The majority of the people looking to apply for Canadian immigration are required to submit a document that proves that their foreign degrees, diplomas, and certificates consist of a valid Canadian equivalent.
This document is known as Educational Credential Assessment or ECA. Those who are generally certified by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), especially for handling ECAs, WES, lately reported that immigration candidates are only required to submit their highest completed credential.
WES doesn’t allow the immigrants to submit any additional credentials for the application as it will slow down the process. However, ECAs are not generally needed for the Canadian credentials.
From November 2020, those candidates who have a Ph.D don’t require to submit their bachelor’s degree or master’s degree to get assessed. The same condition applies to those who have a master’s degree or a bachelor’s degree.
The guidance for those who went to school in a francophone country might be a little different, and there might be some exceptions that will require them to submit their additional credentials. Moreover, if the situation arises that their highest qualification is DEUG, DUT, or License, then they do not need to submit their Diplôme du BAC, or BEP. Moreover, if any of the applicants have the below-mentioned credentials, then they do not need to submit their DEUG, DUT, or License for evaluation:
Maîtrise, Master, Diplôme d’Ingénieur;
- Diplôme de Grandes Écoles;
- DEA;
- Diplôme d’État de Docteur en Médicine; or
- Diplôme d’Etat de Docteur en Pharmacie.
Those people who have a Diplôme de Docteur then they are not required to send in their:
- Maîtrise, Master, Diplôme d’Ingénieur,
- Diplôme de Grandes Écoles;
- DEA;
- Diplôme d’Etat de Docteur en Médecine; or
- Diplôme d’Etat de Docteur en Pharmacie.
The translation is not necessary for the documents that are submitted in the French language. And the document with several other languages must need translation; moreover, there might some exceptions based on the documents required by WES.
Several other candidates from India are also needed to send in their additional credentials.
Candidates from India who are submitting their master’s degree or postgraduate diploma to get approved must also require to send in their bachelor’s degree. There are some of the given exceptions: applicants with a Master of Education, Master of Engineering, Master of Philosophy, or Master of Technology degree. Those applicants who have completed their Ph.D also don’t require to send in their bachelor’s or master’s degree for assessment.
Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for Express Entry
Applicants who apply for Canadian immigration through the Express Entry system must require an ECA.
Those people who have completed their studies outside Canada must require an assessment for two reasons: to get approved as the principal applicant for the Federal Skilled Workers Program and acquire the Comprehensive Ranking System points for foreign education.
Express Entry applicants looking to apply with a spouse or common-law partner can obtain points if their partner also receives an ECA for their foreign credentials.
Points will be rewarded only if your assessment shows that the foreign credential is equal to a completed Canadian high school or post-secondary certificate.
ECAs sent for immigration must not be more than five years old when applicants send in their Express Entry profile or apply for permanent residence.