For the immigration process, you can obtain an Educational Credential Assessment from any of the following agencies:

• World Education Services Canada
• Comparative Education Service: University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies
• International Credential Assessment Service of Canada
• International Qualifications Assessment Service
• International Credential Evaluation Service
• Medical Council of Canada (Doctor’s must use this organization)
• Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (Pharmacists must use this organization if they require a license to practise. If you work in a position where you do not need a license, one of the other designated organizations can assess your credentials.)

Please note that for certain professions, you may have to get a second assessment of your qualifications completed by a professional body which would be separate from an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).

Those who want to be a main applicant on an Express Entry profile require an Educational Credential Assessment if they are applying as a Federal Skilled Worker and they completed their education outside of Canada. Those applying through the Federal Skilled Trades Program and the Canadian Experience Class do not require an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA), but if they do obtain one it will add points to their Express Entry profile. If you do not obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA), and you did not obtain your education from a Canadian educational institution, then you will not be issued with any points for your completed education. If you obtain your education at a Canadian educational institution, then you do not need to obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).

Spouses of a main applicant do not have to obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) but if they do it can add extra points to their spouse’s Comprehensive Ranking System Score, as long as they are listed as an accompanying spouse.

Certain other programs may require an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) as part of the application process. Always check the full requirements of the program that you are applying through to confirm if you need to obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) or not.

Educational Credential Assessments (ECAs) cannot be issued for all qualifications. They are issued for completed and awarded formal academic and technical credentials from recognized institutions. Below are some of the examples of what cannot be assessed on an Educational Credential Assessment:

• Credentials obtained in Canada as they do not require an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)
• Non-academic credentials (for example: a certificate of competence in Microsoft Office)
• Career training qualifications (for example: your company’s Manager Level III)
• professional qualifications (for example, chartered accountant designation)
• in-service professional development
• work experience
• professional examinations
• incomplete credentials
• anything below secondary / high school level (for example, primary / elementary level)
• non-academic credentials (for example, Excel training)
• vocational or trades training (for example, diesel mechanics program, foreign trade certificates)

Educational Credential Assessments (ECAs) are only required for your highest completed qualification, as you only earn points for your highest completed qualification. The only exception to this rule would be if you are trying to obtain points for having two or more credentials. In this case you can only earn points for having two qualifications if one of them was issued on completion of a post-secondary program of three years or more and the second one was issued on completion of a post-secondary program of one year or more .

If you possess a master’s degree, you do not need to get your bachelor’s degree assessed, if applicable, as you will earn points for your master’s degree.

If your Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) shows that your credential is not equal to a completed Canadian credential or that the foreign educational institution that you attended is not recognized, then you will not be able to earn any points for your completed education. This may potentially mean that you cannot create an Express Entry profile.

In some cases, your qualification may also be recognized at a lower level. For instance, you may have earned a master’s degree, but your Educational Credential Assessment lists it is as being the equivalent of a Canadian bachelor’s degree (three years). In this case you would only earn points for a bachelor’s degree (three years).

The Canadian equivalence on your Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) will earn you points on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) as follows: