​​​​​​​WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EXPEDITED ADMISSION AND ARTICLING TERM REDUCTION REQUEST? >

Those with the required educational requirements and a minimum of 15+ relevant work experience may be eligible for immediate full-status professional registration under the Expedited Admission Program.

A term reduction request is for applicants with the required educational requirements and who possess a minimum of six years and up to 15 years of work experience in agrology. The term reduction applies to the length of the Articling Program, to one year instead of two years, with identical articling elements.

SHOULD I REQUEST MY TRANSCRIPTS BE SENT TO BCIA BEFORE I APPLY? >

Please submit your application FIRST, then request your transcripts (including related transfer credits) be sent to the BCIA office. Electronic transcripts are accepted - SEND TO LAURENA.OLSEN@BCIA.COM.

For those with post-secondary degrees awarded outside of Canada, include a copy of original transcripts within the online application form if the international report does not include them AND request a comprehensive evaluation as described at How to Apply

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR MY APPLICATION TO BE PROCESSED? >

Applications will be reviewed when all documentation, including transcripts and a third-party international report, if applicable, are received. Depending on the complexity of the application, it may take 8-12 weeks or less for the Credentials Committee to adjudicate the application. Additional time may be required if the Credentials Committee requests further information.

WILL REGISTRATION WITH BCIA ASSIST WITH SECURING AGROLOGY EMPLOYMENT? >

By becoming a registrant of BCIA and using the appropriate title and designation, you are indicating to employers and the public that you are registered with a professional body, will adhere to a strict code of ethics and meet the standards of professional conduct. Many employment opportunities, especially within the government, require registration with BCIA, so securing BCIA designation will give you the advantage over others that do not have a designation.

MY EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND IS NOT RELATED TO AGROLOGY. CAN I APPLY? >

Please check the requirements for all designations, in particular the Limited License Agrologist (LLAg) designation. The LLAg allows those seasoned professionals in agrology to be registered that may not have the education to qualify for the other registration streams if 5+ years of agrology experience has been accumulated.

DO I NEED TO SECURE A MENTOR AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION? >

It is up to the new articling registrant to identify a mentor. This could be someone in personal or business networks who is a BCIA registrant in good standing.

If you already know a potential mentor, we strongly encourage you to secure them at the time of application so that when a decision is made on the application, you will have a mentor in place, with a mentoring agreement to be signed and submitted to the head office after notice of a decision. Your mentor must be a PAg or TAg registrant of BCIA in good standing. 

Your signed mentoring agreement is due two (2) months after being notified of acceptance as an articling registrant. Check the Mentoring Directory (view only when an articling registrant)

  • Articling registrants who have NOT submitted their signed mentoring agreement in the two months since their notice of acceptance into BCIA will have their articling term held in abeyance (put on hold) until the mentoring agreement is received. This, in effect, will extend the articling term to however long the signed mentoring agreement is outstanding.

MAY I REQUEST TO HAVE MY TRANSCRIPTS REVIEWED PRIOR TO SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION? >

Unfortunately, BCIA does not have the resources to preview all potential applications. Please use the Academic Worksheet as a tool to assist you when referencing the definition of Agrology according to the Agrologists' Regulation. If needed, contact the Deputy Registrar to discuss your situation.

IF I SUBMIT MY APPLICATION FOR A PREVIEW, CAN YOU TELL ME IF I QUALIFY? >

Once you have submitted a completed application package with payment, the Registrar can provide a letter to your employer stating that you have applied to BCIA. BCIA staff cannot provide you with a guarantee that you will be accepted based upon an application package being received. Your application must be reviewed by the Credentials Committee before any official decisions are made, which can take 8-12 weeks or sooner, depending on the current workload of the Committee and the complexity of the application.

CAN I APPLY IF MY COURSES ARE NOT EVIDENT ON THE APPROVED LISTINGS? >

Yes, you can still apply. The approved listings online are composed of course offerings by BC post-secondary institutions yet all courses are considered from any location, including those offered outside of Canada. International applicants (outside of Canada) will need to have their courses evaluated by an evaluating company. Please be aware that there may be a significant delay in assessing applications for international transcripts and degrees, due to the time it takes for them to be comprehensively evaluated. Please contact ICES, WES (recommended) or IQAS directly for their current processing times.

CAN I APPLY FOR JOB OPPORTUNITIES ONCE ACCEPTED AS A REGISTRANT? >

If you have obtained a professional designation (PAg or TAg) you may apply for professional employment opportunities. Articling registrants are not eligible to apply for PAg or TAg positions without the authorization of the prospective employer. The articling period is two years; however, if a term reduction request is received and subsequently granted as part of the original application, the articling term will be reduced to one year. Please see Term Reduction Request

HOW DOES IT AFFECT MY ARTICLING PROGRAM IF I AM NOT EMPLOYED? >

New registrants are placed in the Articling Program; however, the articling term will not commence until BCIA is notified of employment in the field of agrology by submission of a written job description and confirmation of the start date of employment. Components of the Articling Program may be completed while searching for employment; however, the full articling term must be satisfied with cumulative full-time employment in agrology.

If an individual is completing a Master's or Ph.D. program, they are held to be a student, and so the experience gained within the program does not count towards the completion of the articling term.

IS THERE A MINIMUM GRADE REQUIREMENT FOR THE REQUIRED COURSES? >

A passing mark is required only. Grades are not considered for review.

DOES THE BCIA HAVE A PREFERRED INTERNATIONAL EVALUATION SERVICE? >

Transcripts must be evaluated by a third-party company such as International Credential Evaluation Services (ICES) in Burnaby. Note that World Evaluation Service (WES) and International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) reports are also accepted. WES may have shorter processing times and includes copies of the evaluated transcripts as part of the report which is ideal for the purpose of BCIA's review.

WHAT HAPPENS IF MY APPLICATION IS DENIED?

If an application is denied as the respective educational requirements were not met, the next available designation will be granted and the appropriate registration fee will be processed by staff, for the first year only. For future renewals it will be up to the registrant to complete the renewal payment in their BCIA account.

  • If AAg is denied, ATAg is granted.
  • If PAg is denied, TAg is granted.
  • If both registration streams are denied, LLAg is required by submitting a new application (AF waived).

Working in agrology requires registration with BCIA under one of the five designations.

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