ECA results isn't related to any options available in IRCC

[jayminghong]

Hi there! I'd appreciate someone's help.

I received my ECA from WES stating that my Brazilian 1-year postgraduate degree is equivalent to a Canadian 1-year postgraduate diploma.

However, there's no such option in IRCC's Express Entry as a "Postgraduate Diploma" between Bachelor's and Master's. The closest response seems to be "One-year program at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute" which gives me even fewer points than a Bachelor's Degree.

Since WES asked me to send my highest degree, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense (at least to me) to receive fewer points for a postgraduate course than for a Bachelor's, considering the requirement for a graduate degree to enroll in a postgraduate course.

The catch is that my first degree is a higher technologist one (2-year program). I'm from Brazil, where this degree is considered higher education and qualifies me for a postgraduate or Master's. Even WES has this article on their site where they share information about Brazil's Higher Education structure. I'm not sure if this is how they see it, though.

Just FYI, I still haven't had my higher technologist (2-year program) degree assessed by WES because I'm torn on it given their lack of communication and instruction.

I tried contacting WES and IRCC multiple times about this matter, but no one ever got back to me. Could anyone please shed light on this subject?

 

[canuck78]

Hi there! I'd appreciate someone's help.

I received my ECA from WES stating that my Brazilian 1-year postgraduate degree is equivalent to a Canadian 1-year postgraduate diploma.

However, there's no such option in IRCC's Express Entry as a "Postgraduate Diploma" between Bachelor's and Master's. The closest response seems to be "One-year program at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute" which gives me even fewer points than a Bachelor's Degree.

Since WES asked me to send my highest degree, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense (at least to me) to receive fewer points for a postgraduate course than for a Bachelor's, considering the requirement for a graduate degree to enroll in a postgraduate course.

The catch is that my first degree is a higher technologist one (2-year program). I'm from Brazil, where this degree is considered higher education and qualifies me for a postgraduate or Master's. Even WES has this article on their site where they share information about Brazil's Higher Education structure. I'm not sure if this is how they see it, though.

Just FYI, I still haven't had my higher technologist (2-year program) degree assessed by WES because I'm torn on it given their lack of communication and instruction.

I tried contacting WES and IRCC multiple times about this matter, but no one ever got back to me. Could anyone please shed light on this subject?

What are your degrees in? That may be the issue.

 

[jayminghong]

What are your degrees in? That may be the issue.

Thanks for responding! My degrees are the following:
- 2-year Higher Technology in Web Design (Tecnologia em Web Design)
- 1-year Postgraduate in User Experience Design (Pós-graduação em User Experience Design)

If the option I should select in the Express Entry form is really a "one-year program," why would my postgraduate degree grant me fewer points than my graduation course that's of a lower level?

 

[Naturgrl]

Thanks for responding! My degrees are the following:
- 2-year Higher Technology in Web Design (Tecnologia em Web Design)
- 1-year Postgraduate in User Experience Design (Pós-graduação em User Experience Design)

If the option I should select in the Express Entry form is really a "one-year program," why would my postgraduate degree grant me fewer points than my graduation course that's of a lower level?

So your one year is only equivalent to a one year program. You don’t have any degrees at all. Post grad degree is a Masters.

 

[jayminghong]

So your one year is only equivalent to a one year program. You don’t have any degrees at all. Post grad degree is a Masters.

I didn't follow. What do you mean by "you don't have any degrees at all" if the WES ECA report (here's a screenshot) says "1-year postgraduate diploma"? Please check this image from WES. My highest degree (postgraduate diploma) is a Graduate-Level Certificate Program.

 

[Naturgrl]

What do you mean by "you don't have any degrees at all"? Please check this image from WES. My highest degree (postgraduate diploma) is a Graduate-Level Certificate Program.

You have a post graduate certificate. That is not a degree as per your image. That is your equivalency, and you have ECA for a one year program and it doesn’t matter that it was post grad.

Do you have a degree or not - bachelor, associate, masters (going by your link) - with an ECA with that equivalency.

 

[jayminghong]

You have a post graduate certificate. That is not a degree as per your image. That is your equivalency, and you have ECA for a one year program and it doesn’t matter that it was post grad.

Do you have a degree or not - bachelor, associate, masters (going by your link) - with an ECA with that equivalency.

I just edited my previous message with the ECA screenshot, but you can check it here again. My Technologist degree is equivalent to a Bachelor's in my country and enables me to enroll in a postgrad course. I didn't send it to WES because they only asked for the highest one.

Also, check this statement: "The Postgraduate Diploma, also known as Graduate Diploma (Grad.Dip.) is a postgraduate qualification that is particularly popular in Anglo-Saxon countries. A Postgraduate Diploma is considered academically over the level of a Bachelor's, but under a Master’s level. A Postgraduate Diploma can normally be started after the completion of a Bachelor's degree and is typically completed in one year or less. You can find Grad.Dip. programmes available in most disciplines.~

 

[Naturgrl]

I just edited my previous message with the ECA screenshot, but you can check it here again. My Technologist degree is equivalent to a Bachelor's in my country and enables me to enroll in a postgrad course. I didn't send it to WES because they only asked for the highest one.

Also, check this statement: "The Postgraduate Diploma, also known as Graduate Diploma (Grad.Dip.) is a postgraduate qualification that is particularly popular in Anglo-Saxon countries. A Postgraduate Diploma is considered academically over the level of a Bachelor's, but under a Master’s level. A Postgraduate Diploma can normally be started after the completion of a Bachelor's degree and is typically completed in one year or less. You can find Grad.Dip. programmes available in most disciplines.~

So you need equivalency for your “degree” and in Canada, it must be equivalent to a 3 year program. Right now you get points for a one year program. You don’t have ECA for anything else so that is the only thing to discuss. If you get ECA for your degree and it is equivalent to two years then you count that once instead of the one year program to get more points. WES usually clarifies to get highest one if for a Masters or PhD.

You are linking to a site that is not even a Canadian government site.The link is really poor information. In Canada, you don’t need a degree to complete a post graduate diploma. You usually only need a college diploma or university degree.

 

[canuck78]

Thanks for responding! My degrees are the following:
- 2-year Higher Technology in Web Design (Tecnologia em Web Design)
- 1-year Postgraduate in User Experience Design (Pós-graduação em User Experience Design)

If the option I should select in the Express Entry form is really a "one-year program," why would my postgraduate degree grant me fewer points than my graduation course that's of a lower level?

What is important is what would be considered equivalent in Canada. You should have both degrees evaluated to try and count 2 degrees.