A Complete Guide to Education Credential Assessment
Canada is renowned for providing various opportunities and has been a favourite destination for skilled professionals. However, to explore better career opportunities in Canada after Immigrating to Canada, you are required to provide an Educational Credential Assessment Report to the Canadian Immigration Authority.
It is done to ensure that your educational qualification aligns with the Canadian education standards. Most ECAs are submitted by individuals going through the Express Entry system, where they will immigrate to Canada.
The application can be made via the Federal Skilled Worker Program, among others, which awards education points. Others require an ECA from employers and professional licensing bodies in Canada.
This comprehensive guide will take you to everything you should know about the Educational Credential Assessment.
What is an Educational Credential Assessment?
Educational Credential Assessment is a process that Canadian Authorities use to double-check an applicant’s education credentials. It might be a high school degree, a college degree, or a course certificate.
Your educational history is verified by the ECA report, which also converts it into Canadian Equivalent. A one-year master’s Course that is only regarded as an additional certification program in Canada would serve as an excellent example of this.
Your ECA report does not make a note of any extracurricular involvement or post-school attendance. Consider that you are presently enrolling for any courses you took before moving to Canada. In that scenario, you could also have it taken into account by your ECA report.
Importance of ECA in Canadian Immigration
The Educational Credential Assessment Report plays a crucial role in Canada Immigration in the following ways:
1. Express Entry Point System
Points are granted for educational qualifications related to equivalency to Canadian education. An ECA assists you in ensuring the value of your foreign degree, diploma, or certificate.
2. Program Eligibility
Immigration pathways like FSWP have a minimum level of education requirement. An ECA is required to prove that you meet this eligibility.
3. Professional Licensing Requirements
There are many regulated professions in Canada, such as engineering, healthcare professionals, and teachers. Those professions require credential verification to get you employed.
4. Employability
Many employers request credential validation, especially for international job applicants, to ensure that their qualifications are set by the standards applicable in Canada.
Who requires an ECA?
Not all Canadian Immigration programs require an ECA. Here is the breakdown:
Need for ECA | |
Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | Yes |
Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | No, unless points for education are required. |
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) | Varies; some provinces mandate an ECA. |
Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | Not usually required. |
Spouse or Partner’s Education Points | Yes, if you want to claim points for their education. |
Types of Education Credential Assessment Report
There are numerous types of Education Credential Assessment Reports. Here is the breakdown:
Type of ECA | Purpose | Examples/Details |
General ECA for Immigration | For immigration programs under Canada's Express Entry to verify academic equivalency. | Required by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for profiles like FSWP and FSTP. |
Professional Licensing ECA | For licensure in regulated professions such as healthcare, engineering, or law. | Conducted by specific regulatory bodies like the Medical Council of Canada (MCC). |
Employment ECA | Validates foreign educational credentials for employers during recruitment processes. | Helps employers confirm qualifications align with local job requirements. |
Academic ECA | Evaluates international credentials for admission to educational institutions. | Required by universities or colleges to determine eligibility for programs or advanced standing. |
Who Conducts the ECA?
Various designated organisations conduct the ECA. Some of them are mentioned below:
Organisation | Date Designated |
The Toronto University School of Continuing Studies' Comparative Education Service | April 17, 2013 |
International Credential Assessment Service of Canada | April 17, 2013 |
World Education Services | April 17, 2013 |
International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) | August 6, 2015 |
BC Institute of Technology's International Credential Evaluation Service | August 6, 2015 |
How to get an ECA (Education Credential Assessment) Report?
Here’s the breakdown of the process to get an ECA(Education Credential Assessment) report:
• Determine Your Requirement
One of the first steps in the application process is to determine your requirements as per your immigration pathway, and you must also check if your profession requires a licensed ECA report.
• Select a Designated Organisation
The Canadian Government authorities have designated some authorities who can provide ECA reports to skilled professionals planning to move abroad. Here is a list of some of the well-known and designated ECA authorities.
Organisation | Purpose | Processing Time |
World Education Services (WES) | Famous for Express Entry; evaluates most higher education credentials. | 4–6 weeks |
Comparative Education Service (CES) | Under the direction of the University of Toronto, appropriate for scholarly assessments. | 8–10 weeks |
International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) | Alberta-based; evaluates secondary and post-secondary credentials. | 10–12 weeks |
International Credential Assessment Service (ICAS) | Focuses on secondary and post-secondary education assessments. | 12 weeks+ |
Medical Council of Canada (MCC) | Exclusively for physicians and medical graduates seeking licensure. | Varies |
Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) | For internationally educated pharmacists applying for licensure. | Varies |
• Gather Required Documents
After selecting a recognised institution, now you must gather all the required documents, including:
1. Copies of degrees, diplomas, or certificates.
2. Transcripts sealed in envelopes from your university.
3. Certified translations in the event that the source document is not in French or English.
• Submit your Application
Now, you are required to register yourself on the official website of the organisation where you want to assess your educational credentials and complete the application process after providing every necessary information on the website.
• Send Documents
After that, you are required to send documents to the authorities either via mail or electronically(if the organisation permits). You should ensure that the documents are complete to avoid unnecessary delays.
• Pay the Fee
After that, you must pay the ECA fee as mentioned by the organisation. ECA fees vary by organisation but usually fall in the range of CAD 200–300, exclusive of courier and translation charges.
• Wait for the Assessment Report
Processing times are within 4–12 weeks, depending on the complexity of your application and organisation.
• Get the ECA Report
The report will determine, in Canadian terms, the equivalency of your credentials. Use this information to update your Express Entry profile or apply for licensure.
How to Use ECA in the Express Entry System?
Fortunately, an ECA plays a very big role in enhancing your CRS score, which determines your approval of receiving the ITA.
• Log in to your Express Entry profile via the IRCC portal.
• Insert your ECA(Educational Credential Assessment) reference number from your report.
• Provide a full description of your credentials, including any Canadian equivalencies.
How Can Province Immigration Help You?
The Educational Credential Assessment process is quite daunting, with all the intricate requirements and the many organisations from which to choose. But don't worry; at Province Immigration, we can make this process not just easy but smooth and hassle-free as well. Here's how:
• Comprehensive Guidance: Our experts will guide you through the ECA process, from choosing the proper organisation based on your credentials to preparing and submitting your application.
• Document Verification and Preparation: We make sure your academic records satisfy the standards of the ECA organisation of your choice. Our services include:
Review your degrees, diplomas, and transcripts for accuracy.
Advising on obtaining sealed transcripts from your institution.
Assisting with certified translations for non-English or non-French documents.
• Streamlined Application Support: Province Immigration manages the entire application process on your behalf, including:
1. Registration with the designated ECA agency.
2. Submission of required documents.
3. Tracking your application to ensure timely updates.
• Managing Obstacles: If there are any document requests or delays of any kind, we will take immediate action to continue with the process without losing precious time.
• Post-Post Approval Support: After you get your ECA report, we will assist with the following:
1. Clarify the equivalency and its implications for your immigration profile.
2. Review your Express Entry profile for updates on ECA details.
3. Build a further path in your immigration career.
• Tailored Immigration Solutions: ECA is only one part of the whole process to Canada. You benefit from full-fledged immigration support on a doorstep-to-doorstep basis, including Express Entry profile creation, CRS score enhancement, and permanent residency application filing, from Province Immigration.
Connect with Province Immigration so you can get on with your life while we deal with the complicated ECA process. With years of experience, we ensure that your dreams of Canadian Immigration will be realised.
Get in touch with us today via +91 98961 96762 or info@provinceimmigration.com to start the process of ECA and take that first step to your new life in Canada!
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