Canadian work experience requirement removed for engineers in Ontario

The Ontario Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development, Monte McNaughton, announced that Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) has removed the Canadian work experience requirement from their application criteria. Here’s what you need to know:

1. PEO becomes the first professional association in Ontario to eliminate the Canadian work experience requirement for engineer applicants.

2. The change aims to help qualified professionals enter their respective fields and address the issue of skilled newcomers working in unrelated low-wage jobs.

3. Under the new regulations, internationally trained engineers can now be licensed more quickly, benefiting from Ontario’s 300,000 unfilled jobs, including thousands in the engineering sector.

4. The removal of this requirement aligns with the Working for Workers Act, 2021, which ensures competency assessment in a non-discriminatory way for regulated professions.

Ontario continues to pave the way for newcomers to pursue their careers, bridging labor gaps and maximizing talent potential.