ASTTBC welcomes applied science and engineering technology professionals who have obtained their education and/or trained outside of Canada and works fairly to efficiently evaluate all applications to determine if they meet the standards for entry to practice in British Columbia.  

A new application handbook for international applicants exists to assist applicants’ in familiarizing themselves with ASTTBC’s registration requirements, please click here to view and download. Educational, experiential, and competency requirements, as well as ASTTBC policies and procedures, in place at the time a complete application is submitted, will apply.

New Application Handbook for Internationally Trained Applicants

Registration Requirements for Applied Science Technologists and Certified Technicians

Academic Requirements

Applicants who have obtained their education outside of Canada (excluding applicants who have completed an accredited education program from a country listed in the Sydney or Dublin Accords as these are already recognized as substantially equivalent to an accredited education program in Canada) must demonstrate equivalent competence required for the applicant’s requested class, sub-class, discipline, or endorsement as set out in Schedule A of the bylaws.

Applied Science Technologist applicants must demonstrate evidence of competence approved by the credentials committee as being equivalent to a two-year post-secondary diploma or successful completion of one or more certification examinations listed in Schedule B as assigned by the credentials committee.

Certified Technician applicants must demonstrate evidence of competence approved by the credentials committee as being equivalent to a one-year post-secondary certificate program.

Experiential Requirements

Technologist and technician applicants who have obtained their relevant work experience outside of Canada must have completed 24 months (3,600 hours) of progressive, relevant work experience of which a minimum of 12 months (1,800 hours) must be at the appropriate profile of practice at Appendix A to Schedule A in the bylaws.

If the applicant has not completed the required work experience, they may be eligible for the trainee category of registration while they work to obtain the required work experience. Applicants are required to complete the Trainee Application and Supervision Agreement, pay the application fee online, and submit the application along with other required information as indicated in the application form including the Good Character Form to registrations@asttbc.org.

Competency Requirements

In addition to the education and experience requirements outlined above, an applicant must demonstrate they meet the general and discipline-specific competencies for their requested class and discipline as outlined in Schedule A of the ASTTBC bylaws. These include meeting all required mandatory general competencies and at least 5 discipline-specific competencies as set out in Schedule A of the bylaws. All applicants for Applied Science Technologist or Certified Technician are required to select a discipline.

If you are unsure what level of certification you may be eligible for, we recommend completing the following self-assessment by visiting https://www.engineeringtechnologycanada.ca/en. This tool developed by Technology Professionals Canada (TPC) will assist you in determining if you are eligible for certification as a Technician, Technologist, or Registered Technical Specialists.

ASTTBC has created flowcharts to illustrate the possible streams of entry: Applied Science Technologists and Certified Technicians. 

How does ASTTBC assess if an applicant meets the requirements for registration?

Please click here for a chart that outlines how ASTTBC assesses an application for registration based on the possible streams of entry available for registration with ASTTBC.

How to Apply for Registration as an Internationally Trained Professional

Information on the ASTTBC Application process can be found below. Please click here for a general overview of ASTTBC’s application process. The fees associated with the application and registration process are outlined in Schedule C of the ASTTBC bylaws. Please note there may be additional costs associated with applying to ASTTBC as an internationally trained professional (i.e., cost of a third-party credential assessment, translation services, or English language proficiency testing).

  • Step 1: Gather documentation to support your application

    It is recommended that applicants start the process of gathering the required documents before starting the application process and paying any fees. This will assist in making sure your application can be processed as efficiently as possible.

    Internationally trained professionals must provide the following documentation as part of their application process in English or have it translated into English:

    • Government issued photo ID with legal name that matches official documents required for the application
    • Education documents (original or official copies of transcripts, certificates, diplomas or degrees)
    • Credential Assessment (ASTTBC accepts a comprehensive assessment which provides a course-by-course evaluation from a recognized credentialing agency such as WES or ICES)
      • The credential assessment must be sent directly to ASTTBC by the third-party credentialing agency. In circumstances where the third-party does not provide paper records, ASTTBC will accept documentation in an electronic format directly from the third-party via email.
      • A copy of your official transcripts is attached to the credential assessment report provided to ASTTBC by the third-party credentialing agency and will be used by ASTTBC to evaluate that the courses you have completed meet ASTTBC’s educational requirements for the class of registration. You are not required to provide ASTTBC with an official transcript. However, if you provided copies of transcripts instead of official transcripts to the third-party credentials assessor, you are required to arrange for official transcripts to be sent directly to ASTTBC
      • If you are unable to obtain official transcripts from your academic institution, please contact ASTTBC directly for further instruction
      • Please note that if any of your official documents are written in a language other than English, they must be translated by a certified translator into English. You are responsible for any costs involved in the translation process.
        • All translated documents must include: (1) The translator’s official stamp and/or identification number, address, phone number, and date of translation
        • A statement by the translator that it is a true representation of the original document(s)
        • The printed name and original signature of the translator
      • Proof of English language proficiency (please see English Language Proficiency policy for further information)
      • If not a Canadian citizen, copy of permanent resident card or work permit
      • Complete the Good Character Declaration form
      • Prepare a resume that includes employment history
      • your most recent, relevant job description signed by your supervisor. If you have change your job within 6 months, your previous job description is also required.
      • Minimum of 3 references that can validate you meet the requirements for registration including experiential and competency requirements, and you are a person of good character and repute and are fit to practice consistent with the responsibilities and standards expected of a registrant. Confirm with your references that they are willing and able to provide a reference in English.
      • Written description on completed education and work experience that demonstrates substantial equivalence to the competencies required for the class, sub-class, discipline and/or endorsement for which they applied
  • Step 2: Proceed to asttbcapply.ca and create an account

    Applications are submitted through ASTTBC’s online application platform. You are required to create an account in order to submit your application to ASTTBC.

  • Step 3: Complete the application form and competency self-assessment

    The application form is available through the online application system and is only accessible once an individual has made an online account. It is important to ensure that you have provided written descriptions of how education and work experience meet each competency claimed as applications without this supporting documentation will not be processed.

    As part of your application, you are required to complete a self-assessment which includes selecting a discipline for your class or sub-class. You must select your discipline-specific competencies (minimum of 5) and identify the indicators of performance. Once you have completed this, you are required to rank them according to your knowledge, skills, and abilities.

    You are then required to select all general competencies for your class of registration. These are mandatory and therefore an applicant must identify they have met all the general competencies.

    Please note the application system will not allow you to submit your application if you have not selected the required competencies for registration.

  • Step 4: Upload all required documentation under the Attachments section

    All required documentation should be uploaded for submission. After submitting your application, ASTTBC will contact you should there be any documentation missing. Please note that missing documentation may cause delays in processing your application for registration.

  • Step 5: Review and Submit application and payment

    All sections of the application form must be completed before an application is processed. Once submitted, if there are any incomplete sections, ASTTBC registration staff will contact the applicant and direct them to complete all required sections of the application form.

  • Step 6: Arrange for all third-party documentation be sent directly to ASTTBC

    The onus is on the applicant to arrange for all third-party documentation be sent directly to ASTTBC (i.e. WES or ICES comprehensive assessment report)

Once your application is submitted: NEXT STEPS IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS…

  • Document Collection

    All applicants will receive an initial email to acknowledge their application, any clarification required, and any outstanding items.  During this phase, ASTTBC requests and/or files documentation received from third parties (e.g., referees, credential assessment, letters of good standing, verification of certification etc.) and reminds applicants of any outstanding information required in order to review their file. The onus is on applicants to ensure that all required documentation is sent to ASTTBC.

  • File review

    An applicant is notified their application is ready for file review once all the required documentation has been collected. The application will be reviewed by two qualified individuals (file reviewers) for evaluation and recommendation. These file reviewers will review and provide an assessment report to the credentials committee that recommends whether an applicant’s education and experience meet the requirements for registration.

  • Review by Credentials Committee

    After file review, the Credentials Committee review the application and assessment report provided by the file reviewers and may require clarification, request further information, assign a certification exam or determine the applicant has met the basic requirements for registrant and is permitted to proceed to writing the Professional Practice & Ethics Exam. The Credentials Committee may also reject the application if the applicant has not demonstrated they meet the requirements for registration.

  • Complete required examinations

    Applicants are required to successfully complete the Professional Practice and Ethics examination and/or other required certification examinations (see exams page for further information on exams).

  • Approval of Application and Placement on the Register

    Once all required examinations have been successfully completed and applicants have received written notice that they have passed, ASTTBC will send an invoice for the required registration fees. Upon receipt of the payment, ASTTBC will issue a registration number and certificate and the applicant will be added to the Register.

Resource List

To assist our internationally trained professionals, we have created a list of resources available to help with employment and skills development.

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