MRA for Indonesian & Australian Engineers
On the 30th June 2023, a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) was signed between Institution of Engineers Indonesia (PII) and Engineers Australia (EA). The MRA will allow practicing engineers on the respective International Engineering Alliance APEC Agreement registers to 1) benefit from a significantly streamlined assessment process in each country, 2) with a faster pathway to being recognised with Chartered status and registration to practice” and 3) will have significant impact on upholding international standards for engineering qualifications and practice.
Engineers Australia is Australia's recognized organisation for accreditation of professional engineering qualifications under the Washington Accord. The Washington Accord recognizes that there is substantial equivalence of programs accredited by those signatories. Graduates of accredited programs in any of the signatory countries are recognised by the other signatory countries as having met the academic requirements for entry to the practice of engineering.
The Indonesia Republic Law Number regulates that PII has two obligations; 1) as engineer certification body and 2) registration for engineer who practice in whole engineering fields. The Institution of Engineers Indonesia (PII) was established in 1952.
Congratulations to Mr Keith Whitchurch FAusIMM(CP) as the first Chartered Engineers Australia member to earn the title of Professional Engineer from the PII as Special Engineer- Mining Engineering. Those PII members with relevant engineering qualifications and the titles of Professional Engineer or Executive Professional Engineer, can be eligible to apply for Chartered status with Engineers Australia.
In February 2024, the Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group on services delivered the report; “Mutual Recognition Agreement for Professional Qualifications and Licensure in APEC; Experiences, Impediments and Opportunities”. A number of APEC economies have not undertaken any MRA’s as some countries regulations are less well aligned with other APEC countries, and some countries immigration policies wish to retain talent. APEC economies have entered into 59 bilateral MRAs for engineers, all of which are between Washington signatories. The APEC Engineer and ASEAN Engineer multilateral agreements have had little impact on mobility which was initially their primary purpose, but do appear to have become useful in providing an internationally recognised marker of professional experience. The report urges further research on the implementation of such MRA’s.
A brief reminder that it is a requirement of the 2014 law on Engineering that to undertake work in Indonesia you must be registered in Indonesian. The path to registration can be sought through the assistance of The Institution of Engineers Indonesia (PII).