Frequently Asked Questions (Updates Coming)

It is mandatory and for the benefits of registration.

The Alberta Institute of Agrologists (AIA) is responsible for ensuring the public interest is protected as it relates to the practice of agrology in the Province of Alberta. AIA's authority stems from the 2007 Agrology Profession Act and the associated Agrology Profession Regulation.

Mandatory registration means that if...

• You have a diploma, applied degree or degree from a recognized post-secondary institution in agriculture or environmental science with the course content required by AIA Council; and
• You practice agrology as defined in Section 1(v) of the Act (see * below); and
• You provide professional services,

...then you MUST, according to the Act, be registered and listed on the professional register with the Institute.

Mandatory registration applies to all individuals who are eligible for the Registered Technologist in Agrology (RTAg) or Professional Agrologist (PAg) designation. Individuals who are registered with another profession or who farm their own land and do not practice agrology outside of their farm operation are exempt from registration with the AIA.

AIA will enforce the mandatory registration requirements of the Agrology Profession Act as required.

*The "practice of agrology" as defined within the Agrology Profession Act (Section 1(1v)):

"Practice of agrology means the development, acquisition or application of or advising on scientific principles and practices relating to the cultivation, production, utilization and improvement of plants and animals and the management of associated resources and includes:

1. The certification of compliance with Acts, regulations, directives, standards and guidelines related to agrology,
2. The conducting of economic, statistical, financial, sociological and other studies related to agrology,
3. The production, processing, marketing and protection of agricultural and related products and supplies,
4. The analysis, classification and evaluation of land and water systems,
5. The undertaking of agricultural design and advising on the use of buildings, structures, machinery and equipment,
6. The conservation, decommissioning, reclamation, remediation and improvement of soils, land and water systems, and
7. The development, management and use of waste treatment and ecological systems."

Students currently enrolled in a post-secondary agriculture or environmental program can apply to the Institute free of charge as Student Members.

Full membership to the AIA as an Agrologist In-Training (AIT) or Agrology Technologist In-Training (ATT) is available after convocation.

The AIA follows the National Education Entrance Standard for Agrology (2017). 

Once an application is submitted and all required documentation is received, the application is moved into the queue for review by the Registration Committee. The timeline for the Registration Committee to review an application is greatly dependent on how many files are currently in queue. We often estimate between 4 to 6 weeks, but this may vary in either direction.

As an In-Training member, you are obligated to work under the direct supervision of a regulated professional, regardless of whether your area of practice is supported or not supported by your education. You cannot sign off on projects until you have completed the In-Training Program and meet the government-specified work experience requirement.

After you have completed the In-Training Program, your file will be reviewed by the Registration Committee. Reviews are based on your education, references, and practice-relevant experience. The Registration Committee's decision may include a cautionary note related to your practice. Practice in an area(s) outside of your supported practice area(s) is at your professional risk.

There are certain requirements that need to be met in order to receive full designation:

• Completion of the AIA Professional Ethical Competency (AIA In Training course); and
• Having the minimum required agrology-related work experience.

Once these requirements are fulfilled, an application will need to be submitted for designation change. The following must be provided along with the application:

• All relevant In-Training documents, such as practice area supporting documentation and a resume. 

To be eligible for registration as an AIT or PAg, you must have obtained a four-year university degree in, either, agricultural or environmental science and have the required credits in all course categories specified by the AIA Council.

If you have a two-year diploma or a three-year applied degree, contact a university of your choice and ask about a post-diploma or post-applied degree transfer to a four-year degree program. The university will instruct you on the requirements to obtain a four-year degree based on your academic background. If you transfer to a four-year degree program, please keep in mind that you must meet the course credit requirements for AIT registration. All of the academic courses you have taken are included in the calculation of course credits. For the course credit requirements for registration as an AIT leading to the PAg designation.

If you have a four-year university degree but were not granted AIT registration because your degree did not meet the course credit requirements indicated above, you must complete the degree credit courses (e.g. not certificate courses or short courses) that address the deficiencies noted by the Registration Committee. Refer to the official notification letter you received from the AIA office that summarized the Registration Committee’s review of your application.

If you wish to take a course that is not on the approved course list, please contact the CEO/Registrar for approval of the course prior to registering for that course. Once you have completed the course, please provide the AIA office with an official transcript showing you obtained credit for that course.

You may request a change to your designation once you have obtained credit in all courses that were deficient as noted by the Registration Committee at the time of your initial application. Please contact the CEO/Registrar to request reassessment and send all additional transcripts to the AIA office.

In Alberta, the “practice of agrology” is defined in the Agrology Profession Act Section 1(v). This definition includes a very broad, extensive list of the various activities in which our AIA members work. The Alberta Institute of Agrologists has used this definition to develop 19 practice areas (PAs). Professional practice within a particular practice area requires educational training relevant to that area.

The Registration Committee approves practice areas based on a person’s education and the Core Knowledge Area table or the practice standard. It is in the AIA’s mandate to protect the public in matters related to agrology and to ensure its members are competent. If a professional works outside of the practice areas that are most closely aligned with their formal education, it is their responsibility to ensure they have the education and training to support the area in which they practice. Work experience is only part of the equation for creating competence - formal education and the Continuing Competence Program (CCP) are required as well.

In order to achieve a new practice area, you should ensure you take formal education to meet a majority of the core knowledge areas for that practice area and to complete CCP hours in this new area. To request a reassessment of your practice areas, contact the CEO/Registrar and submit an official copy of your transcripts to the AIA office.

Do you satisfy the general credit requirements for acceptance into the AIA (do you have enough courses in agrology, math, English, etc.)?

The AIA does not offer extension courses - however, the AIA Council has approved several three-credit courses from the University of Alberta Online and Continuing Education to help meet AIA entrance requirements. These courses can also be used for CCP requirements and/or to supplement core knowledge areas of registered members. These courses are a condensed version of the same four-month course you would take at a university. They are generally about five days total.

The Continuing Competence Program (CCP) enacts/executes/exerts/fulfills the requirements of the  Agrology Profession Regulation (Section 16, 18) to ensure, as stated in Section 43(2) of the Agrology Profession Act, “regulated members […] maintain competence and […] enhance the provision of professional services.”

As per the Employment Standards Regulation , professional agrologists or agrologists in training are exempt from minimum standards legislation in the Employment Standards Code dealing with hours of work and overtime entitlements. This same situation applies to quite a few designated professions, including professional engineers and lawyers.

Agrologists, like other employees, can certainly enter into individual contracts with their employers to establish working conditions, including hours of work and overtime entitlements that they consider to be reasonable and balanced, and these contract commitments will be legally enforceable.

Although the AIA does not keep records on salary averages, the Government of Alberta's Occupational Profile provides an ample description of the main duties and salary averages for Alberta.