Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) Explained

An Educational Credential Assessment converts a foreign degree, diploma, or certificate into its Canadian equivalent, so that IRCC can award CRS points and confirm program eligibility consistently regardless of where you studied. Without a valid ECA, foreign education generally cannot be counted toward your Express Entry education points at all.

US applicants sometimes assume a degree from a well-known American university won't need this step. It does — an ECA is required for any educational credential earned outside Canada, US institutions included, if you want that education to count toward your CRS score.

Anyone applying through Express Entry with education completed outside Canada needs an ECA for that credential to count toward CRS points. If you completed a Canadian degree, diploma, or certificate, you don't need an ECA for that credential — Canadian institutions are already recognized directly.

IRCC only accepts ECAs from a specific, published list of designated organizations — assessments from any other body will not be accepted. The list includes organizations covering general academic credentials as well as ones specializing in regulated professions. Which organization to use can matter (some are faster, some specialize in certain credential types), and the current designated list should always be checked directly on canada.ca rather than assumed from a prior year, since designations can change.

The process typically involves submitting certified copies of transcripts and diplomas directly from your institution (or through the institution's verification service) to the assessment organization, which then issues a report comparing your credential to the Canadian equivalent. Processing times vary by organization and by how quickly your institution responds to verification requests — this is often one of the slower steps in building an Express Entry profile, so it is worth starting early rather than waiting until the rest of your profile is ready.

Because figures and designated-organization lists are updated periodically, Mahyar will confirm current requirements and recommend the right assessment body for your specific credentials during your assessment.