Get your proof of education
To apply for permanent residence, you must prove you’ve completed the minimum level of school required.
If your job offer is in a regulated industry, you may also need licensing or certification to work in Canada.
For education in Canada
The educational requirement depends on the job offer you’ve received:
- TEER 0 or 1: a Canadian one-year post-secondary (or higher) educational credential
- TEER 2, 3, or 4: a Canadian high school diploma (or higher)
- Some of these jobs may require a higher level of education than a high school diploma.
Include a copy of your diploma, certificate or degree with your application.
For education outside of Canada
You must get an educational credential assessment (ECA) for immigration. This is a report that shows that your foreign educational credential is real and equal to a Canadian one. ECAs are only valid for 5 years.
If you already have an ECA
If you want to use it for your permanent residence application, it must be:
- from a designated organization below
- less than 5 years old on the date you apply
- for immigration
- If you got another type of ECA, you may be able to get it re-issued by contacting the issuing organization.
The educational requirement depends on the job offer you’ve received:
- TEER 0 or 1: the foreign equivalent of a Canadian one-year post-secondary (or higher) educational credential
- TEER 2, 3, or 4: the foreign equivalent of a Canadian high school diploma (or higher)
- Some of these jobs may require a higher level of education than a high school diploma.
Check if your job needs more education
Who can assess your foreign credential
Most people must use one of these organizations to get an ECA:
- Comparative Education Service – University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies
- International Credential Assessment Service of Canada
- World Education Services
- International Qualifications Assessment Service
- International Credential Evaluation Service
Jobs that need a special ECA
If your job offer is in one of the National Occupation Classification (NOC) codes below, your ECA must be done by a special organization:
- Architects (NOC 21200): Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB)
- Doctors (NOC 31100, NOC 31101 or NOC 31102): Medical Council of Canada
- Pharmacists (NOC 31120): Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada
If your job offer is in a regulated industry
An ECA doesn’t guarantee you’ll be able to work at your regulated job in Canada.
It’s your responsibility to check if your job is regulated.
If it is, you need to go through the foreign credential recognition process before you can work in Canada.