WES ECA – World Education Service

Steps for WES ECA evaluation for Canada Immigration purpose.

This article contains important points with a lot of information along with frequently asked questions on how to apply for WES ECA.

Please bookmark this page for future reference.

Before you start just check the following things:

Check Official WES Website: World Education Services Canada: International Credential Evaluation

  • Please go through the website and familiarize yourself with the navigation. You will get most of your answers there.
  • The site usually opens USA page by default so make sure you navigate to the Canadian page by selecting the drop-down menu shown in the picture below.
  • It is important to verify that you are on the Canada WES site before proceeding.
  • How to make sure you are on the Canada WES site?
    • The domain of WES Canada is wes.org/ca
    • The dropdown flag (Top right) show above will display which site you are accessing

Degree equivalency tool: WES Degree Equivalency Tool

  • WES has a free tool to check equivalency of your degree to a Canadian degree.
  • Do not rely completely on this as the final assessment always depends on the actual evaluation but it will give you an idea and a head start.
  • If your degree is not listed there it does not mean it will not be equivalent to anything, you will get to know that in the real assessment.

Time needed: 15 minutes

Step by Step process to apply for WES ECA

  1. Create WES account


    Open wes.org/ca and click on “Apply Now”.

    Step 1-WES-Application

    On the next page, you will be presented with options to select the country for which you require an ECA. Select Canada here.

    Step 1b-WES-Application

  2. Click on “Start Application” under ECA Application for IRCC and create your account


    In order to start the WES ECA application process, click on the “Start Application” button as shown in the screenshot.

    Step 2-WES-Application

    If you are applying for Agri-food pilot select the third box above.

  3. Once you create the account, you will be taken to your My Account page


    In step 3, you must enter your own personal information.
    Step 3-WES-Application

    Here you can add additional details about yourself and add credentials for evaluation.

  4. Click on “Your Evaluation” and then click “Add Credential” to begin adding the educational credentials details


    Step 4 involves entering your Education details for which the ECA is required.

    Step 4-WES-Application

    IMPORTANT POINT TO REMEMBER WHEN ADDING CREDENTIALS:
    All information that you enter must match exactly as it appears on your credential (degree/diploma)

    Step 4b-WES-Application

    Once you have added a credential, your details should look something like this:

    Step 4c-WES-Application

    Note: You can edit your credential details at this point

  5. Enter recipient details

    Recipient 1 is your address and Recipient 2 is automatically chosen as IRCC for electronic delivery of your ECA report.

    Step 5-WES-Application-CheckRecipients

    Check  your details in all pages very carefully and click Next.

  6. On the next page, you will review the price


    Review your price information on this page

    Step 6-WES-Application-CheckPrice

    Click next to proceed to the next page

  7. Select shipping options


    Select your shipping options on the next page.

    Step 7-WES-Application-SelectShippingoption

    IMPORTANT: Please note that hard copy of the ECA report is not required for Express Entry.

  8. Click next to proceed to document required page.


    You may need the Academic Records Request form which will help you request your documents from your University. You can download the WES Academic Request from this page itself.

    Step 8-WES-Application-DegreeDocumentreqdpage

    Click on the link for “Academic Records Request Form” to see the form and download it if required.

    Step 8b-WES-Application-DegreeDocumentreqdpageAOR

    The Academic Records Request form looks like this

    Step 8c-WES-Application-DegreeDocumentreqdpageAOR

  9. WES Toronto Address where the document must be sent


    World Education Service, Toronto address and format. This is where you are required to courier the package. Please use the address displayed when you fill the form.

    Step 9-WES-Application-WESAddress2

    Sending documents to WES Canada format:
    WES Reference No.____________________
    World Education Services
    Attention: Documentation Center
    102-2820 14th Avenue
    Markham, ON L3R 0S9
    Canada

  10. Click next to review details and click next for payment page


    Click next for payment page

    Step 10-WES-Application-SelectPayment

  11. Enter your card details to complete the payment to WES

    Here you must enter your card details in order to pay WES
    Step 11-WES-Application-CardDetails

  12. Click Submit payment!


    Click Submit payment to pay the fees.

    Step 12-WES-Application-Submitpayment

    Once you have paid your evaluation fees, a WES reference number will be generated which will be used in all your communications with WES

How to apply for WES ECA video

Important points to remember about your WES Application

  • Once you have paid your evaluation fees, a WES reference number will be generated which will be used in all your communications with WES Quote
  • Once you submit your profile and reference number is generated you cannot edit your information so double-check all information carefully and then click submit
  • Read all instructions regarding documents and address where the sealed envelope needs to be sent
  • Never send any original document to WES unless specifically asked by WES with instructions that they will return it after evaluation
  • You can monitor the progress of your evaluation from WES website or the app. The current timeline for completing an evaluation is 35 business days.
  • Upon receiving all documents, WES will issue an estimated date of completion. This is usually a very accurate date. You will receive your report usually on the same date or plus/minus one day
  • Once your evaluation is marked as completed you will receive an email and a hardcopy will be dispatched to your address simultaneously.
  • You can download a pdf copy of your report by logging in your WES My Account. You will also receive a separate email once the hard copy is dispatched. This email will include the DHL tracking number
  • You can use the electronic pdf copy for Express Entry. There is no need to wait for a hard copy of your report for Express Entry. Both have the same information.
  • The validity of your ECA report is 5 years.

Avoid these mistakes when applying for WES ECA and save money:

  • Prepare for delays and plan ECA 6 months ahead of your IELTS. WES is the fastest provider, however; depending on University, there may be delays. Hence, always plan for delays in advance.
  • Do proper research.
  • If you want to get ECA done for Indian Masters or Postgraduate diploma, WES requires you to send your bachelor’s degree as well without which it will not be able to complete your ECA.
  • Exceptions where you do not have to send your bachelor degree:
    • M.ED., M.Engg., M.Tech., MPhil.
  • Monitor the updates in your WES account. WES sometimes verifies the transcripts they have received with your University and keeps the application on hold till then.
  • Indian Universities may not always inform you that a verification request from WES is pending. Hence, monitor your WES account for a status update and call your University if you see that WES has requested verification of your data.
  • An important point to note here is that while most universities may do the verification for free, some may charge for it afresh.
  • If they do it for free, your application may not get stuck in processing, however; few Universities such as Delhi University charge a fee for verification and will keep the request on hold till you pay the fees. Take note of that and plan accordingly.
  • WES will reject envelopes without WES reference number.

Frequently Asked Questions about WES ECA

How long does WES ECA take?

The official timeline for the WES ECA report is 35 business days. Once you have made the payment in full, this timeline starts after WES receives, reviews, and accepts all required documents.

What is the difference between ECA and WES?

ECA stands for Educational Credential Assessment which is one of the requirements for creating an Express Entry profile.
World Education Service (WES) is one of the 5 accredited organizations authorized to issue ECA reports for immigration purposes.

How to do WES evaluation for Canada PR?

You can apply for WES evaluation by creating an account at wes.org/ca and following the instructions. It is very straightforward.

Is WES mandatory for Canada PR?

ECA is mandatory for Canada PR. You can choose to get an ECA report from one of the five accredited organizations. WES is one such accredited organization and the most popular one.

Can I see my WES report online?

Absolutely. To view your report online, sign in to My Account and click “View Electronic Report” under the “Completed” status. You will also receive a hardcopy by mail.

Is ECA mandatory for Canada immigration?

Yes. ECA is mandatory for Canada Immigration if you have studied outside Canada. It is one of the requirements for creating the Express Entry profile.

How can I get ECA?

You can get ECA from any of the 5 ECA providers – WES, ICAS, IQAS, CES, ICES

How do I send my transcript to WES?

Sealed transcripts must be sent directly by your University or Institution to WES

How long is WES report valid?

All ECA reports for Canada immigration purposes are valid for 5 years.

What is WES fee? How much does WES ECA cost?

Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) Report: CAD 220.00
Standard delivery (tracking not included) CAD 10.00
Courier delivery (tracking included) 
U.S. and international courier services (per address) CAD 85
Next-day courier delivery (per address, Canada only) CAD 25

How can I check my WES status?

Login to wes.org/ca and navigate to “My Account” to check the status of your evaluation. Alternately, install the official WES App from Play store.

Is WES or ICAS better?

WES is the most popular ECA service provider. You should choose a provider that suits your requirements.

How do I contact WES?

WES Canada Postal and Courier Address:

Sending documents to Canada:
WES Reference No.____________________
World Education Services
Attention: Documentation Center
102-2820 14th Avenue
Markham, ON L3R 0S9
Canada
Online Message: www.wes.org/ca/contact-us/

Can I apply for express entry without WES?

ECA is required to apply for Express Entry if you want to claim points for your foreign education. You can choose between any of the 5 accredited service providers.

Which ECA is the fastest? 

WES is currently the fastest ECA service provider.

I have more questions about WES ECA

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