In Canada, each province has a Professional Order that regulates the engineering profession. This means the title of “engineer” is protected. Not just anyone can call themselves an “engineer” or include the term in their professional job title. Why have an order or organization to regulate the use of certain words? To protect the public. A typical example: would you want someone without a high school diploma to be in charge of building a bridge you use every day? It’s about ensuring a minimum level of training for carrying out specific tasks, like building bridges. These reserved tasks are called “reserved acts.”

To become an engineer and present yourself as such in Quebec, one must be registered on the Ordre des Ingénieurs du Québec (OIQ) roll or “bottin” in French. There are several steps required to obtain this title, which I will detail later in this article.

The process is long and quite expensive (costing thousands of dollars). Since the Engineers Act in Quebec was initially drafted in 1964, it’s safe to say it doesn’t reflect the reality of software developers today. In short, the Engineers Act outlines the reserved acts of engineers—clearly stating the tasks that can only be performed by accredited engineers. In the field of computing, as of 2024, there aren’t any official reserved acts related to the discipline. Knowing that no tasks are specifically reserved for software engineers, why join the OIQ?

When I started at ÉTS in 2015, I remember reading a blog post by a computer science graduate defending their choice not to join the order. In this article, I’ll take the opposite stance. I’ll explain why I decided to register with the OIQ, even though I work in the technology field.

Why become a member of OIQ if you work in technology?

1- Being able to call yourself an Engineer legally

After spending so much time studying, why not go all the way when you’re so close to the finish line?! For me, becoming a “real” engineer is a great source of pride! I updated my LinkedIn profile to add “eng.” after my name… it sounds good! 😉

2- Help reach the 30 in 30 objective

Engineers Canada launched the “30 by 30” initiative, aiming to have 30% of women in engineering by 2030. As you might guess, I want to participate and contribute to increasing the number of women in engineering! As of December 2022, the national average was 19.2%, and 19% in Quebec!

3- Get involved in the Order

Getting involved with the Order is very rewarding! I contributed to creating the guide for employers and women in engineering. However, there are many other ways to get involved and promote engineering. For example, you can become an ambassador! If, like me, you want the field to be more diverse and encourage more women to become engineers, then the ambassador program is exactly the kind of initiative I want to keep participating in now that I’m in the workforce.

4- Membership is often reimbursed by your employer, so why not?

In my opinion, it’s probably better to wait until you have an employer who reimburses the costs to join the Order, especially if you’re in tech because it does represent a considerable investment of money. However, considering that in recent years there has been a 1-credit course on the Order that must be completed to obtain your bachelor’s degree, I would probably take the Order’s theoretical exam during my undergraduate studies and handle everything else once I’m in the workforce.

5- Facilitates international mobility

Holding a license issued by an organization like the Ordre des Ingénieurs du Québec facilitates international mobility, demonstrating that you possess the necessary skills to be an engineer. For example, in the case of a TN or NAFTA visa, it allows you to apply under the “engineer” category – making it much easier to move to the United States as a Canadian.

6- Reserved Acts for Computer Science

To fully understand this passage, I need to explain the Engineers Act to you. This law governs the practice of engineering in Quebec. Its purpose is to protect the public. To do so, it defines what practicing engineering means and which tasks or reserved acts must be performed exclusively by engineers.

Not just anyone can build bridges, highways, hospitals, etc. Just as the plans for a house must be approved by a licensed architect, certain engineering works must be approved by an engineer.

Let’s return to the field of computing. Some may argue that there are no reserved acts in computing, but I refer to the Engineers Act, which was updated on September 24, 2020, with Bill 29:

The following professional activities in the practice of engineering are reserved to engineers when they relate to works referred to in section 3:

[…]

(2) performing tests or calculations that require using models derived from engineering principles;

Excerpt from the Engineers Act

With this passage, one might think that this excerpt could also apply to software that performs engineering calculations used by other engineers. When I complete my annual registration with the OIQ, I am also asked whether I engage in “programming […] automation systems, robotic solutions […] for industrial processes.” This doesn’t seem to be a reserved act, but perhaps it applies?

The initial version of Bill 29 also included reserved acts for computer engineers, but these did not make it into the final version passed by the National Assembly. Here is an example from page 6 of the document presenting the first version of the amendments to the Engineers Act:

1° Certify the validity of results generated by computer systems or design-assistance software whose fundamental algorithms rely on concepts or models derived from engineering principles, during the design of such a system or software;

Excerpt from a tentative update to the Engineers Act

If these provisions did not pass in 2020, it doesn’t mean that a similar version won’t be implemented in the future. One could think, for example, of artificial intelligence and the healthcare sector, which together have direct consequences for the public. Implementing such measures would surely be complex, given all the professionals already working in this field without reserved acts, but you never know what might change.

How to become a member of the Order of Engineers of Quebec (OIQ) ?

Note that your path may vary depending on where you obtained your degree, etc., but the list below outlines the typical path for someone with a degree from Quebec:

1. Possess a degree accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) (exceptions are allowed and explained below).
2. Application for admission
3. The order analyzes your application (delays of 8 to 12 weeks)
4. Then, you will be granted access to become a Candidate for the Engineering Profession (CPI). To obtain the title and be able to practice engineering, you must complete these three evaluations:
   • Theoretical section: a theoretical exam with multiple-choice questions.
   • Practical section: Once you have accumulated 24 months of experience, you can complete the form, which includes many questions, justifications, and examples of work in the industry where you developed skills in engineering such as knowing code and norms, social and environmental sustainability, or reading and writing. (The validation of the form may take 3-4 months or longer depending on your situation.)
   • Linguistic section: mastery of French. It was automatically validated in my case, likely due to my success in the French exam at CEGEP.
5. Obtaining the engineering license once you have completed the practical and theoretical sections.

My experience filling the practical section

It took me over a year to finish filling out the practical form… So, if you’re a CPI, try to start filling it out after a year of experience if possible! There are 6 major competencies to acquire to become an engineer, and these 6 categories are divided into 28 competency elements. For each of these 28 elements, you need to provide: a context for the competency, actions you took to demonstrate that you developed the competency, and then the results of your actions.

Personally, I didn’t want to “miss the mark,” so I filled out each field thoroughly to ensure I could validate the practical portion on the first try. I wrote numbered bullet points, so from one field to the next, I would refer to situation #1 for the context, actions, and results…

Here’s what the interface looks like:

For each competency element you self-assess, you must fill out the fields as mentioned. Here’s what this interface looks like:

• Context: You describe the situation or project where you applied the specific competency.
• Actions Taken: You explain the actions you took to demonstrate the development of the competency.
• Results: You provide the outcome or results of your actions to confirm the competency has been acquired.

My experience with the theoritical section

It was less stressful than the practical part, but still not any less difficult! There are four study blocks to review:

1. Professional system and professional development
2. Ethics, deontology, and professionalism
3. Laws and applicable regulations
4. Standards of professional practice

These total over 26 hours of videos to watch, quizzes to take online, etc. Personally, I paid close attention to each video. The content was often more focused on traditional engineering fields like civil engineering, and I knew the theoretical exam would concentrate on that area. Being in computer engineering, I was starting from scratch.

The exam is multiple-choice, so that gives us a chance… but be careful to read the questions thoroughly!

So, if a student graduates from a “software engineering” program, can they introduce themselves as an engineer?

Non! We can’t use the B. Eng. acronym after our name if it could lead to confusion – If you do it, you might be fined up to 2500$. More information here.

How to become an engineer in another province or territory in Canada?

Each province and territory has its own regulatory body for the profession, and each has its own rules. Some are much more stringent than in Quebec…

For example, in Ontario and Manitoba, 48 months of experience are required before you can become an engineer! In Quebec, only 24 months are needed…

Can people who have obtained degrees abroad become engineers in Quebec?

Yes! You can find more information on the steps to practice engineering in Quebec with an international degree on the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec (OIQ) website. In general, you need to have your degree validated, and depending on the OIQ’s decision, you may be required to complete additional training activities.

Those with a degree in applied sciences can also apply for equivalency, but they may need to submit more documents. In some cases, exams may be required in specific disciplines to prove that you have the necessary knowledge (for example, theoretical exams; in computer science, this could be an exam on data structures and algorithms).

Here’s a general timeline and cost breakdown for becoming an engineer in Quebec:

When I registered, I couldn’t find much information online about the total amount to pay to become a member of the Order. I couldn’t find information about the total for each step, other than the mention that a payment was expected. So, here are the dates and the costs I paid at that time.

1. November 2021 : Admitted in the program to Access the Profession – 164,99$
2. January 2022 : Registration fee for the access to the profession program – 517.39$
3. April 2022 : Annual renewal for the access to the profession program – 132.22$
4. April 2022 to March 2023 : Filling out the form to prove that I have acquired the competencies to become an engineer
5. March 2023 : Purchase of mandatory study blocks for the theoretical exam – 320$
6. March 2023 : Annual renewal for the access to the profession program – 540.38$
7. March et April 2023 : Intensive study to be prepared for the exam
8. April 2023 : Fee for the theoretical exam – 270$
9. June 2023 : Fee for the evaluation of my practical competencies – 630$
10. July 2023 : Registration and annual fees as an engineer on the Order’s roster – 48.45$

Total cost : 2623.43$

At the time of writing this, the cost for subsequent years to be a member of the Ordre des Ingénieurs du Québec is $639.68.

Did you know that even if you hold the title of engineer in the country where you live, if you are traveling in Quebec or Canada, you cannot present yourself as an engineer?

Conclusion

Another clarification about engineering in Quebec: all engineering graduates in Canada receive the engineer’s ring. Being registered with the Order (and therefore officially an engineer) is not required to wear the ring. Thus, those who wear the ring are not necessarily “engineers”!