The theoretical component of the professional admission program consists of a virtual training lasting between 25 and 30 hours, the success of which is assessed by means of an examination.
It is important to remember that all other professional engineering associations in Canada require this type of examination.
Subjects covered by the examination The professional examination is not a technical examination. Its specific purpose is to verify knowledge of the following subjects:
The professional system, the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec, the social role and professional development of engineers
Ethics, deontology and professionalism
Applicable laws and regulations
Standards of professional practice
Examination conditions
Options after a failure As stipulated in section 10 of the Regulation respecting the terms and conditions for the issuance of permits by the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec (see regulation, in French), candidates to the engineering profession (CEPs) who fail the examination may apply to have the corrections reviewed, provided they assume the related costs (as specified in the current fee schedule), by sending their request to examenprofessionnel@oiq.qc.ca. Registering for the professional examination The professional examination is an excellent starting point for CEPs. The OIQ strongly recommends that they register for this examination and pass it as soon as possible. In fact, aspiring engineers will find it easier to enter the profession once they have a solid mastery of the subjects covered in the exam. To register for the professional examination, candidates simply have to fill out and submit the form, at least one month before the date of the desired session. Every year, the OIQ holds several examination sessions across Québec. Check the calendar for upcoming sessions (in French only). Cost To find out more about the cost of the professional examination registration, please refer to the fee schedule. Please note that a fee will be charged to retake the examination. Changing the examination session after registration Requests to attend a later examination session than the one originally registered for must be e-mailed to examenprofessionnel@oiq.qc.ca, at least four weeks before the scheduled session is held; otherwise, the fee will be charged again.
Preparing for the Professional Examination
Study document for the Professional Examination
All subjects covered by the professional examination are discussed in the following document. These subjects were taken from the theoretical training available online (25 to 30 hours).
Be sure to refer to the most up-to-date versions of the study document (dated May 1st, 2020). If necessary, consult the revision history (in French only).
Complete document for the preparation of the exam
Document d’étude Examen professionnel (733 pages – in French only)
You should devote at least 20 hours of study to prepare for the examination and refer to the laws and regulations cited in the study document.
Subjects covered by the professional examination
The professional examination has 3 parts that cover clearly defined subjects:
- Part 1 – Quebec professional law
Objective: Familiarity with Quebec’s legislation respecting the professions, i.e. the Professional Code (chapter C-26), the Engineers Act (chapter I-9) and the regulations applicable to engineers adopted under these 2 laws;
- Part 2 - Practice of the engineering profession
Objective: Familiarity with the principles of professional practice, the concepts of ethics and professional conduct, the role and obligations of engineers in society, the social impact of technology, sustainable development, protection of the environment and the duty to maintain professional competencies;
- Part 3 - The legal environment
Objective: Familiarity with basic legal knowledge of civil liability, contractual law, intellectual property, general commercial law, labour law, construction law, environmental law and occupational health and safety law.