially, an academic review is done to determine if you meet the minimum academic requirements for professional registration set by Engineers and Geoscientists BC. If these requirements are not met, academic examinations may be assigned. Next, your experience will be reviewed to determine whether it meets minimum experience requirements. An interview may be required as part of the experience review process.

If you have an engineering degree that requires some additional exams to be assigned, but have more than 5 years of satisfactory engineering experience, you may be granted an interview in order to determine if all or some of the academic exams can be waived on the basis of your experience. There is no guarantee that an interview will result in the waiving of academic examinations.

All applicants for professional registration are required to sit and pass the Professional Practice Examination, complete the Professional Engineering and Geoscience Practice in BC Online Seminar, and fulfill the English Language Competency and Good Character requirements.

Upon registration with Engineers and Geoscientists BC, you will be sent a notification email along with a seal and your certificate of registration.