P. Eng. Designation in 5 Easy Steps

​There's confusion around this title and it's time to clear it up. So first let's look at the definition.

What is a P. Eng.?

It is simply an abbreviation for a Professional Engineer, and it's a protected term in Canada.

In Canada, a Professional Engineer (P. Eng.) is issued a licence to practice by one of the regulatory associations. The P. Eng. designation is a step taken to protect the public by ensuring only qualified individuals practice engineering.  

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How Long Does it Take to Become a P. Eng.?

It can take just 4 years after graduation to become an Professional Engineer if you're educated in Canada (CEAB accredited). Just ensure you've registered with your association as a Member in Training (E.I.T. or M.I.T.) and you're working under the supervision of a licensed engineer.

If you're internationally educated, it can still take just 4 years after graduation. Yet, be sure to register with your association early as it can take 12-24 months for them to perform an academic review and an experience review.

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Important: you can work in Canada without the P. Eng. designation

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Just be sure to register with your association and ensure you'll work under the direct supervision of a professional engineer. ​

Here are the steps to register for the P. Eng. exam and to apply for the professional engineer designation:

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Step 1: Obtain an Approved Engineering Education

If you have an engineering degree from Canada, then ensure it's CEAB (Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board) accredited. Don't worry almost all Canadian Engineering degrees are accredited and you can confirm that here.

If you're an internationally educated engineer you'll go through a more elaborate academic assessment process that often involves forwarding your degree credentials and sometimes transcripts.  

This will take time, so be sure to register with your association right away.  

PS: each regulator has its own academic assessment processes and some are a lot tougher than others. Alberta has one of the most thorough processes, keep that in mind if you're moving from another province.

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Step 2: Register With Your Association

In Canada, be sure to check with your specific regulatory association first, as some have specific requirements.

Here's a list of the regulatory associations:

• ‍Alberta
• ‍Ontario
• British Columbia‍
• Saskatchewan‍
• Manitoba‍
• Nova Scotia‍
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• ‍Northwest Territories
• ‍Yukon
• ‍P.E.I.
• ‍New Brunswick
• ‍Quebec

Here are the specific details for the admission to the practice of engineering.

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Step 3: Work Underneath a Professional Engineer

You'll need four years of work experience under the direct supervision of a professional engineer and 1 of those years must be in Canada.

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Step 4: Pass the P. Eng. Exam

As an outcome of their academic assessment, your association will assign the P. Eng. exam (known as the NPPE exam or PPE exam) and possibly some technical exams. This will come in the form of an email or a physical letter.

So head over to your association's website, log in, apply and pay for the exams you must write.

You can review the guide on the P. Eng. or NPPE exam study course and what it takes to pass this exam.

A review of the data, from 3 different studies, indicates that the vast majority of individuals pass the NPPE exam.

In 2023, the overall pass rate for our customers was 97%, with only 3% receiving a Notice of Failure. Data from the Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) corroborates this information: 90% of 1,191 applicants passed the June 2020 exam. Similarly, an informal Reddit survey of 114 examinees indicated an 89% pass rate.

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The cost of exam registration varies (as of May 2025, GST and HST included):

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Step 5: Submit Your Final Application

Once you've passed the exams, submit your application and pay the required fee.

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Professional Engineering in Canada

Below is a seminar that we held for Professional Engineering exam (that is everywhere except Quebec). This includes the P. Eng. in Alberta, the P. Eng. in Ontario, and the P. Eng. in British Columbia.

• We share exam pass rates -> this drastically changes your approach and time spent studying.
• You'll learn what products are available and select the best method for you.  
• Find out if you should buy the textbooks (HINT: you can save ~$250, and avoid pain of reading 1000 pages of ethics and professionalism).
• Discover the #1 reason for failure and learn how to avoid it, before you start studying.

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