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 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.

Requirements for Professional Licensee Applicants

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
    • engineering applicants should be graduates of a Sydney Accord engineering technology program or have completed a program of equivalent content
  • at least six years of professional-level work experience of an engineering or geoscientific nature that is acceptable to the BOE
    • 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 six 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
    • 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 practising member during the period of supervision
      • the applicant must demonstrate they have practised within the proposed DSOP for at least two of the past seven years, and this practice must have been completed under the supervision and control of a P.Eng. or P.Geo. registered as an active member of APEGA during the supervision time period
      • at least one of the required two years within the DSOP must have been completed in Canada under the supervision and control of a P.Eng. or P.Geo. registered as an active member of APEGA during the supervision time period
      • it is expected that the applicant’s experience within the proposed DSOP be in the same discipline as their academic qualifications. If the academic qualifications and the experience are insufficiently related (not in the same discipline as defined in their DSOP), the application may be refused at the discretion of the BOE.
  • 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.

Read about the professional licensee IPMA process

Apply to Be a Professional Licensee

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.

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.

Read about changing your DSOP

Fees for Professional Licensee Applicants

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! The myAPEGA portal will accept:

  • VISA
  • Mastercard
  • American Express

If you want to pay in person, APEGA can only accept cheques. We do not accept cash payments, and we cannot process credit card or debit payments at our offices.

Log in to myAPEGA

90-daysRequired Documents

APEGA will not review your application until we have all required documents and you have paid the application fee.

After submitting your application, you have 90 days to send us all of the academic documents you listed on your application. If you do not submit these documents within 90 days, APEGA will withdraw your application. Your application fee is not refundable.

If you have questions, email our Registration Department at [email protected] or call our Edmonton office.

Review Process for Professional Licensee Applications

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.

Read about academic documentation requirements

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.

Read about work experience requirements 

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.

Check Your Application Status

hourglassYou 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.

If you have questions, you can email our Registration Department at [email protected] or call our Edmonton office.

Communicating with APEGA

As part of our mandate to uphold public safety, APEGA uses a detailed and thorough review process for all applications. This process can take up to 12 months (read more about our estimated time frames by application type). We know application delays can be frustrating. APEGA is committed to efficiency and high standards in our processes and work quality, and we make every effort to process applications in a timely manner.

APEGA fosters an environment of respect. We will ensure our communication is professional, prompt, and courteous. As part of the good character requirement of applicants, we expect the same level of professional communication from those we serve.

How to Reduce Delays in the Review Process

  • Check your application status in myAPEGA to see if any information is outstanding.
  • Submit outstanding items as soon as possible.
  • Work directly with your references to confirm they have submitted the material APEGA requires.

Note: Your application will not be reviewed until all material has been received.

Log in to myAPEGA

Document Retention

90-daysAPEGA is committed to the security of your information.

You have 90 days to pay for and submit your application. If after 90 days you have not completed and paid for your application, we will destroy all electronic and physical records related to your application to protect your privacy and personal information.

Once your application has been submitted, all associated documents (such as transcripts, World Education Services reports, and work experience records) become the property of APEGA and will not be returned to the applicant, a member, or any third party. This policy applies to originals, copies, and electronic documents.