Understanding the credential

assessment process
Many organizations and levels of government are involved in the credential assessment
process in Canada. Each of them has different roles and responsibilities. If you are going
through this process, you need to understand who does what.
Credential assessment organizations

Designated organizations for Educational

Credential Assessments
If you are applying under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), you must get
an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) of your completed foreign educational
credentials done by one of the organizations designated by CIC. This is a different process
than qualifying to work in a particular occupation in Canada.

Post-secondary institutions
There are more than 200 accredited post-secondary institutions that can assess educational
credentials for placement at their schools.
Contact the post-secondary school you want to attend in Canada to find out what kind of
assessment they require and accept. Then, contact the assessment agency recommended
by the school you want to attend, if required.
If you want to find out how your academic credentials compare to an educational program
in Canada you may have your education assessed through one of these assessment
agencies in Canada. They will compare your academic credentials with similar ones in
Canada’s post-secondary educational system. Assessments done by assessment agencies
help employers, post-secondary institutions, and professional bodies understand your
academic background. They do not guarantee recognition of your qualifications for
employment or certification/licensing purposes in Canada or further study in a Canadian
post secondary institution. These agencies charge a fee for their services.

Assessment agencies
Assessment agencies compare academic credentials with similar ones in Canada’s post-
secondary educational system. They charge a fee for their services.
This type of assessment helps employers, post-secondary schools and professional bodies
understand your academic background. However, it does not guarantee the recognition of
 your qualifications for employment, for certification/licensing purposes in Canada, or for
studying in a Canadian post-secondary school.
To work in a regulated occupation or trade, contact the appropriate regulatory body or
professional organization to see if you need to have this kind of assessment done and
which assessment agency you should use.
If you do not need to have your credentials assessed as part of the licensing process,
consider having an assessment done anyway to help employers understand your
qualifications.
Regulatory bodies and apprenticeship authorities
There are more than 440 regulatory bodies and apprenticeship authorities that govern
approximately 55 professions in Canada.
Each province and territory is responsible for licensing regulated professions and trades
through regulatory bodies and apprenticeship authorities. However, there may be different
requirements for licensing depending on where you live. Also, some professions are not
regulated in every province. Regulatory bodies and apprenticeship authorities:

 Establish and maintain standards of competency and practice for a profession or trade
 Set entry and training requirements
 Develop procedures, requirements and processes for certification, registration and
licensing
 Evaluate and assess academic training, work experience, and skills and competencies
 Register qualified applicants
 Discipline members
They also evaluate academic training, work experience, skills and competencies. Usually,
this evaluation includes:

 An assessment of your training and skills against the profession’s standards by comparing
your original academic transcripts and other related documents, such as university course
descriptions, with the training provided by Canadian colleges and universities
 Written examinations, an interview, or both
 An evaluation of your language and communication skills
 A specified period of supervised work experience
You will be evaluated as an individual. Do not compare your experience directly with that
of someone else. You must understand the requirements as they apply to your own
situation in the province or territory where you intend to work.
Employers
Most jobs in Canada are not regulated and do not require licensing with a regulatory body.
For these jobs, the employer can:

 Set the requirements for a job

 Determine whether the qualifications you earned outside Canada are equivalent to the
Canadian credentials you need for the job
 Determine whether you have the appropriate credentials, training and experience for the
job
Some employers require that job applicants be registered or certified by the relevant
professional association. Credential assessment and recognition helps Canadian employers
understand your qualifications.
Requirements for employment can vary greatly between employers. Be prepared to prove
that you have the education or experience to do the job. You may be expected to
demonstrate a certain level of skill and competence, to have a specific amount of
education, and even to have personal characteristics suitable for the job.
Provinces and territories
Each of Canada’s ten provinces and three territories is responsible for licensing most
regulated professions andtrades in its jurisdiction through designated regulatory bodies.
Each provincial and territorial government has an immigration website that will give you
more information on services they provide.
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada works with the provinces and territories, and provides
leadership to support the development of consistent national approaches to foreign
credential recognition to fully integrate internationally trained workers into the labour
force.
While the Government of Canada regulates certain industries, such as banks and
transportation, it does not actually assess or recognize international credentials,
qualifications or experience.
For additional information, go to the Canadian Information Centre for International
Credentials. It assists professionals, employers and organizations with foreign credential
recognition and the assessment of diplomas and qualifications in Canada.

Have your education assessed –

Federal skilled workers
Starting in May 2013, all people applying under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
must get an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) of their completed foreign
educational credentials.
If you are only submitting a Canadian educational credential, you do not need to do this.
An Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) is used to verify that your foreign degree,
diploma, certificate (or other proof of your credential) is valid and equal to a completed
credential in Canada.
You must have such an assessment if you:

 are a principal applicant, and

 got your education outside Canada.
Your education must be assessed against Canadian standards by one of the organizations
designated by CIC (below).
When you apply as a federal skilled worker with a foreign educational credential, an original
ECA report must:

 be included with your application along with proof of your foreign credential,
 be issued on or after the date the organization was designated by CIC,
 not be more than five years old on the date that CIC gets your application, and
 show your credential is equal to a completed Canadian one.
If you do not submit this assessment when you apply, your application is not complete. We
will not process it and will send it back to you.
These assessments are to help make sure we choose immigrants with the best possible
chances of success in Canada. But, being assessed does not guarantee you will be employed
in your field or at a certain level. Employers are not bound by the assessment.
If you plan to work in an occupation that is regulated in Canada, you should contact the
regulatory authority in the province where you plan to live. They can give you important
information about getting your license, including any steps you can take before you leave
your home country.
Designated organizations for Educational Credential Assessments
You can arrange to get your assessment from:

 Comparative Education Service – University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies

 International Credential Assessment Service of Canada
 World Education Services
 Medical Council of Canada (professional body)
 Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (professional body)
How to choose a designated organization:

1. If you are applying:

o as a specialist physician (NOC 3111) or general practitioner/family physician
(NOC 3112), the Medical Council of Canada must do an educational credential
assessment only for your primary medical diploma,
o as a pharmacist (NOC 3131), the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada must do
your educational credential assessment,
o under any of the other occupations, check the websites of the other CIC-designated
organizations or contact them directly to find which one best suits your needs.
Consider:
 Some designated organizations partner with certain regulatory bodies or
large employers. That means that the educational credential assessment you
obtain for your application to CIC might also help you later on.
  Check with each one to find out what other organizations recognize their
assessments.
2. Find out what documents you need.
3. Find out how much it will cost. Costs may vary by organization.
4. Find out how long an assessment will take.
How to get an Educational Credential Assessment:
Once you have chosen an organization:

 gather all the documents they need (make sure that you ask your school for multiple
copies of your diplomas/degrees, transcripts, etc.),
 follow any instructions given to submit the documents,
 pay the fees.
What your report means
The organization will give you an original report that will tell you:

 whether your credentials are valid, and

 if they are equal to a completed Canadian educational credential.
If your assessment report shows that your completed foreign credential is equal to a
Canadian one, you can apply as a federal skilled worker.
If your report shows that your credential is not equal to a completed Canadian one:

 You will not meet the education requirement under the FSWP.
 You can consider alternative careers in Canada. Use the Working in Canada Tool to see if
there are other occupations you may be qualified for and for which you meet CIC
requirements for immigration.
 Use the Come to Canada Wizard to see if you could apply under another program.
If you are getting an ECA report from a professional body, your ECA report must show
that your foreign education credentials are equal to the Canadian credentials needed to
practice that occupation in Canada.
Submitting your report

 Submit the original assessment with your application to the FSWP, along with copies of
your diplomas/degrees, transcripts, etc.
 Keep a copy of the report for your records and future use.
 Do not request that your ECA report be sent to us directly by the assessment agency. You
must include it with your complete FSW application.
 The 100-point FSWP selection grid assesses applicants against six main criteria. To pass,
you need 67 points or more. We will award you a maximum of 25 points based on the
level of your education compared to Canadian standards.
Note:
 You will only get points on the FSW selection grid for your highest completed
Canadian educational credentials shown in the ECA report.
 CIC will verify any educational credential assessment submitted with a FSW
application with the organization that produced the report.
 You may be able to use the ECA report for other purposes, such as to help you
find a job in Canada.