Getting a licence
To be granted a licence by Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) to practise professional engineering in Ontario, you must:
- be at least 18 years old;
- be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada;
- be of good character;
- hold an undergraduate engineering degree from a Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB)-accredited program (or possess equivalent qualifications). Refer below to sections "Minimum Academic Requirement" and "Applicants who do not hold a degree from a CEAB-accredited program;"
- successfully complete PEO's Professional Practice Examination (PPE); and
- demonstrate at least 48 months of verifiable, acceptable engineering experience, at least 12 months of which must be acquired in a Canadian jurisdiction under a licensed professional engineer (P.Eng.).
Note 1 – Interim Processing: PEO will accept an Application for Licence before you have satisfied all of the above-noted requirements; however, all requirements must be satisfied before a licence can be granted.
Note 2 – English Language Proficiency: You must be able to communicate adequately in the English language; and, if a question is raised with respect to this ability, PEO alone shall make this determination.
Note 3 - Prospective Immigrants to Ontario: PEO will accept and process Applications for Licence while you are obtaining immigration approval from Citizenship and Immigration Canada. However, it must be understood that permanent residency status in Canada is required before a licence can be granted.
Minimum Academic Requirement - is graduation from a three-year engineering technology program or a three-year university science program in a relevant engineering field. Applicants who meet the minimum academic requirement but do not have a Bachelor of Engineering degree may be required to write and pass up to 18 examinations and submit an acceptable Engineering Report.
Applicants who do not hold a degree from a CEAB-accredited program - PEO will assess your academic qualifications to determine if they meet PEO's academic requirements for licensing. This assessment normally takes about two months after the receipt of academic transcript(s) and all supporting documents
Following this review, PEO may accept your academic qualifications or may assign you a technical examination program. Technical exams are usually assigned either: (a) to ascertain whether your academic preparation is equivalent to that provided by an undergraduate engineering program accredited by the CEAB, or (b) to remedy identified deficiencies in your academic preparation compared to a CEAB-accredited program.
Transfers within Canada – If you have been licensed as a P.Eng. anywhere in Canada for at least five years immediately before applying to PEO, you are not required to submit transcripts or write PEO's Professional Practice Examination (PPE). However, if you have less than five years you will be required to meet PEO's current licensing requirements with respect to academic qualifications and engineering work experience. In addition, you must complete PEO's PPE, if you have not successfully completed an equivalent PPE when you obtained your P.Eng.
For further details of PEO's Licensing Procedures, see the document "Licensing Guide and Application for Licence"
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