2nd Canada-Australia Foreign Credential Roundtable

Session on Advancing Mutual Recognition: Practice, Potential and Collaboration

Kim Allen, FEC, P.Eng.

March 22, 2013

Advancing global mobility for the Canadian

PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER *

Engineers Canada

• Advancing the engineering profession and its self-regulation by the 12 provincial and territorial associations that regulate the practice of engineering govern the country’s 250,000 licence holders that protect and serve the public interest.

– National and International Affairs

– Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board

– Canadian Engineering Qualifications Board

– Government Relations

www.engineerscanada.ca

@EngineersCanada

Engineering Models

• “Good Engineering” – Voluntary membership credential recognition

• “Good Engineering with public accountability through a licence” – Legislated requirement to be licensed

Recognition Agreements

Recognition of some or all of the requirements for registration or licensure:

• Education Agreements

• Professional Agreements

Risk Management

Key Question

• Can we provide the public reasonable assurance that the individual will practice with competency and integrity?

• How do we assess the individual with the competencies that they have today?

Education Agreements

• The Key Components:

• accreditation is a key foundation for the practice of engineering in each country

• accreditation criteria, policies and procedures are comparable

• accreditation decisions rendered by one party are acceptable to the other

• mutual monitoring and information exchange

Education Agreements:

• Canada, USA (ABET Agreement)

• Canada, France

• Washington Accord - 1989 • 17 members (Australia, Canada, Ireland, New

Zealand, United Kingdom, USA, Hong Kong, South Africa, Japan, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Malaysia, Korea, Turkey, Russia)

• 5 provisional members (Bangladesh, Germany, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka)

Professional Agreements

• The Key Components:

• Based on recognition of accreditation systems generally through the Washington Accord

• High professional standards of engineering exist and are required for registration

• The engineering profession is well-regarded either through statute or convention

• Quality assurance framework:

• Public complaints and disciplinary processes

• Continuing Professional Development

• Practice inspections

Agreements

• Professional Agreements:

• Canada, Texas, Mexico (NAFTA)

• Canada, Texas

• Canada, Hong Kong

• Canada, Australia

• Canada, Ireland

Canadian Framework for Licensure • Vision for regulation of the engineering profession in

Canada

• Developed one element at a time

• Developed collaboratively by all regulators

• Elements provide high-level Key Considerations, policy direction and details for implementation

• Individual regulators adopt elements as desired / required

• Councils, Boards, provincial/territorial governments

Research

Development

Consultation

Analysis Concurrence

Endorsement

Implementation

Negotiating International Recognition Agreements Canadian Framework for Licensure element created to:

• Establish a uniform approach to developing international recognition agreements

• Increase the mobility of internationally registered engineers and Canadian professional engineers

• Facilitate foreign credential recognition.

Negotiating International Recognition Agreements Key Considerations:

• Upholding and protecting the public interest in Canada in the

practice of professional engineering.

• A broad consensus of the engineering regulators to enter into

negotiations of any new international recognition agreement,

under an agreed protocol.

• International recognition agreements may recognize some or all

of the Canadian licensure competencies and requirements.

• International recognition agreements serve to facilitate foreign

qualification recognition in Canada and the mobility of Canadian

professional engineers abroad.

• International recognition agreements include provisions for

reporting numbers of applicants between jurisdictions.

Negotiating International Recognition Agreements Process:

• Receive request for MRA

• Research

• Constituent associations consulted

• Engineers Canada respond to the country or group with a

timeline and level of interest.

Negotiating International Recognition Agreements Research:

• How many applicants from the country or group?

• How many immigrants arrive in Canada from the country or

group?

• How many Canadians work or move to the country?

• What is the Federal Government position on the country?

• Does the country or group have a credible/recognized system?

• What other agreements they have in place?

• Do they have the ability to pay for services?

• Are there special circumstances that would warrant considering

the request?

• Any other information that may help to better understand the

request?

Negotiating International Recognition Agreements

• Develop information package

• Broad consensus support by the constituent

associations.

• What is required to negotiate a MRA:

• What skills are needed to respond?

• How many volunteers are needed?

• Generally what resources are needed to respond

to the request?

• Board considers recommendations of proceeding or

not

Negotiating International Recognition Agreements MRA Development Team :

• Constituent Association Board of Examiners member

• Constituent Association Admissions official

• International Committee member

• Engineers Canada staff

Negotiating International Recognition Agreements MRA Development Team then:

• Gathers information from the other party in the agreement.

• Consultations with constituent associations regarding outstanding concerns.

• Review and assessment of actual experience reviews.

• Resolve issues and draft Agreement

• Board approval.

Why a Mutual Recognition Agreement?

Public’s Benefits

• framework for free trade in professional services

while protecting and serving the public interest in

each jurisdiction

• free movement of professionals is to be achieved

efficiently and effectively.

• expedite the application and adoption of new ideas

and technologies.

Why a Mutual Recognition Agreement?

Regulator’s Benefits

• efficiency in the admissions process

• ensure licensing requirements are best practice

• standards keep up with global developments in

engineering practice.

Self-Regulation

• Advances the public interest in an effective manner

for its members

Why a Mutual Recognition Agreement?

Engineers’ Benefits

• exposure to a variety of work environments and

projects which enables engineers to broaden their

professional skills.

• new perspectives and expertise that foreign

engineers can bring to a project.

For more information:

Email: kim.allen@engineerscanada.ca

www.engineerscanada.ca

Twitter: @KimAllenPEng

Advancing global mobility for the Canadian

PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER *

*The term PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER is an official mark held by the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers.