PGO introduces short-term registration for geoscientists from non-Ontario provinces

Credit: Geoscientists Canada

Professional Geoscientists Ontario (PGO), Ontario’s regulatory body for geoscientists, is implementing a short-term registration scheme for geoscientists registered in other jurisdictions in Canada, which would allow them to legally work short-term in the province, with a registration process designed to be quick, easy and inexpensive.

Known as Incidental Practice Registration, this new application of temporary registration gives professional geoscientists the ability to register with PGO and then renew on a monthly basis instead of having to apply for a 6-month or a 12-month registration.

“Our goal for introducing this new type of short-term registration is to remove barriers to incidental practice in Ontario. This new temporary registration will make it easier and more affordable for professional geoscientists registered elsewhere in Canada to work in Ontario on a short-term basis,” said Tony Andrews, PGO’s CEO. 

“By illustrating that this low-cost initiative is viable, we hope that other geoscience regulators across Canada will reciprocate and offer a similar type of registration in the future, thus facilitating incidental practice and mobility of professional geoscientists Canada-wide,” Andrews added.

Scott McLean, PGO’s past president, said, Mobility of our geoscience practitioners throughout Canada continues to be a key area of focus for PGO and an important issue for me personally when I became president of the organization in 2020, and as a professional geoscientist desiring to work in multiple jurisdictions across Canada.”

The new incidental practice registration is available for a maximum of 36 months within a 48-month period. Once the 36-month period of incidental practice registration has been used, the registrant will not be eligible for incidental practice during the five years following the most recent registration, but will be able to apply for full Practicing registration with PGO.

Registration forms are available at www.PGO.ca.

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