Educational Credential Assessment (ECA Canada): What it is and how to apply

An Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) is the official name for the process of verifying your foreign diploma or certificate to confirm validity and equivalence to a Canadian qualification. This is most common in Express Entry applications, where you are required to submit an ECA if you want to earn points for a degree you earned outside of Canada.

It is important to mention that there are different types of ECA reports. In the case of an application for one of the several immigration processes available in Canada, you will need to get an ECA from a designated organization. That being said, in this post we will focus on ECA’s for Express Entry purposes. 

You may need an ECA if:

• your degree is from outside Canada
• you want CRS points for your degree and/or your spouse’s degree
• none of your post-secondary credentials have Canadian equivalents

Here are some rules to follow:

• if all of your degrees are from outside of Canada, get an ECA for the highest one or both if you are relying on both to claim 2+ credentials for additional CRS points
• if your highest degree is a Canadian degree, such as a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD, you do not need to get your foreign degree assessed (unless you rely on it to claim 2+ credentials for additional CRS points)

How do I apply for my ECA?

1. Pick an IRCC approved organization. ECA’s can only be conducted by professional organizations authorized by the Government of Canada – find the list of them here
2. Submit the requested documents from the specific organization. The required documentation may vary depending on the organization chosen. It should also be noted that each one of the organizations has its own specific rules and requirements so you may need extra time to ensure everything is as requested.
3. Wait for processing. The cost, time of assessment and the necessary documents vary depending on the organization you choose – it can take 4-8 weeks to get it so you want to get this submitted asap.

ECA Canada Results

The results must show that your credentials are equal to a Canadian secondary or postsecondary credential. If not:

• You will not be eligible under the FSW program
• You will not get any bonus CRS points
• Note: your results and reference # must be included in your EE profile

This is what an ECA evaluation will look like:

If you liked this article and want to find further information regarding the ECA report and starting your journey to Canada, make sure to join our free immigration portal here!