2026 guide
ECA: the Educational Credential Assessment, explained
An Educational Credential Assessment turns your foreign degree into a Canadian equivalency so it can earn CRS education points. It is often the longest-lead item in an Express Entry profile — here is how to get it right.
What an ECA is
An Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) is an official report that says what your foreign degree, diploma or certificate is worth compared with a completed credential in Canada. IRCC uses it to award the right number of education points and to confirm you meet program requirements. Without one, a foreign qualification cannot earn its full CRS education value.
Who needs one
You need an ECA if you completed your education outside Canada and you want it to count — this applies to every Federal Skilled Worker applicant with foreign education, and to anyone (CEC or FST included) who wants education points added to their CRS score. If you studied in Canada, you do not need an ECA for that Canadian credential. An ECA is for the assessment of education only; it does not assess work experience or language.
Approved organisations
IRCC only accepts ECAs from designated organisations. For general education assessments these have included World Education Services (WES), International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS), Comparative Education Service (University of Toronto), International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS), and International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES). Certain regulated professions use profession-specific bodies — for example the Medical Council of Canada for physicians and the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada for pharmacists. Always confirm the current designated list on canada.ca before paying, because the roster and each body's turnaround can change.
The process and timeline
The general flow is: choose a designated organisation; create an account and submit your application and fee; arrange for your institution to send official transcripts (and sometimes degree certificates) directly to the assessor; wait for verification; and receive a report with a Canadian equivalency. Timelines vary widely — from a couple of weeks to several months — and the slowest step is almost always your former institution sending documents. Costs also vary by provider and by how many credentials you assess, and there are extra courier or translation charges where documents are not in English or French. Treat published fees as a starting point and check the provider's current pricing.
How it maps to CRS points
Once you have the equivalency, you enter that Canadian-equivalent level in the calculator's education field. As a guide, a bachelor's-level equivalency is worth more than a diploma, a master's more than a bachelor's, and a doctorate the most. Two credentials — where one is a three-year-or-longer program — can outscore a single degree and may also unlock skill-transferability points when paired with strong language results. Because of those combinations, getting the ECA right can be worth more than the headline education number alone.
Practical tips
- Start early. The ECA is often the longest-lead item in an Express Entry profile, so request transcripts before you do anything else.
- Assess all useful credentials. If you hold two qualifications, having both assessed can lift your score through the two-credential education tier.
- Mind the validity. ECA reports are valid for a set period; check the expiry so it still covers you at the time you apply.
- Match names exactly. Ensure the name on your transcripts, passport and profile line up to avoid verification delays.
See where you actually stand
Calculate your CRS score on the official 2026 grid in under two minutes.
Calculate my CRS score →This is general information about Canadian Express Entry, not immigration or legal advice. Rules, fees and figures change — always confirm the current details on the official Government of Canada (canada.ca) pages or with a licensed immigration representative before acting. The CRS no longer awards points for a job offer; those points were removed by IRCC on 25 March 2025.