Deemed engineers given 18-month extension

Under current arrangements, building practitioners registered under the Building Act 1993 were deemed to be registered for professional engineering work in Victoria.

This deemed registration was set to expire at the end of June. To continue working, all deemed engineers would be required to submit a successful assessment report, available through one of the approved assessment entities by July 1, 2026.

The Victorian government has now announced that the deadline will be extended until December 31, 2027.

In the lead-up to the announcement, some stakeholders expressed concern that the cut-off will force highly experienced engineers out of the sector. Under the Professional Engineers Registration Act 2019 (PERA), engineers must hold a Washington Accord degree or undergo an alternative pathway assessment with Australia’s signatory to the Washington Accord. The alternative pathway typically involves completing an undergraduate or honours degree.

Industry stakeholders, including AIRAH, have highlighted that some experienced and expert engineers received their qualifications before Washington Accord degrees were available in Australia, and requiring them to complete two-to-four years of full-time study to continue practising is not realistic.

“We are talking about engineers with 30-plus years of experience, professionals who have chaired Standards Australia committees, who have built and managed practices and mentored young workers,” says AIRAH’s Advocacy and Policy Manager Mark Vender.

“Now, we are effectively telling them that they can no longer practise.

“Far from strengthening the building and construction industry in Australia, it is weakening the workforce at a time when we are experiencing a skills shortage, a productivity dip and a housing crisis.

“For this reason, we are pleased that the deadline has been extended; however, we still need to find a better solution, not just in Victoria, but in all jurisdictions.”

The ACT has allowed all assessment entities to offer alternative pathways, and AIRAH has successfully developed a system for evaluating applicants without Washington Accord qualifications.

Vender emphasises that the approach is designed for a specific cohort of engineers.

“For engineers entering the workforce, the pathway is clear. But we need to find a way to recognise the expertise of that key group of experienced engineers and make the most of their knowledge and talent,” he says.

The Victorian government is making new regulations to put the deeming extension in place. It says these will be made before July 1, 2026.

If engineers are in the process of organising assessment outcome reports, they are encouraged to continue to complete this and submit the report with the Business Licensing Authority (BLA).

The BLA will provide further details about the extension shortly.

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