Having your education assessed

Do I need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to apply as a federal skilled worker?

If you were educated outside Canada, you’ll need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for immigration purposes to immigrate as a federal skilled worker.

If you were educated in Canada, you don’t need an ECA.

Where can I get an educational credential assessment (ECA)?

You must get an ECA from a designated organization. We only accept assessments from these organizations.

When they assess your education, they will give you a report that tells you what your education is equal to in Canada.

We only accept assessments issued on or after the date the organizations were designated to do ECA reports for immigration purposes. If you got a report before that date, contact the organization to see if they’ll re-issue it.

Find out which designated organization should do your ECA.

Does an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) mean that I can be licensed in a regulated profession?

No. Getting an ECA to meet the requirements of the Federal Skilled Worker Program does not mean that your work experience and professional credentials are automatically recognized in Canada. You must still go through the process of getting your license.

Each province or territory in Canada has the power to regulate and license professions. Licensing is generally done through provincial or territorial regulatory bodies.

If you plan to work in a regulated profession, you should contact the regulatory authority in the province where you plan to work to find out more about how to get a license.

How much does an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) cost, and how long does it take to get one?

To apply for immigration to Canada, you need to get an ECA for immigration purposes from a designated organization. Each designated organization sets its own cost for an ECA.

For most people, the cost is about CAN$200 plus the cost to have it delivered. Delivery costs depend on how you choose it to be sent, with courier delivery being the most expensive.

The fees for an ECA report and the length of time to get one vary and can change without notice.

If you’re a family or specialist physician, or a pharmacist, the cost will be higher. You will need to contact the professional body that regulates your occupation to find out how much it will cost.

The time to get your education assessed is different for each designated organization or professional body. It can take from a few weeks to a few months.

How long is an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report valid for?

We will accept ECA reports for five years from the date they are issued, so long as they were issued on or after April 17, 2013.

If you got an ECA report before that date, you should contact the organization to see if they will re-issue it.

What credential should I get assessed for immigration purposes?

Usually, you should choose the highest level degree, diploma or certificate (or combination) that will award you the most points.

For example, you would get more points for an ECA report that shows you have a Canadian equivalent of a master’s degree than for one that shows you have the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree.

But, if you have more than one degree or diploma (if the highest is at least at a bachelor’s level), you will get more points than a single bachelor’s degree.

For example, you hold

• a Bachelor’s degree and a diploma or certificate or
• two Bachelor’s degrees

In this case, you need to get an ECA for each credential to get the maximum points.

Find out more about getting your education assessed.