FAQ

Who are NAPEG’s Registrants?

NAPEG’s registrants work in the private sector, self-employed or as employers, as consultants, in the mining and exploration industry, in the construction and transportation industry, in land development, power generation and telecommunications. They work in government, planning, setting standards, managing and monitoring projects relative to community infrastructure, airports, housing, transportation, mining and explorations.

What is included in the Registration Essay?

Each individual member or licensee applicant must write an essay (300-500 words) to demonstrate their understanding of how their professional practice will differ in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut from practice in other jurisdictions.

The essay may include specific examples related to the differences in the acts, codes, and laws in the other jurisdictions, and/or specific examples related to the difference in the environmental, social and geological setting of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. The essay may reference such topics as weather extremes, operating seasons, remote access, permafrost, climate change, land claims, community consultations, and wildlife and/or soil/vegetation impact sensitivity.

The essay should stress the potential effects these differences have on your professional practice, not what differences do exist.

When can I write the National Professional Practice Examination (NPPE)?

All professional membership applicants must pass the NPPE before they can be licensed to practise in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Registration for the exam is only available after you’ve submitted your application for professional status.

The exam has 110 multiple-choice questions based on 6 subject areas. You have 2.5 hours to complete it. Although the NPPE contains specialized vocabulary and terms, the exam is not used as a test of English language proficiency and is regularly verified (using standard readability measures) to function at a readability level of approximately grade 10. The exam is offered five times per year. Each session for that month offers the exam six times: one morning and one afternoon slot over three days.

Candidates are strongly encouraged to download and read the NPPE Candidate Guide before registering for the exam. It contains more detailed information than is presented here and is optimized for printing.

How long does it take to get approved for registration?

If you are a New Applicant, approval of registration takes a minimum of six months. The speed of the approval process is dependent on the required documents reaching the Board of Examiners in a timely manner. You can help by ensuring that you have followed the checklist and that contact information for references is up to date and business email is used. You can also follow up with your references to ask if they have received questionnaires and submitted them.

If you are a Mobility Applicant and have met all the requirements and have submitted all the required documents in a timely manner, the registration will take no longer than 30 days and often within a few days.

Does my firm need a Permit to Practice?

If you are working in the name of a Firm, practicing engineering or geoscience, in the Northwest Territories or Nunavut, then your Firm must apply for a Permit to Practice and assign at least one individual who is registered with NAPEG to assume responsibility for the professional practice of the Firm.

A sole practitioner is not required to hold a Permit to Practice so long as they are not incorporated.

Is continuing professional development mandatory?

Reporting of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) became mandatory by a vote of the membership in May 2016.  The new bylaw, part of the Code of Ethics, states “professional engineers and professional geoscientists shall advise the Executive Director of their Professional Development Activities with their annual membership renewal”.  The process is set out to make the transition as streamlined as possible for both staff and registrants.

At renewal time, you will be asked to complete a form outlining how you met the required 80 professional development hours (pdh) each year or you can declare that you provide a report to another Canadian jurisdiction and name the jurisdiction where you report.

You can report 50 pdh for your practice within employment. The other 30 pdh can be earned in a variety of different ways from a minimum of any three of six categories.

For more details, review the Professional Development Program.

NAPEG’s CPD Programs Applies To:

• Professional Members
• Professional Licensees
• Members-In-Training

CPD Program Does Not Apply To:

• Professional Members with Council approved Non-Practicing status
• Professional Licensees with Council approved Non-Practicing status

When should an MIT apply to become a professional?

Once you feel you have completed four years of experience, you should apply to become a professional. Up to one year of experience that was gained previous to receiving your undergraduate degree, may count towards your experience. The NAPEG bylaws require that you cannot be an MIT for longer than six years after graduation.

How can I volunteer for a NAPEG committee or be on Council?

We are always appreciative of the assistance of our volunteers. By reviewing annual reports, you will learn what committees are available and what committees do.  Contact the Executive Director who will advise the Chair of the committee you are interested in and you will be contacted to attend the next committee meeting.

If you are interested in being on Council, please contact the Executive Director and/or the Chair of the nominating committee. You will need to submit a profile for inclusion in the information provided to membership. At election time you will be required to sign a consent form to put your name on the ballot. If your name is not put forward by the nominating committee, there is a process to be nominated by a group of your peers.

What Member Benefits are available to me?

Secondary Professional Liability Insurance – Secondary Professional Liability Insurance (SPLI) is a unique program that protects members in good standing at participating regulators. It ensures that you, the public, and the reputation of the engineering profession stay protected in numerous cases involving professional services:

Insurance, Financial and Other Benefits – If you are a member of the engineering or geoscientist community, you and your family can take advantage of insurance plans, financial and other services. Engineers Canada’s sponsored initiatives and partnerships—also known as Affinity Programs—provide you with attractive pricing options for a wide variety of services.