APEGA Streamlines Competency-Based Assessment for Internationally Trained Engineers

The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) has implemented an important update to its Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) process, making it easier for internationally trained engineers to demonstrate their readiness for professional licensure in Alberta.

Effective July 18, 2026, applicants are no longer required to complete one year of Canadian engineering experience to satisfy the Canadian work environment requirement. Instead, they can demonstrate equivalent knowledge and experience directly through APEGA's competency assessment process. The update is part of Alberta's ongoing efforts to modernize professional registration under the Fair Registration Practices Act. Through the Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No. 2), the Government of Alberta removed Canadian work experience as a registration requirement for regulated professions unless it can be justified on public safety grounds. Rather than relying on a mandatory period of Canadian employment, APEGA now assesses whether applicants possess the competencies necessary to understand and practise within the Canadian engineering environment, preserving public protection while reducing unnecessary barriers to licensure for internationally trained engineers. Under the updated framework, applicants demonstrate Canadian work environment equivalency through the eight mandatory competencies integrated into APEGA's existing 22-competency framework:

• 1.1 – Regulations, Codes, and Standards
• 1.6 – Safety in Design and Technical Work
• 1.9 – Quality Assurance
• 2.1 – Oral Communication in English
• 2.2 – Written Communication in English
• 2.3 – Reading and Comprehension in English
• 5.1 – Professional Accountability
• 6.2 – Benefits of Engineering to the Public 

It is important to note that this change does not reduce APEGA's competency requirements. Applicants must still demonstrate all 22 competencies required under the CBA process. The update simply replaces the previous requirement for one year of Canadian engineering experience with a competency-based method of demonstrating an equivalent understanding of the Canadian engineering work environment.

If you are an internationally trained engineer pursuing professional licensure in Canada and would like guidance on competency requirements or preparing your CBA submission, feel free to contact us. We are happy to help you navigate your regulatory journey.