Federal Skilled worker Education Selection Factors

You can earn selection points for your education.

To get points, you must:

• Prove that you earned a Canadian diploma or certificate, OR
• Have your foreign education assessed by an agency approved by CIC to show it is valid and equal to a completed Canadian credential.

You must include your Canadian credential or your foreign credential and Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report when you apply.

Having your Foreign Education Assessed

If you do not have a Canadian degree or diploma (or, in some cases, a “certificate”), you must get your foreign education verified and assessed to prove it is equal to a completed Canadian credential.

You must send an original Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report with proof of your foreign credential (diploma or certificate, and transcripts), or we will not process your application. The ECA report must be done by an agency approved by CIC.

If your report shows that your credential is not equal to a completed Canadian one, you are not eligible to apply under the FSWP. Starting in May 2013, all people applying under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) must get an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) of their completed foreign educational credentials. Your education must be assessed against Canadian standards by one of the organizations designated by CIC.

When you apply as a federal skilled worker with a foreign educational credential, an original ECA report must:

• Be included with your application along with proof of your foreign credential,
• Be issued on or after the date the organization was designated by CIC,
• Not be more than five years old on the date that CIC gets your application, and
• Show your credential is equal to a completed Canadian one.

If you plan to work in an occupation that is regulated in Canada, you should consider contacting the regulatory authority in the province where you plan to live. They can give you important information about getting your license, including any steps you can take before you leave your home country.

If you are unsure of whom to contact or how to get started on your assessment, feel free to contact us, and we would be happy to help point you in the right direction and guide you through the steps you should take to have your education assessed.