International Credentials Recognition Act Now in Force
Engineers and Geoscientists BC is one of 18 regulatory bodies included in the scope of the Act.
“Engineers and Geoscientists BC is ready to ensure we meet the requirements of the Act and welcomes the resources the provincial government is providing,” said Heidi Yang, P.Eng., Chief Executive Officer.
“We have already reduced many of the barriers internationally trained engineers and geoscientists face when registering in BC, while still maintaining high standards in the admission process.”
Engineers and Geoscientists BC has been granted funding from the BC government to hire two staff members for a one-year term to help the organization align with the requirements. This includes a policy analyst for registration adjustments and a UX designer to make online information about the licensing process more accessible.
The purpose of the Act is to make it easier, more transparent, and faster for qualified professionals trained in other countries to pursue and achieve credentials recognition while also allowing regulators to maintain entry-to-practice standards in their mandate.
One of the criteria is to remove mandatory, time-based Canadian work experience requirements. With the Professional Governance Act, the Engineers and Geoscientists BC Bylaws have already been amended to remove this requirement in favour of a Canadian environment competencies assessment.
The Act also specifies that regulators eliminate English-language testing requirements that are considered repetitive in nature, charge similar fees for international and domestic applicants, and provide transparency through new data-collection and reporting requirements.
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