Engineering Council and NCEES (USA) sign historic Mutual Recognition Agreement

The Engineering Council has signed a landmark Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with the USA’s National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES).

The agreement was signed in Chicago by Laura Sievers, President of the NCEES and John Chudley, Chair of the Engineering Council. This significant event marks the first international agreement of its kind with any international counterpart in the NCEES’s 104-year history.

This agreement establishes a streamlined process for recognising professional engineering qualifications between the UK and the USA and ensuring that engineers can practise across borders with greater ease and without compromising on professional standards.

Highlights of the MRA include:

• Simplified pathways for certification: UK Chartered Engineers can now more easily obtain a US Professional Engineer licence in participating states and US Professional Engineers can more easily achieve the CEng title in the UK.
• Minimisation of redundant assessments: By recognising the equivalency of qualifications, the agreement removes the need for repeated assessments, thereby simplifying the certification process.
• Increased professional mobility: The agreement opens new opportunities for engineers to work across the UK and the US, facilitating their professional growth and development.
• Support for key industries: The agreement strengthens the engineering profession in both countries, supporting industries such as construction, automotive and aerospace.
• Enhanced trade in engineering services: By reducing restrictions on cross-border services provision, the agreement encourages the growth of international trade in engineering services.

It will thereby help engineering firms in the UK and the US to develop their talent and expand their businesses, create new opportunities for UK Chartered Engineers and US licensed professional engineers to enhance their skills by working across borders, enable the exchange of expertise, bolster the resilience of the engineering professions in both countries - supporting key sectors such as construction, automotive, and aerospace - and foster the growth of mutually beneficial trade in services.

As engineers are licensed at the state level in the US, participation in this agreement is determined by individual state licensing boards. Today, 26 US states have already confirmed their intent to participate in the agreement, marking a significant step forward towards wider adoption.

Engineering Council CEO, Paul Bailey, said: “The Engineering Council is delighted to play its part in developing this first UK-US agreement that will facilitate the mobility of professionally registered and licensed engineers between the two countries. We have been delighted to work with NCEES on this important accomplishment and we look forward to facilitating opportunities for individuals and businesses in increased trade, knowledge sharing and co-operation. It will also enable skills shortages in critical areas to be addressed.

Professional engineers from each country covered by the agreement are committed to upholding globally recognised professional standards in order to continue to instil confidence and trust among the public, employers, and their clients."

Minister of State for Trade Policy, The Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP, said: “The services sector accounts for over 80% of the UK economy, so making it easier for British businesses to sell their services around the world is vital for economic growth.

“I'm delighted that, today, the UK becomes the first country in the world to secure an agreement for engineers with the US.

“Huge congratulations to the UK’s Engineering Council and their US counterpart NCEES for negotiating an agreement that will make it easier for our engineers to do business across the Atlantic.”

UK Chartered Engineers and US Professional Engineers wishing to use the streamlined route provided by the agreement will need to hold the International Professional Engineer (IntPE) title. To find out how to obtain this in the UK, see the Engineering Council website, and in the US see NCEES.