Establishing a Scope of Practice

A limited scope of practice must fall within the definition of professional engineering or professional geoscience as defined by the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act.

When a licence to practice is issued, a Limited Licencee will be granted a defined Scope of Practice, as defined by the applicant and amended (if applicable) by the APEGNB Experience Review Committee. The approved scope is unique to the applicant and will enable the applicant to practice unsupervised in a very specific area of their identified discipline of engineering or geoscience.

If an applicant is transferring from another Canadian jurisdiction in which a Limited License has been issued, the pre-existing scope of practice will be reviewed for application in New Brunswick and confirmed by the Experience Review Committee. The Committee may amend the scope, in consultation with the applicant and in consideration of the work that is proposed.

An approved scope of practice must be task-oriented, clearly defined, specific, and state the inclusions and exclusions to the limits of practice within a particular discipline. The written limitations on each Limited License will be approved or modified by the Board of Admissions based on information provided by the applicant and the recommendations of the Experience Review Committee.

The details included in the Scope of Practice will be posted on APEGNB’s Public Registry.

Defining a Scope of Practice

A proposed scope must be detailed in a step-by-step fashion with simple language, terminology that is defined in legislation or statutes or by the applicant, and clearly-stated limitations and exclusions to the proposed field of practice.

A clearly-defined scope of practice will :

• confirm the area in which the applicant will be licensed to practice; and
• allow the applicant to easily propose an expanded or modified scope of practice through APEGNB’s Minor Scope Change Process by modifying the scope’s limitations and exclusions as the licencee is able to prove that they have gained additional competence.

Practice conditions

People with engineering or geoscience education and experience are employed in a variety of positions in many industries; however, not all positions generate the opportunities and experience that contribute to building the skills and knowledge needed for independent practice.

It is important that the applicant acquires an understanding of personal limitations related to the practice of engineering/geoscience, and the applicant must show a progression into work of greater complexity and responsibility.

In evaluating experience in professional engineering and geoscience, the following elements must be present to qualify as acceptable practice conditions:

Engineering Scope of Practice Conditions

Only the following activities can be used in an engineering scope:

• reporting on
• advising on
• evaluating
• designing
• preparing plans and specifications for
• directing the construction of
• directing the technical inspection of
• directing the maintenance of
• directing the operation of

For any activity above used in an engineering scope and for every item in an engineering scope, the work must have required the professional application of the principles of mathematics, chemistry, physics, or any related applied subject.

Any items that do not meet these conditions are not accepted in a Limited Engineering License.

Geoscience Scope of Practice Conditions

Only the following activities can be used in the scope:

• reporting
• advising
• evaluating
• interpreting
• processing
• geoscientific surveying
• exploring
• classifying reserves
• examining

For any activity above used in a geoscience scope and for every item listed in a geoscience scope, the work must have required the professional application of the principles of mathematics, chemistry, physics, or biology through the application of the principles of geoscience.

Any items that do not meet these conditions are not accepted in a Limited Geoscience License.