Importance Of Educational Credential Assessment

Canada is known for its beautiful scenery, healthy environment and flourishing job opportunities. If you are planning to move to Canada or study in Canada, you would definitely need an Educational Credential Assessment to convert your educational qualification to Canadian equivalents. This is a method proposed by Canada for one to access his education before migrating to Canada.  In this blog, we have included the necessary information about the Educational Credential Assessment. 

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Must Read: Study in Canada after 10th

What Is ECA?

ECA stands for Educational Credential Assessment which is used to check that if your foreign degree, diploma, or any other certificate is valid and equal to a Canadian one. This is how employers, schools, universities and other institutions compare the education you study in your home country compared to Canadian standards. Your Educational Credential Assessment report may help you when you are looking for a job. It can be used to check the validity of your certificates and check if your achievements are worth the same as their Canadian counterparts.

Do You Need An Educational Credential Assessment? 

If you plan to work, study or live in Canada, or get citizenship of Canada, and you have completed your education outside of Canada. All your certificates, degrees, diplomas and other valid proof of your credentials if studied from a non-Canadian institution, you would need to submit them to get an ECA. 

For example, if you studied your undergraduate in India and studied your graduate in Canada, you will only need to submit the undergraduate degree to find a Canadian equivalent at Educational Credential Assessment. 

If you want to enter Express Entry or the Federal Skilled Workers Program (FWSP), one of the most prestigious Canadian streams for immigrants, you will definitely need an ECA. It is applicable only for those who were educated outside of Canada. 

The more points you score, the higher are your chances of being accepted to get into Canada as a permanent resident with citizenship to start your new journey. If you are thinking of enjoying benefits from CRS points, CRS stands for Comprehensive Ranking System,  you might need to get an Educational Credential Assessment for this too. It is also applicable for your accompanying wife/husband or common law partner, which is highly dependent on your profile.

Also Read: How to get a Canada Student Permit?

Which Credentials Get Assessed?

In most cases, you only need an assessment for your highest level of education.

For example, if you have a Doctorate degree, you only need an assessment for that degree. You don’t need one for your Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree.

If your post-secondary credential is not equal to a Canadian credential, you could get your secondary credential assessed. This would get you points for completing secondary school.

Who Regulates Educational Credential Assessment?

The ECA is conducted by different IRCC endorsed institutions. You will need to get your assessment from an institution which can authorize it, or from a professional body designated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will provide you with a report that will tell you what your educational qualification is equal to in Canada.

Processing duration and fees may vary by organization or professional body.

How To Apply?

There are certain steps which need to be followed if you wish to apply for the Educational Credential Assessment. They are mentioned below:

• You can apply for the Educational Credential Assessment after you check your eligibility for Canada immigration and have successfully scored 67 points under the immigration point’s grid.
•  You are then supposed to file an application for your ECA. 
• You have to choose a designated organization or a professional body. 
• This organisation or professional body will tell you how to submit your documents to get your assessment.  
• If you wish to work in a regulated occupation or for a big employer then you may need to have your assessment done by a specifically designated organization. Check with your employer for more information.
• You must make sure that you give authentic documents. Forging or giving false information of your educational or other documents will lead to rejection of your application immediately by Immigration Officers. 

What To Do After Getting Your Educational Credential Assessment?

After receiving your Educational Credential Assessment from the designated institution, you can create a profile on Express Entry pool. Then complete all the required paperwork formalities needed for your process. If you are unsure about the process of Canada Immigration, it is better to reach out and consult a Canada immigration expert for the right guidance. 

Explore: Key Takeaways and Highlights on Canada Immigration from Canada’s Annual Report 2020

We hope this blog gave you all the information regarding the importance of Educational Credential Assessment. If you are unsure about your future while immigrating to Canada, or about the process regarding ECA, we are here to help you in any guidance you may require for the process. Feel free to get in touch with our experts at Leverage Edu. Sign up now for a free e session today.