By CIC News |
On May 23 in Toronto, Monte McNaughton, the Ontario Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development announced that Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) is the first professional association in the province to remove the Canadian work experience requirement from their application criteria.
The minister says removing the Canadian work experience requirement will help qualified professionals enter the profession they are trained for.
“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 McNaughton.
According to the most recent work experience requirements under PEO, candidates applying for a license must be able to demonstrate 48 months of verifiable and acceptable engineering experience following graduation. At least 12 months of that experience must be in a Canadian jurisdiction under a licensed professional engineer.
McNaughton says there are 300,000 jobs unfilled across the province, including thousands in engineering, which can cost billions in lost productivity.
The change follows the Working for Workers Act, 2021. Under the Act, regulated professions, such as engineering, must assess competency in a non-discriminatory way. This is meant to ensure newcomers can continue their careers in Ontario.
