If you are planning to live and work in Canada, you may or may not be aware that your qualification may need to be accredited to show that it meets Canadian standards. This is also useful if you intend to immigrate to Canada through programs such as the Federal Skilled Worker and Trade Programs, which fall under the Express Entry system.
Having your work qualifications assessed will not only allow you to claim those valuable Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points but will also show employers in Canada that you have the necessary skills and work experience that they may be looking for.
To legally work in Canada you require a Canadian work visa or permit. To legally work in Canada as a professional, you may be required to be registered with the provincial or territorial body that governs your specific profession.
If for example, if you are a registered nurse, in order to start practicing when you arrive in Canada you will be required to register with your provincial nursing body/association, which means you must pass the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam (CRNE).
The same applies to a number of skilled trades and professional occupations. Your employer should inform you if accreditation is required, but we would recommend that you check with your profession’s provincial body using the Foreign Credential Recognition in Canada tool to determine:
Ready to find out how to jump start your career in Canada? Let’s take a look at how to get your qualifications assessed.
Getting a job in Canada is not always as easy as it may seem, but it doesn’t have to be complicated either. Besides getting a job offer, having your credentials assessed is equally important. So let’s take a step by step look at how to go about having your qualifications recognized in Canada.
The first step to being successful in any venture is to get organized. The best place to start is to do some research on your occupation and create a job market report. You can visit Job Bank to get some valuable information regarding your occupation:
The next step is to get your occupational profile. The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC) has a directory of over 500 profiles, both regulated and unregulated occupations, where you’ll be able to discover what the regulations are for your occupation as well as which professional recognition or registration and organisations to consult in order to get your credentials assessed. When consulting the directory ask yourself these two questions:
20 percent of occupations in Canada are regulated. This includes professions as well as high skilled and apprenticeable trades such as doctors, architects, engineers, plumbers and teachers. Licensing or certification is usually required to work in these professions or trades in Canada. This is for health and safety reasons as well as to ensure that employees are qualified to perform the duties required in their occupation.
The remaining 80 percent of jobs in Canada are non-regulated and requiring recognition is usually up to the employer offering the job. This could mean a hit or miss when applying for that dream job in Canada , which means it’s well worth having your credentials assessed either way.
If your occupation is regulated, you will need to contact the regulatory body or apprenticeship office in the province or territory you intend to work in.
If your occupation is non-regulated you could either check if there is a professional association you could register with or if your employer requests accreditation you may have to apply for voluntary certification, licensing, or registration.
Below is a list of places to have your credentials recognized:
For more information on your occupation and getting accredited visit the Directory of Occupational Profile.
Now that you know what is expected of you to do the type of job you intend applying for, it’s best to compare your qualifications with those outlined in your occupation description in Canada. Ensure that you know what is required for the specific province or territory you want to work in as the requirements may differ with regards to licensing, registration, and certifications. Also, make sure that you check what language skill levels are required for your particular occupation too.
The next step is to make contact with your regulatory body or apprenticeship authority for your particular profession in the province or territory you want to work in. They will tell you exactly what you need to show that your training, experience, and skills meet the same standards as someone who has been trained in Canada. Most of the time, you will be able to have your education credentials assessed and start the process of applying for a certificate or licence before you arrive in Canada.
Depending on your occupation and the regulatory organization you will have to submit certain documentation to be assessed. It is important to check which documents you require before starting the application process so as not to delay the application process. Below is a list of documents that you may require:
You may need to send official documents directly from schools or other organizations to Canadian:
You may be asked to translate your documents into English and/or French if they are in another language. It is best to use an approved translation service and find out whether or not you need to send the original documents or you can send notarized copies instead. You may also be able to send a certified copy from a certified translator.
If you still aren’t confident about approaching the process of having your qualifications assessed you may want to consider consulting an approved assessment agency. They will be able to tell you whether you should upgrade your skills or education, look for another job in your field or alternatively look for a job in another field.
For a list of six members of the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada (ACESC) visit our Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) page.
If you feel as though you need to improve your qualifications you may want to consider doing so in Canada. There are various colleges, institutes, and universities to choose from that will offer world-class education and training. Visit our study in Canada page to find out how to start the process.
Once you have all your documentation in hand it’s time to get accredited. If you are in a regulated profession or trade you may have to complete certain requirements such as:
A Mutual Recognition Agreement or MRA is an agreement that has been negotiated between two countries or when a regulatory body or professional association has agreements with organizations outside of Canada. Having an MRA could make the process of obtaining your accreditation much easier.
Make sure that you start your professional career in Canada off on the right foot. Having your credentials and qualifications assessed can only benefit you in the long run and help secure your Canadian work visa and possibly a job in Canada.
Show your potential Canadian employer that you mean business. You can either follow our step by step process on getting your credentials assessed or acquire the services of professionals you can trust to assist you with the process.
Your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is based on the following factors:
Provincial Nomination (600 Points)
600 points are awarded for an enhanced Nominee certificate from a province in Canada through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
Job Offers (50-600 Points)
A Canadian job offer will also earn you points; the number of points is based on the NOC level of the particular job.
Core Human Capital Factors (600 Points)
These take into account your level of education, for example:
If you intend to gain higher qualifications, your score will increase. This same point system applies to your legal partner or spouse if you applied together.
Language (150 Points)
Improving your language skills in either English or French through a recognized Canadian institution can also raise your CRS score.
Work Experience
The more experience you have, the more points you earn. This also applies to your legal partner or spouse.
You must:
You must register with the Canadian Job Bank within 30 days unless:
You must have a Labour Market Impact Assessment in order to earn Comprehensive Ranking System points, unless you:
If you qualify for any of the Federal Programs, you have 30 days from when you submit your profile to complete the rest of the requirements like registering with the Job Bank. If you do not, your Express Entry profile cannot be activated.
There are three programs to apply for under Express Entry:
The following factors affect your eligibility:
Work Experience
You must:
Language Ability
You must:
Education
You must:
Proof of Funds
You must prove you can support yourself and your family financially, unless:
Additional Factors to Be Considered
This program is aimed at people who wish to become permanent residents (PR) of Canada. This only applies to people who qualify in a skilled trade.
Minimum Requirements
You must:
Skilled Work Experience
These skilled trades are involved in the Federal Skilled Trades Program as ranked by the National Occupational Classification.
Group Number | Job Description |
---|---|
72 | Industrial, construction or electrical trades |
73 | Equipment operation and maintenance |
82 | Technical and supervisors in:
|
92 | Processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisor Central control operators |
632 | Cooks and chefs |
633 | Bakers and butchers |
Education
You do not need a specific qualification for this program, but you can earn more CRS points if you have:
Language Ability
Be assessed by the province or territory
Each of the provinces or territories have different requirements for the skilled trade industry.
Minimum Requirements
You must:
Skilled Work Experience
Work experience must be gained in the following job levels based on the National Occupational Classifications.
Job Description | Skill Type |
---|---|
Technical jobs | B |
Skilled trades | B |
Professional jobs | A |
Managerial jobs | 0 |
Education
You do not need an education to apply for this program, but you can score higher if you:
Language Ability
To qualify you must score well in the various language tests determined by the CEC.
Canadian Language Benchmark Score Needed | Job Level (NOC) |
---|---|
7 | 0 |
7 | A |
5 | B |
The language test must be approved by IRCC and must not be older than two years when you apply.
Note:work experience gained as a student or a self-employed individual does not count.
Work experience must be within three years of applying for the Canadian Experience Class. Work experience must be gained in the following job levels as based on National Occupational Classifications.
Job description | Skill Type |
---|---|
Technical jobs | B |
Skilled trades | B |
Professional jobs | A |
Managerial jobs | 0 |
You do not need an education to apply for this program, but you can score higher if:
Note: Only apply for an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) if your foreign education is either equal to, or higher than the Canadian education standard.
To qualify you must score well in:
Canadian Language Benchmark score needed | Job level (NOC) |
---|---|
7 | 0 |
7 | A |
5 | B |
The Language Test must be approved by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada .These tests are based off your French and English ability to:
Your test results must be included if you are applying for this program through the Express Entry program. Note: these tests must not be older than two years when you apply.
When you apply for the Express Entry, and want to immigrate with your common law partner, you must choose who will be the principal applicant.
Note: a common law partner is a person who has been married to you for one year. This applies for same sex and opposite sex partners.
Choose the principal applicant by looking at who will score the highest points under the Express Entry program.
You may be inadmissible if you are:
Note:under the Express Entry you can apply to live in other provinces/territories in Canada, except Quebec. This province has its own set of requirements needed for you to enter.
These are the factors that are used to calculate CRS Points
A legal agent is an authorized representative that must be:
Note: An unauthorized agent will not be able to help you with your application.
If you want to ensure that your Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) is an authorized consultant, you can check with the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC).
The ICCRC’s website has a register of all the persons that are qualified to be Canadian Immigration Consultants. Any individual who claims to be a legal consultant will have a RCIC code. If there are no results for a person’s RCIC code, then they are not a legal Canadian Immigration Consultant.
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If you are married provide following documents for your spouse and dependent child whether they are
accompanying or not:
Please note that CIC provide us 60 days to submit 2nd stage documentation from the date of Invitation
and we may take up to 7 business day to submit from the date of receipt of all documents from you.
So kindly start collecting all documents beforehand.
Your all education documents after 12th class. If your diploma, certificate or degree
was not issued in Canada, you must also provide an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)
You must show that you have at least 12 months of full-time work experience within the 36
months before your application.
You must provide the following documents of you and your spouse:
Submit bank statement or balance certificate to prove you have enough funds to settle in
Canada.
**All documents in a language other than English or French must be translated. Provide both a
photocopy of the document and the translation in English or French. **