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P.Eng licensure in Quebec

How to Get Your P.Eng in Quebec (OIQ)

In Quebec you must become a member of the Ordre des ingenieurs du Quebec (OIQ) to use the title engineer and practise. Graduates apply for admission, become a Candidate to the Engineering Profession, and complete the Professional Admission Program, which has three parts: a supervised experience component, a theoretical component ending in the professional exam, and a French-language component. The permit is granted by the OIQ Admission Committee once all three are complete.

Quick facts

Regulator
Ordre des ingenieurs du Quebec
Licensing exam
Professional Practice Examination (Quebec)
Experience required
24 months
Official site
www.oiq.qc.ca

The licensing exam

Quebec uses its own Professional Practice Examination (examen professionnel), NOT the national NPPE. It is about 100 multiple-choice questions over three hours, closed-book, covering the engineer's role, ethics, Quebec law and regulation, standards of practice, and the OIQ. The pass mark is 60 percent and it is written in French.

Experience requirement

At least 24 months of engineering experience supervised by an engineer you choose and declare to the OIQ in advance (the supervisor must have held an engineering permit for at least three years). During this time you develop six target competencies, broken into 28 competency elements, and are assessed on them.

Fees (OIQ)

Admission application (Quebec engineering graduate)Taxes extra. Higher for out-of-province or international credentials (for example $660 for a Canadian non-Quebec accredited degree).$180.00
Admission program registration$260 if enrolling within 6 months of graduation, $520 if later. Taxes extra; annual renewal is $520.$260.00
Professional Practice Examination feePer sitting. Taxes extra. The four preparatory training blocks are an additional $345 total.$285.00
Annual dues (engineer member)Total for a full member effective April 1, 2026, taxes included (includes mandatory professional liability insurance and the OPQ contribution).$665.45

Amounts in CAD, as of June 2026. Fee schedules change, so confirm the current fees with OIQ.

How long it takes

Candidates have a minimum of 24 months and a maximum of 5 years to complete the three components of the Professional Admission Program, so a typical Quebec graduate reaches the engineer's permit in about two to three years. The components can be completed in any order.

Continuing professional development

OIQ members must complete at least 30 hours of mandatory continuing education over each two-year reference period (the current period runs April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2027). Up to 7 excess hours can be carried over.

References and validators

Rather than character referees, you must identify a supervisor before each experience phase. The supervisor must be an engineer who has held a permit for at least three years; the OIQ verifies the supervisor's eligibility and the relevance of the experience, and the supervisor assesses your development of the required competencies.

Step by step: EIT to P.Eng in Quebec

  1. 1Earn a recognized or accredited Quebec engineering degree (or have the OIQ assess an out-of-province or international degree).
  2. 2Submit an admission application to the OIQ and enrol as a Candidate to the Engineering Profession.
  3. 3Identify and declare an eligible supervisor (an engineer with at least three years holding a permit) before starting supervised experience.
  4. 4Complete at least 24 months of supervised experience, developing the six target competencies.
  5. 5Complete the 25 to 30 hours of theoretical training and pass the Professional Practice Examination at 60 percent or higher.
  6. 6Demonstrate sufficient knowledge of French, then the OIQ Admission Committee reviews the file and grants the engineer's permit.

Quebec P.Eng FAQ

Does Quebec use the national NPPE exam?

No. Quebec has its own Professional Practice Examination (examen professionnel) run by the OIQ, not the national NPPE. It is about 100 multiple-choice questions over three hours, covers ethics, Quebec law and regulation, and you need 60 percent to pass. It is written in French.

Do I need to speak French to become an engineer in Quebec?

Yes. Under the Charter of the French Language, the OIQ requires appropriate knowledge of spoken and written French before issuing a permit. If you graduated from a French-language Quebec university this is satisfied automatically; otherwise you demonstrate French proficiency through the OQLF criteria.

How much experience do I need and who supervises it?

At least 24 months of engineering experience supervised by an engineer you choose and declare to the OIQ in advance. That supervisor must have held an engineering permit for at least three years and helps you develop the six target competencies.

What does it cost in Quebec?

For a Quebec graduate, admission is about $180, plus the admission-program registration ($260 within 6 months of graduating, otherwise $520), the professional exam at $285, and preparatory training at $345 total (taxes extra on these). Annual dues for a full member are $665.45 (taxes included, effective April 1, 2026).

Official sources

Track your Quebec P.Eng journey in one place

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P.Eng licensure in other provinces

See also the national how to get your P.Eng guide, the 34 P.Eng competencies, and free NPPE practice questions.

squared.engineering is an independent tool and is not affiliated with Engineers Canada, Ordre des ingenieurs du Quebec, or any other regulator. Fees, requirements, and timelines change; always confirm the current requirements directly with OIQ before relying on them.