Professional Engineers Ontario Removes Canadian Experience as Requirement

Government of Ontario

June 27, 2023

After Ontario introduced legislation that banned regulated professions from requiring Canadian work experience in more than 30 occupations, Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) are the first association to remove it from their application criteria. This has the potential to help thousands of otherwise-qualified professionals pursue their dreams over the coming years, all while maintaining Ontario’s world-class licensing and exam requirements.

“It’s an all-too-common experience: meeting a skilled newcomer trained as an engineer, doctor, or accountant, working in a low-wage job that has nothing to do with their profession,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “Our government has a plan to build a stronger Ontario that works for everyone, and we’re going to do it by unleashing the talent we have right here at home. I congratulate Professional Engineers Ontario for taking this historic step to support our mission.”

Roughly 300,000 jobs continue to go unfilled across the province every day, including thousands in engineering, costing billions in lost productivity. At the same time, studies have shown only a quarter of internationally trained immigrants in Ontario work in the regulated professions they trained for. Currently, even if a newcomer has the skills and technical ability to pass their profession’s licensing exams, they may still be barred from registering in their profession without Canadian work experience – even if that work occurs in an unrelated sector, such as retail.

“Each year, up to 60 per cent of the engineering licence applications that PEO receives are from internationally trained engineers,” said Roydon Fraser, President of PEO. “By no longer requiring proof of Canadian experience when applying for an engineering licence, PEO will effectively ensure that qualified, international applicants can be licensed more quickly, so they can actively contribute to the economy as engineers. PEO will continue to ensure all professional engineers meet rigorous qualifications for licensing and that only properly qualified individuals practice engineering through a competency-based assessment model and other methods for evaluation.”

Ontario is the first province in Canada to ban unfair or discriminatory Canadian work experience requirements to help newcomers work in the professions they trained for. In December 2023, all unfair requirements for Canadian experience will be automatically voided unless an exemption is granted by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development for public health and safety.


Quick Facts

  • Introduced as part of Working for Workers Act, 2021, Ontario was the first province in Canada to ban use of discriminatory Canadian Experience Requirements in occupations under the Fair Access to Regulated Professions and Compulsory Trades Act, 2006 (FARPACTA).
  • In 2019, Engineers were the fourth largest regulated profession in Ontario with 85,649 members and had the second largest number of internationally trained members, with 24,258 people registered in the profession.
  • In 2020, the median employment income for a Civil Engineer in Ontario was $96,000.
  • As part of Working for Workers Act, 2023, introduced this past March, changes to the FARPACTA would help ensure that regulated professions assess competency in a way that is non-discriminatory, ensuring newcomers are able to continue their careers in Ontario.
  • Ontario invests over $90M annually in services that help newcomers learn English or French, settle, access training and find jobs.

Source

Related Articles


Latest Articles


Changing Scene

  • Nesco Announces New Sales Agent for Northern Ontario

    Nesco Announces New Sales Agent for Northern Ontario

    January 16, 2025 Nesco is pleased to announce the appointment of Sean Atkinson at Resilient Sales as their sales agent for Northern Ontario, effective January 1st, 2025. “Sean is replacing Steve Wallace, who after decades of providing tireless customer service and sales support is focusing on family and enjoying some well-deserved downtime in retirement,” commented… Read More…

  • ABB and Wieland Electric Partner to Redefine Efficiency in Modular Construction

    ABB and Wieland Electric Partner to Redefine Efficiency in Modular Construction

    January 15, 2025 ABB Electrification’s Smart Buildings Division and Wieland Electric have announced a strategic partnership to revolutionize modular and serial construction with advanced prefabricated electrical installation systems. The collaboration combines Wieland’s innovative connector technology with ABB’s extensive portfolio – including switches, sockets, installation boxes, energy distribution, and smart home solutions – to deliver plug-and-play… Read More…

  • ABB Expands Residential Energy Management Portfolio in North America with Lumin Acquisition

    ABB Expands Residential Energy Management Portfolio in North America with Lumin Acquisition

    January 15, 2025 ABB has announced the acquisition of Lumin, a U.S.-based pioneer and leading provider of responsive energy management systems, to expand its home energy management capabilities in the North American residential sector. The acquisition follows a strategic minority investment by ABB into the company in 2023. Financial terms of the transaction were not… Read More…

  • Mattr Completes Acquisition of AmerCable, Establishing US Wire and Cable Manufacturing Footprint

    Mattr Completes Acquisition of AmerCable, Establishing US Wire and Cable Manufacturing Footprint

    January 10, 2025 Mattr Corp. has announced that it has closed its previously announced acquisition of AmerCable Incorporated [see press release], which now forms part of Mattr’s Connection Technologies reporting segment. Under the terms of the transaction, Mattr has acquired all of the outstanding shares of AmerCable from Nexans USA Inc. for a purchase price… Read More…