Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)
An Educational Credential Assessment is a report by an independent company that evaluates your foreign education. For Express Entry, IRCC uses this report to make sure that your foreign degree, diploma, certificate (or other proof of your credential) is valid and equal to a Canadian one.
You must include your Educational Credential assessment results and reference number in your Express Entry profile.
Your assessment may help when you’re looking for a job. But, it doesn’t guarantee that:
- you’ll get a job in your field, or at a certain level
- you’ll get a license to practice in a regulated profession (job)
If you plan to work in a regulated job, you must get your license in the province or territory that you plan to settle in.
If you completed your education outside Canada, you need an assessment to:
- be eligible as the principal applicant for Federal Skilled Workers Program (Express Entry), or
- earn points for education you got outside Canada
You can also earn points for your spouse or common-law partner’s education, if they are coming with you to Canada.
You don’t need an assessment for a Canadian degree, diploma or certificate.
To earn points, your report must show that your completed foreign credential (degree, diploma or certificate) is equal to a completed Canadian secondary school (high school) or post-secondary credential.
Which credentials to get assessed?
In most cases, you only need an assessment for your highest level of education. For example, if you have a Master’s degree, you only need an assessment for that degree. You don’t need one for your Bachelor’s degree.
Educational Credential Assessment
When to get an assessment for 2 or more credentials?
To get points for having 2 or more credentials, you need an assessment for each one.
To get full points for more than 1 credential, at least 1 of the credentials must be for 3 or more years of study.
The order that you complete your credentials does not affect points.
When to get your secondary education assessed?
If your post-secondary credential is not equal to a Canadian credential, you could get your secondary credential assessed. This would get you points for completing secondary school.
Who can do your assessment?
You must get your assessment from an organization or a professional body designated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. They will give you a report that tells you what your education is equal to in Canada.
Processing times and costs may vary by organization or professional body. Once you choose a designated organization or a professional body, they will tell you how to submit your documents to get your assessment.
Your report must show that your foreign credential is valid and equal to a completed Canadian secondary school (high school) or post-secondary credential. If it does, you must include the result and reference number in your Express Entry profile.
If your report shows that your credential isn’t equal to a completed Canadian credential or the foreign educational institution is not recognized:
- you won’t meet the education requirement under the Federal Skilled Workers Program
- you won’t get any points for it
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