Where can I get an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) in 2021?

An important step while applying for your Canad PR visa is to apply for the Educational Credential Assessment or the ECA which is required if you have done your education outside Canada. This is to prove that your educational qualifications are equal to those awarded by the Canadian education system.

The ECA is required if you are applying for a visa through the Express Entry program to prove that your foreign education degree or credential is valid and is equal to a Canadian degree.

Who needs to get the ECA done?

If you have completed your education outside Canada, you need to get your ECA if you are applying for your PR visa under the Federal Skilled Workers Program or to earn points for education you received outside Canada.

However, the ECA is not required if you have done your degree or diploma in Canada.

If your spouse or partner is coming with you to Canada then you need to get an ECA for them as well if you wish to earn points for their education for your PR visa application.

An ECA is usually required for your highest level of education, for example if you have a master’s degree, you will need an ECA for only that and not for your bachelor’s degree. However, if you have two or more credentials you will need an ECA for both if you need credentials from both of them.

The ECA report will show that your educational credentials are equal to Canadian secondary school credential or post-secondary educational credential. If the ECA report is able to prove this, you will meet the education requirement under the Federal Skilled Worker’s program and also gain points under the education criteria for your CRS score.

Where can you get your ECA?

You can get your ECA from one of the designated organizations given below:

• World Education Services (Date designated: April 17, 2013)
• Comparative Education Service – University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies (Date designated: April 17, 2013)
• International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (Date designated: April 17, 2013)
• International Qualifications Assessment Service (Date designated: August 6, 2015)
• International Credential Evaluation Service (Date designated: August 6, 2015)
• Medical Council of Canada (the professional body for Doctors) (Date designated: April 17, 2013)
• Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (the professional body for Pharmacists) (Date designated: January 6, 2014)

The IRCC will only accept assessments that are issued on or after the date the organizations were designated to issue ECA reports for immigration applicants.

You should choose your organization based on your occupation, for instance if you are a Pharmacist (NOC code 3131), and you need a license to practice you must get your report from the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada.

The WES is the most popular organization to get your ECA done. The WES provides ECAs for degrees and diplomas received outside of Canada.  it verifies is your documents are authentic and then issues the equivalency report which will help you get the required points in your immigration application.