International Applicants

In Canada, internationally-educated graduates in engineering and applied science have the option to obtain provincial certification as a technician or technologist. In Alberta, ASET offers the following designations for engineering, information, and applied science practitioners: Certified Technician (C.Tech.), Certified Engineering Technologist (C.E.T.), and Professional Technologist (P.Tech.). 

Internationally-educated graduates follow the same application process as all other applicants. To be certified by ASET, all applicants must meet a minimum standard of education, experience, and professionalism. ASET recognizes work experience obtained outside of Canada.

Can I apply for certification from outside of Canada?

Internationally-educated graduates may apply for certification as a C.Tech. or C.E.T. while outside of Canada if immigration is imminent (copy of a visa approval letter or valid work permit). If your visa has not yet been approved, you may begin preparing your certification documentation and apply to ASET once you receive approval notification from Immigration and Citizenship Canada. 

While the exams required for certification can be written outside of Canada with a virtual proctor, exams are offered in MST (Mountain Standard Time) only and will be impacted by time zone differences. It is recommended that you select an exam date that allows you sufficient time to study for the exams. 

What documents will I need?

It is highly recommended that you obtain official copies of your academic credentials, obtain supervisory signatures, and collect contact information for your work references before leaving for Canada as this information can be more difficult to obtain once you are abroad.  

1. You will supply your academic credentials to one of the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Service organizations (IQAS, WES¹, ICES, ICAS, CES, MIDI) for a basic document-by-document assessment. An official copy of this assessment must then be mailed to ASET. 
2. You will prepare a resume, job description, and competency summary to demonstrate your professional experience. ASET provides templates to help you complete these documents. The job description and competency summary should be signed by your supervisor. 
3. You will need contact information for at least three professional references. One of these references should be your supervisor.
4. You must be able to demonstrate English language proficiency sufficient to practice competently and safely in Alberta by providing your IELTS or CELPIP-G test results from the immigration process (see the English Language Proficiency section below for more information). 

Note: Documents in a language other than English must be officially translated into English. Applicants must submit the original document that was translated and the official translated document.

¹World Education Services (WES) Credential Assessment: ASET will accept the electronic submission of a completed assessment through WES’s secure online delivery system, thus reducing the need to mail it. See here for more information if you have already completed a WES assessment (not in progress). Please do not email the assessment to ASET personally; rather request it to be sent from WES directly in order for ASET to accept it officially.

What exams will be required?

Internationally-educated graduates must write the ASET Professional Practice Exam, which tests applicants on Alberta-specific legislation and professional ethics, and the ASET Certification Exam (if applying for the C.E.T. designation), which tests applicants on their technical competency. 

Can I apply for P.Tech. with my international work experience?

Alberta’s legislation requires applicant’s for P.Tech to have two years of engineering or geoscience work experience under the supervision of a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) or Professional Geoscientst (P.Geo.). Internationally-educated graduates must first be certified as a C.E.T. and obtain at least two years of work experience in Alberta before applying for P.Tech.

I am a refugee with no academic documentation. Can I apply for certification?

Applicants without academic documentation may apply for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition. This is a pre-assessment portfolio process that allows you to demonstrate the academic benchmarks through your work experience and other professional documentation. Once approved, you may then apply for certification.