Practising engineering in Canada
To be a licensed engineer in Canada, you must be licensed by one of Canada’s provincial or territorial engineering regulators. However, you can still start working in engineering—even if you haven’t been licensed by a regulator—as long as you are supervised by a licensed engineer who takes professional responsibility for your work.
Language requirement
Applicants must meet the language requirements of their jurisdiction. Language competency means that the applicant is able to communicate effectively with the public, colleagues, employers, and others. Communication should be clear and professional, both orally and in writing. Regulators use a variety of methods to assess language competency.
Two Official Languages
Canada’s two official languages are English and French, and both are very important to Canadian society and culture. English is most common across the country. French is the main language in the province of Quebec. If French is the only official language in which you have competence, you can receive your licence in Quebec or New Brunswick; if you have competence in English, you can receive your licence in any province or territory except Quebec.
- Be sure you are competent in the language of practice used in the province or territory where you want to work.
- Applicants must demonstrate an ability to work in either English or French, depending on the province or territory in which they apply for licensure.
Related Information
Find your provincial or territorial regulator
To work as a professional engineer in one of Canada's provinces or territories, you must receive a licence from that province or territory's engineering association.