Best ECA Partners - Service & Helpfulness

[_Harry_]

I am about to apply for my ECA and am confused as in which partner to choose.
There are currently 7 listed in the official website:

Comparative Education Service – University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies (Date designated: April 17, 2013)
International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (Date designated: April 17, 2013)
World Education Services (Date designated: April 17, 2013)
International Qualifications Assessment Service (Date designated: August 6, 2015)
International Credential Evaluation Service (Date designated: August 6, 2015)

Medical Council of Canada (professional body for Doctors) (Date designated: April 17, 2013)
Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (professional body for Pharmacists) (Date designated: January 6, 2014)

As per my understanding, the last 2 are specifically for candidates from the medical background.
And most of the forum members are mentioning about WES a lot, so I tried to give them a shot.
I had emailed them 4 days back on some query and haven't heard since then. I am having second thoughts about their service.

Can forum members please suggest their experience with the ECA partners and possibly suggest which one to go for?
My main concern is the service and frequency to response on the query.
For fees I am not sure if it varies from partner to partner - it could be, Please illuminate on this as well.

For instance - WES needs the transcripts from the University and need approval from the Institute but there is no such requirement from ICAS. Simply filling up the form and sending the photocopies of the document is all that is needed.
This seems like a much better option and route - any thoughts?

 

[mgnlky]

I have used both WES and CES through Toronto. Here was my experience:

CES via UofT was for my U.S. Undergraduate degree- I submitted the request to CES on January 1st, 2016. The total cost was $226CAD and they required me to send them front and back color copies of my degree, as well as front and back color copies of my transcripts. They also required an official transcript from my university. I reached out to them twice during the process, once via phone and once via email. For the phone call, there was minimum wait time and the lady I spoke with was extremely helpful. For the email, there was about a 24-hour turnaround time. Again, very helpful. I received my electronic copy of the ECA on April 21st, 2016. With each assessment, they also give you a $200 voucher to take any of their courses offered through CES.

In May I completed my Masters degree and reached out to them again to learn the process for upgrading my ECA. They were very helpful and it seems some of their processes have moved from a paper process to electronic/online. Against my better judgement, I chose not to pay $99CAD to them for an upgrade and instead opted to pay WES $233CAD for a shorter processing time.

WES for my U.S. Graduate Degree - I submitted the request on August 20th, 2016. The total cost was $233CAD and included standard mailing (you pay extra for a tracking number). According to the list of required documents at the time of my application, they only required a copy of my academic transcript, however other areas of the website state the academic transcript AND a front and back copy of my degree. I emailed them on August 23rd for clarification and never heard back. I also had my university send them the academic transcript as well. I gave them until the 25th to respond to my email, then gave up and sent both a front and back color copy of my degree as well as front and back color copies of my transcripts via FedEx with a tracking # to their Toronto address. It was delivered on Wednesday, August 31st. WES did not change the status until the following Wednesday, September 7th - after I sent an email to them inquiring about the documents (which they never replied to). On September 19th, I received the email stating the electronic ECA was available.

If I needed another ECA completed, I would use CES again. For me, the quality of the customer service would be worth the extra wait time.

 

[_Harry_]

Thank you!

Even I think the service of WES is not upto the scratch. Perhaps the website is getting too much unwanted attention.
I was wondering if anyone has used the services from International Credential Assessment Service of Canada.

As per their official page, they not even need the transcripts and just the photocopy of the document is needed for the assessment.
http://www.icascanada.ca/new/immigration-to-canada.aspx/documents.aspx
I am not sure if this can be done or is feasible at all. I have dropped them an email to confirm on the same.

To me, it sounds like the best option as one doesn't need to go to the Institution for the education release form and not to the university for the transcripts. Just curious if anyone has used this service before.

 

[mgnlky]

I think WES is getting much more attention because they're quicker to complete the review. ICAS indicates 25 weeks and CES is about the same. Compare that to 4 weeks for WES.

Can I inquire what Country your degrees come from?

 

[_Harry_]

I have completed my education from India.

 

[mgnlky]

Per the ICAS website:

To be submitted directly to ICAS by the institution/awarding body:
Statements of graduation and marks certificates for each year of study for the diploma/degree sent directly to our office by the university (or technical education board).

Documents sent by the college are not acceptable.. http://www.icascanada.ca/new/immigration-to-canada.aspx/document-detail.aspx?document=11460c9b-1f63-4b8a-9494-bdba0df3a58e

Due to the possibility of fraud, I do not think you'll find a reputable ECA provider that does not require the records directly from the institution.

 

[_Harry_]

Hmm..very true. So it appears to me WES is the lesser evil of all :'(
WES atleast processes the file quickly unlike others.

One final query. Is it a general norm to first get the document release form sign from the Institute and then get the transcripts mailed to the WES from the University - In case the Institution and Degree awarding University are not same?

Or will the transcripts mailed from University alone will suffice?

 

[mgnlky]

Hmm..very true. So it appears to me WES is the lesser evil of all :'(
WES atleast processes the file quickly unlike others.

One final query. Is it a general norm to first get the document release form sign from the Institute and then get the transcripts mailed to the WES from the University - In case the Institution and Degree awarding University are not same?

Or will the transcripts mailed from University alone will suffice?

I'm going to defer this question to someone else. For the U.S. it's a very simplistic method of going to the University's website and requesting transcripts to be sent to WES. For India, I have no clue how this works.

 

[_Harry_]

For India we have to first create the WES Id by paying the fees - around $327 in total I suppose.

Then visit the Institutions and University personally (or some friend/relative carrying your authorization letter to act on your behalf) and then send the transcripts from there.

 

[thestunner316]

please use WES only.

 

[mgnlky]

please use WES only.

I'm curious why this is?

 

[aussiegirl16]

I went with IQAS earlier this year and it was $200 (same price as WES), and the processing time from when they received the documents to when they sent the report to me was 10 business days, as published on their website at the time. The result also matched what I thought it should be (dual bachelor degree).

 

[munjal]

I am about to apply for my ECA and am confused as in which partner to choose.
There are currently 7 listed in the official website:

Comparative Education Service – University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies (Date designated: April 17, 2013)
International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (Date designated: April 17, 2013)
World Education Services (Date designated: April 17, 2013)
International Qualifications Assessment Service (Date designated: August 6, 2015)
International Credential Evaluation Service (Date designated: August 6, 2015)

Medical Council of Canada (professional body for Doctors) (Date designated: April 17, 2013)
Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (professional body for Pharmacists) (Date designated: January 6, 2014)

As per my understanding, the last 2 are specifically for candidates from the medical background.
And most of the forum members are mentioning about WES a lot, so I tried to give them a shot.
I had emailed them 4 days back on some query and haven't heard since then. I am having second thoughts about their service.

Can forum members please suggest their experience with the ECA partners and possibly suggest which one to go for?
My main concern is the service and frequency to response on the query.
For fees I am not sure if it varies from partner to partner - it could be, Please illuminate on this as well.

For instance - WES needs the transcripts from the University and need approval from the Institute but there is no such requirement from ICAS. Simply filling up the form and sending the photocopies of the document is all that is needed.
This seems like a much better option and route - any thoughts?

Hi,
pls check this link:
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/for-eca-which-is-preferredwes-ces-or-icas-t297238.0.html

 

[thestunner316]

I'm curious why this is?

tried and tested
they have a very quick turnaround, respond to requests faster and everyone seems to be using it

 

[mgnlky]

tried and tested
they have a very quick turnaround, respond to requests faster and everyone seems to be using it

Quicker turnover, yes. Respond to requests faster? That seems to be hit or miss.