Get an educational credential assessment

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Why you need an assessment

An educational credential assessment (ECA) is used to verify that your foreign degree, diploma, certificate (or other proof of your credential) is valid and equal to a Canadian one. You’ll need to get an ECA specifically for immigration purposes for your foreign degree, diploma or certificate if you’re applying for the Atlantic Immigration Program.

The ECA report must show that your completed foreign credential (degree, diploma or certificate) is equal to a completed Canadian secondary school (high school) or post-secondary credential.

You must submit an ECA for all levels of completed foreign education you want us to consider. It’s up to you to decide which credentials to have assessed by a designated organization.

We’ll only accept the ECA from one of the organizations we designate. The original ECA report must be issued on or after the date we designated the organization. Your ECA must be less than 5 years old when you apply.

Designated organizations

You must use one of these designated organizations

Designated professional bodies

If you worked as an architect, doctor or a pharmacist.

Architect

You must get your report from the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) (professional body for Architects designated on May 20, 2024) if you worked as an architect (NOC code 21200).

Note: If your primary occupation is Architect (NOC 21200), and you already have an ECA that was issued by another designated organization before October 31, 2024, we will continue to accept it if it is still valid.

Doctors

You must get your report from the Medical Council of Canada (designated: April 17, 2013) if you worked as a:

Pharmacists

You must get your report from the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (professional body for pharmacists designated on January 6, 2014) if you worked as a pharmacist (NOC code 31120).

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