IPWEA NSW and ACT are an assessment entity for the ACT professional engineers registration scheme. IPWEA NSW & ACT will accept and assess applications from anyone seeking registration or registration renewal in the civil area of engineering.

Details of our assessment scheme, which set out the required qualifications and experience for registration, can be found below:

Fees

Professional Engineers Act 2023

Anyone providing a professional engineering service in or for the Australian Capital Territory is regulated by the Professionals Engineers Act 2023. Applications for Civil engineering service providers opened on 6 March 2024 and all providers of such services must be registered by 6 March 2025.

IPWEA NSW & ACT will accept and assess applications from anyone seeking registration or registration renewal in the civil area of engineering, however is unable to provide endorsement to practise as a professional engineer in the building industry. Application requirements are set out in our Assessment Scheme and applications will be accepted from IPWEA members and non-members.

Our Assessment Scheme does not require participation in a certification scheme (e.g. CPEng; RPEng). Participants in a certification scheme operated by an assessment entity that purports to have entry requirements equal to or higher than the prescribed qualification, experience, competency or CPD requirements should approach the assessment entity operating that scheme.

The full Act can be viewed here: Professional Engineers Act 2023 (the Act)

The Registration Process

Under the ACT government’s co-regulatory model, registration and renewal under the Professional Engineers Act 2023 is a 2-step process:

1. Assessment entity application:

a. Initially applicants must apply to an approved assessment entity who will determine that the applicant meets the necessary qualifications, experience and competencies to be registered as a professional engineer in the areas(s) of engineering for which an application for registration has been made.

b. Assessment entities will provide an assessment report to the Registrar about an applicant's qualifications, experience and competencies that relate to each area of engineering for which the applicant has applied for registration. The assessment report will be provided to the applicant for submission with their application for registration. An application for registration cannot be submitted without the assessment report.

2. ACT Professional Engineers Registrar:

a. The Registrar will consider the assessment report and decide whether or not to approve an individual’s application.

Qualifications

An applicant applying for registration must have successfully completed either:

(a) An under-graduate Bachelor of Engineering degree or post-graduate Master of Engineering degree in civil engineering or a related area of engineering accredited by a signatory to the Washington Accord 1989, as amended from time to time.

(b) An Australian or overseas non-Washington Accord academic qualification in civil engineering or a related area of engineering that has been assessed as substantially equivalent to an accredited Washington Accord under-graduate Bachelor of Engineering degree or a post-graduate Master of Engineering degree by:

I. the signatory to the Washington Accord 1989, as amended from time to time, for the country where the qualification was obtained, or

II. where the applicant is applying for a visa under the Australian Government Skilled Migration Program, an approved assessing authority listed under the following as amended from time to time –

• Migration (LIN 19/051: Specification of Occupations and Assessing Authorities) Instrument 2019, or

• Migration (LIN 19/260: Assessing Authorities for Subclass 494 Visas) Instrument 2019, or

• Migration (LIN 19/049: Specification of Occupations and Assessing Authorities— Subclass 186 Visa) Instrument 2019

An applicant seeking a qualification equivalency assessment of a non-Washington Accord qualification will be advised to approach a Washington Accord signatory or assessing authority, as appropriate, for that assessment and to provide certification of same.

Experience

An applicant applying for registration must have either:

(a) Five years of full-time experience working in civil engineering or a related area of engineering with at least four years being post-graduate gained within the last 10 years.

(b) The equivalent of 10 years full-time work in the previous 15 years.

Alternative Methods for Satisfying the Above Qualifications & Experience

As an alternative to the experience requirements specified above, IPWEA NSW & ACT will accept a shorter period of experience provided the applicant:

•         meets the competency requirements listed above, and

•         is assessed as competent to provide professional engineering services without direct supervision.

A minimum of three years post-graduate experience within the last 10 years will be accepted by IPWEA NSW & ACT if the applicant demonstrates competence as a result of accelerated learning (e.g. graduate program participation, mentoring by a registered professional engineer or endorsement by two referees) to the satisfaction of the assessor.

IPWEA NSW & ACT will use the following methods to assess an applicant’s experience:

•         evidence reports from work experience

•         interviews

If an individual does not meet the qualifications requirements set out above, IPWEA NSW & ACT will refer the applicant to Engineers Australia for assessment. In this circumstance IPWEA NSW & ACT will no longer be involved in the assessment.

Full details of qualifications and experience requirements can be found in our assessment scheme here.