- Download
the Provisional Public
Information Guide
Introduction
On February 28, 2003, the Ontario government proclaimed changes to the Professional Engineers Act to permit Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) to grant provisional licences.
Section 14(6) of the Act now states:
The Registrar shall issue a provisional licence, to be valid for one year, to a natural person who has applied for a licence in accordance with the regulations and has complied with all the requirements of subsection (1) except the Canadian experience requirement set out in paragraph 4 of section 33 of Regulation 941 of the Revised Regulations of Ontario, 1990.
What is a Provisional Licence?
A provisional licence may be issued to an applicant for a professional engineer (P.Eng.) licence who has satisfied all of PEO’s licensing requirements except for the minimum 12 months of verifiable and acceptable engineering experience in a Canadian jurisdiction, under the supervision of a professional engineer licensed in the jurisdiction in which the work was undertaken.
Criteria for acceptable engineering experience can be found in PEO’s Guide to the Required Experience for Licensing as a Professional Engineer in Ontario.
To qualify for a provisional licence, a P.Eng. licence applicant will have:
- satisfied PEO’s academic requirements for licensing;
- passed PEO’s Professional Practice Examination; and
- demonstrated to PEO’s satisfaction at least 36 months of acceptable and verifiable engineering experience outside of Canada.
Conditions for a Provisional Licence
According to section 44.1(2) of Regulation 941/1990: The following conditions apply to every provisional licence:
- The provisional licence is valid for 12 months from the date of issue. It may be renewed once for up to 12 months if the Registrar is of the opinion that renewal is necessary to enable the applicant to acquire the experience required by paragraph 4 of subsection 33 (1).
- The holder of the provisional licence is entitled to practise professional engineering only under the supervision of a professional engineer, and shall not issue a final drawing, specification, plan, report or other document unless the supervising professional engineer also signs, and dates it and affixes his or her seal to it.
A provisional licence authorizes the holder to practise professional engineering in Ontario only under the supervision of a professional engineer licensed in the province of Ontario.
Why a Provisional Licence?
In 1999, PEO Council approved the recommendation of its Admissions, Complaints, Discipline and Enforcement Task Force that: All applicants who have satisfied all [licensing requirements] except the 12 months’ “in Canada” experience should be granted a provisional licence. This recommendation was intended to help address a concern that internationally-educated/trained engineering practitioners had reported encountering difficulty in finding employment that enabled them to obtain the necessary Canadian experience for licensing, due largely to a lack of recognition of their non-Canadian qualifications by prospective employers. By issuing a provisional licence to such P.Eng. licence applicants, PEO is affirming that these applicants have satisfied the academic, professional practice and ethics and the majority of the engineering experience requirements for licensing as a professional engineer in Ontario.
How to Get a Provisional Licence
If you meet the eligibility requirements for a provisional licence and wish to obtain one, you must request one by writing to PEO. Your written request must include your full name, your PEO file number, and your signature.
You are responsible for ensuring that PEO has your current experience record on file, as well as your referee response forms. If PEO does not have a current and complete detailed engineering experience record, please provide one with your request for a provisional licence. PEO may require applicants to attend an Experience Requirements Committee interview before granting a provisional licence.
Once you have been approved for a provisional licence, you will be invoiced for the provisional licence registration fee of $282.50 ($250.00 + HST).
In Summary
Professional Engineers Ontario may issue a provisional licence to applicants who have completed all the requirements for licensing as a professional engineer except for the 12 months of acceptable engineering experience in a Canadian jurisdiction under the supervision of a licensed professional engineer. This licence is valid for 12 months from the date of issue and may be renewed for an additional 12 months only under special circumstances as determined by the Registrar.
The holder of the provisional licence is entitled to practise professional engineering only under the supervision of a professional engineer, and shall not issue a final drawing, specification, plan, report or other document unless the supervising professional engineer also signs, and dates it and affixes his or her seal to it.
Have questions about provisional licences? Contact us.
