Working overseas can be an exciting life experience. Being a member of Engineering New Zealand enables you to travel and work more easily, as your skills and qualifications have been benchmarked to an international standard. The first step to working overseas is to get a visa. Then there are some specific requirements for each country.
Engineers undertaking work overseas may be exposing themselves to insurance and liability risks, without knowing it.
Engineering New Zealand Accredited Programmes
Engineering New Zealand is a signatory to a series of international accords. These accords establish a benchmark standard which can be internationally recognised. Engineering New Zealand accredits programmes against this benchmark, so graduates can be confident their qualification meets a widely recognised international standard. This can assist with finding employment in both accord and non-accord jurisdictions.
International Registers
Engineering New Zealand is also a member of several international competence agreements, which benchmark standards and establish international registers. There are three levels of international registration, aligning with the different engineering roles:
- Professional Engineer: International Professional Engineer (IntPE) and APEC Engineer
- Engineering Technologist: International Engineering Technologist (IntET)
- Engineering Technician: International Engineering Technician (IntETn)
Engineering New Zealand maintains New Zealand sections of these international registers, with registration available to Chartered Members who meet specific qualification and experience requirements.
Engineers on the New Zealand section of any of these registers can market themselves as having demonstrated professional competence to an agreed international standard and may benefit if looking to work overseas or on international projects.
Bi-lateral Agreements and Relationships
Beyond the general benefits of having an accredited qualification or being on an international register, we also have specific bi-lateral agreements or relationships with several international partners that members benefit from.
Australia
Membership body: Engineers Australia (EA)
We have a close relationship with Engineers Australia and Chartered Members of Engineering New Zealand can apply for equivalent membership of Engineers Australia through a streamlined pathway.
Several states in Australia operate mandatory engineer registration schemes or are in the process of introducing one. While Engineers Australia has been advocating for national consistency, each scheme is a little different. The latest information on registration in each state can be found on the Engineers Australia website.
Engineers should make their own assessment about the need to be registered in a particular state, but the requirement may cover engineering services delivered “in the state” or “for the state”. Exemptions may relate to work undertaken under the direct supervision of a registered engineer or work that is in accordance with a prescriptive standard.
Canada
Accreditation body: Engineers Canada(EC)
The term Engineer is protected in Canada and to practise engineering in Canada, you must hold and maintain a licence from one of Canada’s provincial/territorial regulators. Engineers Canada does not grant engineering licences, but accredits engineering degree programmes and provides a range of guidance and support to territorial regulators.
Ireland
Membership body: Engineers Ireland (EI)
We have a close cooperative relationship with Engineers Ireland and Engineering New Zealand Chartered Members can apply for equivalent membership of Engineers Ireland through a streamlined pathway that is defined through a formal Admissions Pathways Agreement.
The engineering profession isn’t highly regulated in Ireland. Most engineers can simply work there once they have a visa.
Hong Kong
Membership body: Hong Kong Institute of Engineers (HKIE)
Our Reciprocal Recognition Agreement with HKIE provides a streamlined pathway to Corporate Membership of HKIE for Chartered Members in most fields of practice.
Engineer Registration in Hong Kong is a separate process administered by the Engineers Registration Board and requires at least one year of relevant professional experience in Hong Kong prior to application.
Samoa
Membership body: Institute of Professional Engineers Samoa (IPES)
You must apply for registration with IPES before you can legally work as an engineer in Samoa. You can apply by providing proof of your Engineering New Zealand Chartered Membership or Chartered Professional Engineer registration. Once approved you’ll be sent a letter of acceptance and be asked to pay your registration fee.
United Kingdom
Represented by: Engineering Council (ECUK)
Engineering New Zealand’s Admissions Pathways Agreement with the Engineering Council (UK) provides Chartered Members of Engineering New Zealand (CMEngNZ) and Chartered Professional Engineers (CPEng) with a streamlined process for membership and professional registration (CEng, IEng or EngTech) through a variety of Professional Engineering Institutions (PEI) – ICE, IET, IChemE etc – each focused on different disciplines of engineering, and each licenced by the Engineering Council.
It is also possible to become CEng in the UK without being a CMEngNZ or CPEng if you meet the minimum academic requirements. Several years ago, the Engineering Council changed the minimum academic requirements for Chartered Engineer (CEng) to require a Masters level of engineering education or equivalent. This change only applies to engineers who commenced their academic studies from 2016 onwards. Previously a New Zealand Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) had been sufficient for CEng’s academic requirements.
As a result of this change, the most straightforward pathway to CEng for New Zealand Engineers who hold a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) which they commenced in 2016 or later, if they do not wish to pursue further education to a Masters level, would be to gain CMEngNZ or CPEng first. This is because different PEIs in the UK may have different interpretations of what is “equivalent” to a Masters-level qualification. The latest version of our Admission Pathways Agreement (re-signed in 2025) has confirmed that NZ-qualified engineers who have achieved Chartered Membership (CMEngNZ) or CPEng through Engineering New Zealand are deemed to have met this Masters-level of education requirement, even if their highest engineering qualification is a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours).
This means that for engineers currently based in New Zealand who do not hold a Masters-level engineering qualification and wish to be eligible for CEng in the UK, gaining either CMEngNZ or CPEng before leaving New Zealand is advisable.
For NZ graduates who are already based in the UK who wish to be eligible for CEng, it may be simpler to work towards CMEngNZ rather than CPEng (although both are still achievable), as CMEngNZ requires applicants to demonstrate competence within the jurisdiction in which they practice, while CPEng requires applicants to demonstrate competence specifically within a New Zealand context.
Engineers considering pursuing either CMEngNZ or CPEng for the purpose of becoming eligible for CEng in the UK should contact our assessment team. It is also advisable to check with the relevant UK PEI through which you are intending to apply for CEng status to confirm their specific requirements.
We also have an agreement with the Institution of Civil Engineers in the UK (ICE) which provides a discount for Associate Membership (AMICE) for eligible members of Engineering New Zealand.
Find out more on ICE membership
United States
Represented by: National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES)
Professional societies in the United States are discipline specific, while licensing is managed by State Registration Boards. Recognition of international accords and agreements varies between states, but Engineering New Zealand does have an agreement with Nevada, which provides a streamlined registration pathway for Members on the NZ Section of the IntPE/APEC Engineer register. Registrants are still required to take an open-book assessment to ensure they understand the legislative requirements of registered engineers in Nevada.
For other states, you will need to take the Practice of Engineering (PE) exam which tests for a minimum level of competency in a particular discipline. It’s an 8-hour exam with 80 questions. You may also be required to take the Fundamentals exam, designed for recent graduates and students who are close to finishing their undergraduate engineering degree. That exam is 6 hours with 110 questions. You also need to have your degree evaluated by NCEES and take the state-specific open book exam.
Other jurisdictions
The following countries operate a national section of one or more of the international registers. New Zealand Registrants may receive credit towards their membership or registration application.
The following countries operate a national section of one or more of the international registers. New Zealand Registrants may receive credit towards their membership or registration application.
| Country | Represented by |
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Chinese Taipei |
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India |
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Indonesia |
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Japan |
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Korea |
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Malaysia |
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Pakistan |
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Philippines |
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Peru |
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Russia |
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Singapore |
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South Africa |
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Sri Lanka |
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Thailand |
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