An Educational Credential Assessment is a report by an independent company that evaluates your foreign education. For Express Entry, we use this report to make sure that your foreign degree, diploma, certificate (or other proof of your credential) is valid and equal to a Canadian one.
You must include your assessment results and reference number in your Express Entry profile.
Your assessment may help when you’re looking for a job. But, it doesn’t guarantee that:
- you’ll get a job in your field, or at a certain level
- you’ll get a license to practice in a regulated profession (job)
If you plan to work in a regulated job, you must get your license in the province or territory that you plan to settle in.
Who needs one
If you completed your education outside Canada, you need an assessment to:
- be eligible as the principal applicant for Federal Skilled Workers Program (Express Entry), or
- earn points for education you got outside Canada
You can also earn points for your spouse or common-law partner’s education, if they are coming with you to Canada.
You don’t need an assessment for a Canadian degree, diploma or certificate.
To earn points, your 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.
Which credentials to get assessed
In most cases, you only need an assessment for your highest level of education.
For example, if you have a Master’s degree, you only need an assessment for that degree. You don’t need one for your Bachelor’s degree.
When to get an assessment for 2 or more credentials
To get points for having 2 or more credentials, you need an assessment for each one.
To get full points for more than 1 credential, at least 1 of the credentials must be for 3 or more years of study.
The order that you complete your credentials does not affect points.
When to get your secondary education assessed
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.
