ECA – Educational Credential Assessment

Educational Credential Assessment for Canada Immigration

ECA or Educational Credential Assessment report is required to complete your Express Entry profile for Canada Immigration under Federal Skilled worker category

An Educational Credential Assessment report compares your foreign education to it’s Canadian equivalent and is a mandatory requirement to obtain points for Education in the Express Entry system.

IRCC accepts an ECA only from its list of designated organizations as below:

Canada ECA Frequently Asked Questions:

How can I get an ECA for Canada Immigration purpose?

Choose a designated provider from the below list.

World Education Services (WES)
Comparative Education Service – University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies (CES)
International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS)
International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS)
International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES)
Medical Council of Canada (professional body for Doctors)
Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (professional body for Pharmacists)

You must get your assessment from an organization or a professional body designated by IRCC. The service provider will give you a report that tells you what your education is equal to in Canada.

Which is the best ECA for Canada immigration?

All designated ECA service provides are fully authorised to provide official report which will be accepted in Express Entry profile. Word Education Service is the fastest provider of this service.

For Indian applicants who wish to get ‘Masters’ assessment for MBA, MA and similar courses, IQAS (Alberta) is the recommended service provider. WES usually assesses these degrees as post graduate diplomas while IQAS provides an equivalency of Masters degree.

Is ECA mandatory for Canada immigration?

Educational Credential Assessment report is mandatory for Federal Skilled Worker Program of Express Entry if you have completed your studies outside Canada. You do not require ECA for Canadian education.

Educational Credential Assessment report is not mandatory for Federal Skilled Trades Program or Canadian Experience Class as these programs do not have any Education requirement however it is highly recommended to get one done to get points for your foreign education if you want to improve your ranking in the Comprehensive Ranking System.

What is the ECA Canada processing time?

ECA processing time varies based on the service provider. The current processing time vary between 4 to 14 weeks depending on the organization.