An Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) if an assessment of any foreign qualification to state what it is on par with by Canadian standards. Individuals who are applying for Canadian permanent residence may require an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) as part of their application. Educational Credential Assessments (ECAs) are most notable used by those trying to immigrate to Canada through the Express Entry system. Educational Credential Assessments (ECAs) are valid for five years from the date they are issued. Since an ECA compares your education to its Canadian equivalent, you don’t need an ECA for any education you obtained in Canada.
If you’re eligible for Express Entry under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, you’ll need an ECA before you can submit to the pool. If you’re eligible under the Federal Skilled Trades Program or Canadian Experience Class, you don’t need an ECA to submit to the pool, but you will need one if you want to claim any Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points for your education. If your spouse, or common-law or conjugal partner, is accompanying you and has a post-secondary degree, they can also get an ECA. While it isn’t required to submit to Express Entry, you may be able to claim additional CRS points for your spouse or partner’s education if they have an ECA. IRCC will only accept ECAs from designated organizations:
- World Education Services
- 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 (professional body for Doctors)
- Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (professional body for Pharmacists)
The evaluation process itself can also take several weeks to several months. Since you need an ECA to be eligible to submit to the Express Entry pool if you’re applying as a skilled worker, getting started on your ECA is usually one of the first steps of your Express Entry immigration process. Also, 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).
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