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 practise engineering or geoscience within a clearly defined scope of practice (DSOP) specific to their experience and education.
This differs from professional engineers and professional geoscientists, who are not restricted to a DSOP.
The professional licensee designation is set out in the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act (Part 7, sections 83–86) and the General Regulation (Part 10, sections 74–78). Professional licensees may use the applicable designation: professional licensee (engineering) or P.L. (Eng.), or professional licensee (geoscience) or P.L. (Geo.).
Read About the Right to Use a Designation
Professional licensees are responsible for their work within their DSOP and do not require supervision by a professional engineer or professional geoscientist when practising within that scope.
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.
Requirements to Become a Professional Licensee
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.
To become a professional licensee, you must meet the following requirements.
Education
If the education and DSOP are in the same discipline
- You must have at least six years of professional-level engineering or geoscience work experience that is acceptable to the Board of Examiners (BOE).
- At least two of the six years must be within your DSOP and have been completed under the supervision and control of a professional engineer or a professional geoscientist registered with APEGA as an active practising member during the period of supervision.
If the education and DSOP are not in the same discipline
Example: Your completed education is in mechanical engineering technology and your proposed scope of practice is in civil engineering.- You must have at least 10 years of professional-level work experience in the discipline in which you are seeking registration as a professional licensee.
- At least four of the 10 years must be within your DSOP and have been completed under the supervision and control of a professional engineer or a professional geoscientist registered with APEGA as an active practising member during the period of supervision.
Work Experience
- You must have at least six years of professional-level engineering or geoscience work experience acceptable to the BOE.
- All submitted experience must have been gained after you completed your qualifying education (pre-graduate experience is not accepted).
- You must have completed your experience under the direct supervision and control of a professional engineer, a professional geoscientist, or a professional licensee (engineering or geoscience).
- If your supervisor is a professional licensee, their area of practice must be comparable to your proposed DSOP.
- At least two of the six years must be within your proposed DSOP.
- You must have practised within your proposed DSOP for at least two of the past seven years.
- Your experience should align with your academic qualifications, or the BOE may refuse your application.
References
- You need at least three references for the overall work experience (summary form), and at least one reference for the scope-related work experience (DSOP form).
- The minimum number of years of acceptable professional-level experience must have been completed under the direct supervision and control of a professional engineer, a professional geoscientist, or a professional licensee (engineering or geoscience).
- If your supervisor is a professional licensee, their area of practice must be in a comparable area of practice as your proposed DSOP.
- 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 your work.
- Senior practitioners will be asked to provide their credentials. APEGA does not accept references for work performed outside of Canada from practitioners who do not have an undergraduate degree in engineering or geoscience.
- You must provide enough valid references to fully support all work experience requirements.
Other Requirements
- You must be of good character and reputation.
- You must achieve a passing score on the National Professional Practice Exam, which is required for licensure but can be written at any time during the processing or review stage of the application.
- You must demonstrate competency in written and spoken English.
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.
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.
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
Before you apply, take time to review and understand all requirements.
APEGA adheres to the privacy standards under Alberta’s Personal Information Protection Act regarding the collection, disclosure, and use of personal information. It is your responsibility to personally complete all components of your application. APEGA does not accept third-party submissions and will only answer questions about your application from you.
If you have questions, you can email our Registration department at [email protected] or call our office.
1. Start Your Application
Start your application by visiting the myAPEGA portal and creating an account.
Complete steps 1–5 of your application.
At Step 6, download the Work Experience Summary Record and the Defined Scope of Practice Record. Complete both forms using the guidelines on this website, then upload them to Step 6. Make sure both documents are complete and uploaded before you pay and submit your application.
If you hold multiple degrees or diplomas in engineering or geoscience, include information about all your degrees in your application.
2. Submit Your Requirements
After APEGA receives your application and at least one of your academic documents, your file will be placed in the queue to be processed.
You can check the status of your application or update your contact information by logging in to myAPEGA. If any documents are missing, they will be listed as not received or incomplete.
3. Academic Review
During the academic review, an academic examiner evaluates your provided education. For more information about required education documents, review the Academic Documentation requirements page.
The academic examiner will make a recommendation to the BOE based on your academic qualifications.
4. Experience Review
Your application will be reviewed for work experience and demonstrated competencies. To prepare, review the work experience requirements.
An examiner will review the type, quality, duration, and recency of your work experience and will provide a recommendation to the BOE for review and decision.
5. Board of Examiners Decision
The BOE makes the final decision based on the review recommendations and your defined scope of practice.
- The BOE meets once per month, excluding July, and decides whether to grant, defer, or refuse licensure based on whether you have fulfilled the requirements in the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act.
- BOE meeting dates are not available to the public.
- APEGA staff members do not release decisions over the phone.
- You will receive the decision by email by the end of the month following 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.