Many internationally trained professionals come to Canada and discover that there are great opportunities for them to continue to grow and develop as professionals in their area of expertise through further education. Prior to being able to work in Canada as a professional, most professionals will need to have their educational credentials assessed and verified. The ability to successfully complete the process of having your credentials verified and having the Canadian equivalency of your credentials assessed will be fundamental to your success when making the transition to the Canadian workforce.
What Is Credential Verification?
Credential verification is confirming that education credentials (degrees, etc.) are legitimate. A verifiable credential is one that can be verified or confirmed through a recognized institution.
In Canada, credential verification is a way to ensure that the professional standards or educational standards required for credentialing professionals are met, through review of their documents, and any other requirements necessary per the Canadian authorities.
What Is Credential Equivalency?
Evaluating your foreign education against Canadian educational criteria is the intent of Credential Equivalency. This means that your degree or diploma is compared to a Canadian standard so that an equivalency can be determined.
For instance:
- Your foreign bachelor’s degree could be assessed as a Canadian bachelor’s degree.
- Some qualifications might be assessed as diplomas or certificates.
The evaluation will help employers, licensing authorities, and immigration authorities effectively evaluate your educational credentials.
Why Credential Assessment Is Important
There are many reasons why credential verification or equivalency are necessary for credential verification and equivalency:
Immigration Applications
An Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) is often required in immigration applications under Express Entry to assess foreign educational credentials.
Professional Licensing
Credential evaluations may be required before you can begin practicing if you are in a regulated profession such as health care, engineering and legal.
Job Opportunities
A large number of employers use credential assessments to determine whether or not your education meets Canadian educational standards.
Organizations That Evaluate Credentials
In Canada, credential evaluations are offered by a number of recognized organizations such as WES, ICAS, and CES. These three institutions all assess your post-secondary education documents and give you a report detailing how your education compares to Canadian standards for purposes of immigration and/or employment.
Documents Required for Credential Verification
For the purpose of evaluation you will typically have to provide the following: Academic Transcripts; Degree/Certificate; Proof of Identification; Translated copies of Documents (if in other than English or French).
Some institutions will transmit academic transcripts directly to the evaluation organisation which will perform any necessary verification.
Steps in the Credential Assessment Process
- Select an organization that has credentials that have been approved for your immigration or professional purpose.
- Complete your online application and pay the appropriate fees.
- Send in required educational institution documentation.
- Wait for evaluation process to take several weeks to complete.
- Receive your assessment report indicating Canadian equivalency.
Tips for a Smooth Credential Evaluation
- Begin early in your immigration application process.
- Clarify documents, including translation requirements if necessary.
- Review specific
