Apply to APEGA as a Professional Licensee
A professional licensee (called a limited licensee in some other jurisdictions) has the academic and work experience requirements to practice engineering or geoscience within a clearly defined scope of practice that is specific to their experience and education. This is different from professional engineers and professional geoscientists, who do not have limitations on their scopes of practice.
The professional licensee designation is covered under the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act part 7, Sections 83–86, and General Regulations Part 10, Sections 74–78. Professional licensees may use the designation P.L.(Eng.) or P.L.(Geo.).
Read about the right to use a designation
Professional licensees take responsibility for their work within their scope of practice, and they do not need to be supervised by a professional engineer or professional geoscientist if they are working within their scope of practice.
Support for Newcomers to Canada
If you are an internationally trained engineer or geoscientist planning to apply to APEGA, resources are available to help you understand the registration process, including academic credential evaluation, application requirements, and steps towards licensure. You can also read success stories from newcomers to Canada who have successfully navigated the application process.
Application Requirements
Before proceeding further, please be sure you have reviewed the requirements for licensure and are eligible to apply, as all application fees are non-refundable.
Read the following information about licensure requirements before beginning the application process.
- at least two years of post-secondary education acceptable to the Board of Examiners (BOE) in areas that relate to the practice of engineering or geoscience
- Applicants are expected to meet or exceed the academic requirements as listed in the academic documentation section
- Education acceptability is determined by the BOE.
If the education and DSOP are in the same discipline
- Applicants must have at least six years of professional-level work experience of an engineering or geoscientific nature that is acceptable to the BOE.
- At least two of the six years must be within the DSOP and have been completed under the supervision and control of a P.Eng. or P.Geo. registered with APEGA as an active practicing member during the period of supervision
If the education and DSOP are not in the same discipline
Example: The completed education is in Mechanical Engineering Technology and the proposed scope of practice is in Civil Engineering- Applicants must have at least 10 years of professional-level work experience within the discipline in which they are seeking registration as a professional licensee.
- At least four of the ten years must be within the DSOP and have been completed under the supervision and control of a P.Eng. or P.Geo. registered with APEGA as an active practicing member during the period of supervision
- The applicant must demonstrate that they have practiced within the proposed DSOP for the minimum required time within the past seven years.
- all submitted experience must have taken place after graduation from the qualifying education and cannot include any pre-graduate experience
- a minimum of three references is required
- the minimum years of acceptable professional-level experience must have been completed under the direct supervision and control of a P.Eng., P.Geo., P.L.(Eng.), or P.L.(Geo.)
- if the supervisor is a P.L., the area of practice of the supervisor must be in a comparable area of practice as the defined scope of practice (DSOP) proposed by the applicant
- for work performed outside of Canada, equivalent senior practitioners in engineering or geoscience may be considered acceptable references as long as they had direct supervision and control of the applicant’s work
- Senior practitioners will be asked to provide their credentials. References for work performed outside of Canada from practitioners who do not have an undergraduate degree in engineering or geoscience will not be accepted
- sufficient valid references are required to fully reference all experience requirements
- good character and reputation
- passing score on the National Professional Practice Exam (NPPE). The NPPE is required for licensure but can be written at any time during the processing or review stage of the application.
- competency in written and spoken English
Inter-Provincial Mobility Applications
If you are registered as a professional licensee (P.L.) or limited licensee with another Canadian engineering or geoscience regulator, you may qualify to apply for an inter-provincial mobility application (IPMA) to APEGA. Not all Canadian jurisdictions have an equivalent membership category, and it is up to the discretion of the Board of Examiners whether your designation is equivalent to a P.L. with APEGA.
Starting your Application With APEGA
It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure they have thoroughly read and understood all requirements before applying.
To start your application, you must create an account through myAPEGA.
APEGA adheres to the privacy standards under the Personal Information Protection Act regarding the collection, disclosure, and use of personal information. It is the applicant’s responsibility to personally complete all components of the application. APEGA does not accept third-party submissions and will only answer questions from the applicant.
Complete Steps 1–5 of your application.
At Step 6 in your online application, download and save both the Work Experience Summary Record and the Defined Scope of Practice Record. Complete both forms according to the guidelines provided on this website then upload the completed documents at Step 6. Both documents must be fully complete and uploaded before you pay and submit your application.
After APEGA receives your application and at least one of your academic documents, your file will be placed in the queue to be processed. To find out the status of your application, please log in to your myAPEGA portal.
Using Artificial Intelligence Tools
APEGA requires the content of all application forms and work experience documents to be detailed and descriptive. You must complete these forms yourself using information from your own work experience. While artificial intelligence (AI) can be a helpful tool, AI-generated content is often generic and may not accurately reflect your individual experience as required by APEGA.
Apply for a Change of Defined Scope of Practice
To apply for a new defined scope of practice (DSOP) you must be a current professional licensee registered with APEGA, and you must have a minimum of two years of professional-level engineering or geoscience work experience in the new proposed defined scope of practice under the supervision and control of a P.Eng. or P.Geo. registered as an active member of APEGA during the supervision time period.
Professional Licensee application fees
| Application Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| New applicants | $500 |
| Change of defined scope of practice | $500 |
| Professional licensee registered in a Canadian province or territory | $250 |
These prices do not include GST and are subject to change. Application fees are non-refundable.
How to Pay Your Application Fees
The easiest and quickest way to pay is online! You can submit payment in the following ways.
Log in to myAPEGA and pay by credit card.
Visa, Mastercard, or American Express
Call 1-800-661-7020 and pay by credit card.
Visa, Mastercard, or American Express
Pay via online banking.
Payee: APEGA
Account number: your APEGA ID or Permit Number
Mail or bring a cheque to the APEGA office.
Payable to APEGA, with your APEGA ID or Permit Number on the cheque
APEGA does not accept cash payments, and we cannot process credit card or debit payments at our office. If you are unable to pay your dues using one of the methods listed above, please contact [email protected].
Application Deadlines
The application process has several stages with deadlines that must be met.
1. Application completion
Once you start an application in myAPEGA, you have 90 days to complete all 12 steps in the online application system and pay the application fee. If you do not complete your application within this time, it will be deleted.
2. Outstanding requirements (post-payment)
After paying the application fee, you have 90 days to submit any outstanding requirements. If the requirements are not received within this time, your application will be withdrawn.
3. Final documentation
Once your application is assigned to an APEGA Registration staff member, you have 90 days to provide all final documentation as instructed. You can view outstanding documentation requirements in the online application system within the myAPEGA portal. If the required documentation is not received within this time, your application will be withdrawn. APEGA staff may request additional documentation.
Application fees are non-refundable.
How to Reduce Delays Throughout the Application and Review Process
To help avoid delays, ensure that:
- your full name and APEGA ID are included with all documents and correspondence
- your application includes all current phone numbers, mailing addresses, and email addresses
- you check your application status in the myAPEGA portal to see if any information is outstanding
- you submit outstanding documentation as soon as possible
Academic Documents
Ensure your application includes all relevant academic records. Depending on your academic background, this may include:
- conferred1 undergraduate degree transcript
- conferred postgraduate degree transcript
- conferred technology diploma
- non-engineering or non-geoscience degree, diploma, or university-level courses
- university entrance exams or A-level exams
- transcript2 showing all transfer credits
- certificate of graduation3
- legal name-change documentation
- World Education Services Course-by-Course International Credential Advantage Package report for education obtained outside of Canada
APEGA must receive all academic documents directly from your academic institution in an unopened envelope clearly marked with the institution's official seal or stamp. APEGA also accepts these documents through secure digital distribution platforms.
Documents That Are Not Accepted
APEGA does not accept:
- in-house training certificates
- published journals or papers
- class or university ranks or distinctions
- Conferral or conferred means that the degree has been awarded officially.
- A transcript is a list of all post-secondary courses taken, including the grades received and the degree awarded.
- A certificate of graduation confirms the degree completed and the date of graduation. If a transcript does not list the degree or date of graduation, you must request a certificate of graduation from your institution.
Checking Your Application Status
You can check the status of your application or update your contact information by logging into the myAPEGA portal. If any documents are missing, they will be listed as not received or incomplete.
If you have questions, you can email the Registration department at [email protected].
Professional Licensee Application Process
After we’ve received all your required documents, the Board of Examiners (BOE) will review your qualifications. The BOE has the authority to approve, defer, or refuse your application, based on whether or not you have fulfilled the requirements in the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act.
Academic Review
An academic examiner will review your post-secondary education. If you hold multiple degrees or diplomas in engineering or geoscience, include information about all your degrees in your application. The academic examiner will make a recommendation to the BOE based on your academic qualifications.
Experience Review
An experience examiner will look at the type, quality, and duration of your work experience, as well as how recent it is. The experience examiner will make a recommendation regarding your experience to the entire BOE for review. Only applications where the applicant is deemed academically qualified will have their experience assessed.
Board of Examiners Decision
The BOE will make a final decision on the recommendations regarding your academic and experience qualifications and your defined scope of practice.
The BOE meets once per month, excluding July, and decides whether to grant or refuse licensure.
- BOE meeting dates are not available to the public.
- We cannot release decision information over the phone.
- We will email you the decision by the end of the following month after the BOE meeting.
Communicating with APEGA
APEGA uses a detailed and thorough review process to protect the public and maintain high professional standards. The length of the review process may vary depending on your application and the completeness of the information you provide.
APEGA provides estimated review timelines for each application type.
We understand that application delays can be frustrating. While maintaining high standards, we make every effort to process applications as efficiently as possible.
APEGA fosters an environment of respect. Our staff members communicate in a professional, prompt, and courteous manner, and we expect the same level of professionalism from those we serve.
Document Retention
APEGA is committed to protecting the security of your information.
You have 90 days to complete and pay for your application. If you do not submit and pay for your application within this period, APEGA will withdraw your application and you will need to apply again. For privacy and security reasons, APEGA does not transfer information between applications.
Once you submit your application, all associated documents—including transcripts, World Education Services reports, work experience forms, reference forms, validator forms, and character declarations—become the property of APEGA and will not be returned to you, a member, or any third party. This applies to original, copied, and electronic documents.