Please review the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) website https://www.alberta.ca/iqas-overview.aspx and/or the IQAS application portal to find up-to-date information and further answers to your questions.
The following questions are answered below, scroll down to find an answer you need.
1. What should I do before I Apply?
2. How to apply?
3. What are important steps I need to take when applying for an ECA?
4. Which Credentials IQAS does not assess?
5. Will IQAS assess my credential?
6. Can you confirm if my educational institution is recognized/accredited?
7. Which documents IQAS requires for my country of education?
8. What if I cannot provide Educational Documents required by IQAS?
9. What to do to ensure IQAS sends my assessment to professional licencing organization, post-secondary institution or employer?
10. How to submit my online application?
11. What to do if a daily application limit is reached for ECAs?
12. How can I confirm that my documents were delivered to IQAS?
13. Do I have to mail my printed and signed application?
14. Why my digital transcripts are not processed yet?
15. What is the processing time and how to find my application status?
16. My file is in “Final Review”. What does that mean and when will I receive it?
17. Why is it taking so long to hear back from IQAS?
18. Why are some of my educational credentials not assessed (not on my IQAS assessment)?
19. Why is the IQAS assessment result different than another assessment agency?
20. Can I get a refund for my ECA?
1. What should I do before I Apply?
Read the IQAS website. There are instructions on how to apply for an assessment.
If you need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for immigration, do not apply for the IQAS assessment for employment, education or licensure, as Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Provincial Nominee Programs will not accept an assessment that is not an ECA.
IQAS accepts applications only through its online portal. To start the application process for employment, education, licensure, or immigration, you must first create an account.
2. How to apply?
Information is provided on IQAS' website at: How to Apply for immigration purposes and How to Apply for employment, education or licensure. Every applicant must follow the process outlined on the website – there are no exceptions.
3. What are important steps I need to take when applying for an ECA?
• Read carefully information on the IQAS website.
• Decide which credentials you want assessed – can only be completed or awarded formal academic and technical educational credentials from recognized institutions. Typically only your highest educational credential needs to be assessed for ECA.
• Gather needed documents and have them ready for when you apply online. You will need to upload copy of your educational certificate/degree, translations and passport identity pages. You will also need to make an online payment using Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Debit or Interac.
• Read carefully information on Country-Specific Document Requirements posted on the IQAS website.
• Request transcripts from the institution that issued your credential. An institution can provide electronic transcripts to IQAS or mail paper transcripts.
4. Which Credentials IQAS does not assess?
IQAS assesses credentials obtained through formal academic education from accredited educational institutions.
IQAS does not assess:
• Anything below the secondary/high school level (for example primary/elementary level)
• Non-academic credentials and short courses (for example Microsoft Excel training)
• Professional qualifications (for example chartered accountant designation such as the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA))
• Vocational or trades training (for example diesel mechanics program)
• Sikkim Manipal University Distance Education
• Credentials obtained in Canada
• Provisional credentials (IQAS requires the final degree certificate; a letter from the issuing institution is not accepted)
• Incomplete credentials
5. Will IQAS assess my credentials?
IQAS cannot tell you if your if your education will be recognized before receiving and assessing your application. The required application materials must be carefully reviewed, researched and verified prior to a decision. There is no exception from this rule.
6. Can you confirm if my educational institution is recognized/accredited?
IQAS cannot tell you if your institution and program is recognized/accredited before assessment is completed. Applicants should check whether their institution is recognized/accredited by the overseeing authority in the home country (for example: Ministry of Education) before submitting an application.
7. Which documents IQAS requires for my country of education?
IQAS requires specific documents for different countries. Review "How to Apply" and "Country-Specific Document Requirements" for an application for immigration purposes. Review "How to Apply" for an application for employment, education or licensure. Refer to the documents listed under "Required documents by country" to find out which documents you will need.
8. What if I cannot provide Educational Documents required by IQAS?
In order to ensure the accuracy, integrity, and authenticity of assessments, IQAS has specific document requirements for countries. Please review the "Country-Specific Document Requirements" for an application for immigration purposes. For an application for employment, education or licensure, refer to the documents listed under "Required Documents by Country" to find out which documents you will need. If you cannot provide educational documents required by IQAS, you may wish to not apply or wait until you are able.
9. What to do to ensure IQAS sends my assessment to professional licencing organization, post-secondary institution or employer?
If you are applying to a professional regulatory organization post-secondary institution or need the assessment sent directly to an employer, you must order a duplicate certificate. The initial hardcopy of the assessment is mailed to the applicant.
The following questions are answered below, scroll down to find an answer you need.
1. What should I do before I Apply?
2. How to apply?
3. What are important steps I need to take when applying for an ECA?
4. Which Credentials IQAS does not assess?
5. Will IQAS assess my credential?
6. Can you confirm if my educational institution is recognized/accredited?
7. Which documents IQAS requires for my country of education?
8. What if I cannot provide Educational Documents required by IQAS?
9. What to do to ensure IQAS sends my assessment to professional licencing organization, post-secondary institution or employer?
10. How to submit my online application?
11. What to do if a daily application limit is reached for ECAs?
12. How can I confirm that my documents were delivered to IQAS?
13. Do I have to mail my printed and signed application?
14. Why my digital transcripts are not processed yet?
15. What is the processing time and how to find my application status?
16. My file is in “Final Review”. What does that mean and when will I receive it?
17. Why is it taking so long to hear back from IQAS?
18. Why are some of my educational credentials not assessed (not on my IQAS assessment)?
19. Why is the IQAS assessment result different than another assessment agency?
20. Can I get a refund for my ECA?
1. What should I do before I Apply?
Read the IQAS website. There are instructions on how to apply for an assessment.
If you need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for immigration, do not apply for the IQAS assessment for employment, education or licensure, as Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Provincial Nominee Programs will not accept an assessment that is not an ECA.
IQAS accepts applications only through its online portal. To start the application process for employment, education, licensure, or immigration, you must first create an account.
2. How to apply?
Information is provided on IQAS' website at: How to Apply for immigration purposes and How to Apply for employment, education or licensure. Every applicant must follow the process outlined on the website – there are no exceptions.
3. What are important steps I need to take when applying for an ECA?
• Read carefully information on the IQAS website.
• Decide which credentials you want assessed – can only be completed or awarded formal academic and technical educational credentials from recognized institutions. Typically only your highest educational credential needs to be assessed for ECA.
• Gather needed documents and have them ready for when you apply online. You will need to upload copy of your educational certificate/degree, translations and passport identity pages. You will also need to make an online payment using Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Debit or Interac.
• Read carefully information on Country-Specific Document Requirements posted on the IQAS website.
• Request transcripts from the institution that issued your credential. An institution can provide electronic transcripts to IQAS or mail paper transcripts.
4. Which Credentials IQAS does not assess?
IQAS assesses credentials obtained through formal academic education from accredited educational institutions.
IQAS does not assess:
• Anything below the secondary/high school level (for example primary/elementary level)
• Non-academic credentials and short courses (for example Microsoft Excel training)
• Professional qualifications (for example chartered accountant designation such as the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA))
• Vocational or trades training (for example diesel mechanics program)
• Sikkim Manipal University Distance Education
• Credentials obtained in Canada
• Provisional credentials (IQAS requires the final degree certificate; a letter from the issuing institution is not accepted)
• Incomplete credentials
5. Will IQAS assess my credentials?
IQAS cannot tell you if your if your education will be recognized before receiving and assessing your application. The required application materials must be carefully reviewed, researched and verified prior to a decision. There is no exception from this rule.
6. Can you confirm if my educational institution is recognized/accredited?
IQAS cannot tell you if your institution and program is recognized/accredited before assessment is completed. Applicants should check whether their institution is recognized/accredited by the overseeing authority in the home country (for example: Ministry of Education) before submitting an application.
7. Which documents IQAS requires for my country of education?
IQAS requires specific documents for different countries. Review "How to Apply" and "Country-Specific Document Requirements" for an application for immigration purposes. Review "How to Apply" for an application for employment, education or licensure. Refer to the documents listed under "Required documents by country" to find out which documents you will need.
8. What if I cannot provide Educational Documents required by IQAS?
In order to ensure the accuracy, integrity, and authenticity of assessments, IQAS has specific document requirements for countries. Please review the "Country-Specific Document Requirements" for an application for immigration purposes. For an application for employment, education or licensure, refer to the documents listed under "Required Documents by Country" to find out which documents you will need. If you cannot provide educational documents required by IQAS, you may wish to not apply or wait until you are able.
9. What to do to ensure IQAS sends my assessment to professional licencing organization, post-secondary institution or employer?
If you are applying to a professional regulatory organization post-secondary institution or need the assessment sent directly to an employer, you must order a duplicate certificate. The initial hardcopy of the assessment is mailed to the applicant.