If you have been planning on immigrating to Canada through a PR, one of the very first things that you need to get done is to get the ECA for Canada by getting your credentials evaluated and you need to zero in on an approved agency that would do it for you.
If you use the Express entry route, you can’t even start without this. And a lot of PNP streams use it as well.
When starting the ECA process for my credentials evaluation in Canada, I have done my homework on this. I have also talked to several immigrants to understand how the process went for them.
And I will keep on updating the article as and when I come across any new information.
So most of the times, no ECA = no Canada PR.In any case, if you want to immigrate to Canada, definitely read the article on visas for Canada.
Table of Contents
What is Canada Educational Credential Assessment & Why Do I Need it?
In a fair world, there would be no need for an educational credential assessment. But the thing is Canadian authorities have no idea whether what you have studied for in your college or university has an equivalent in Canada.
So they need to ensure that. And they need to ensure that whatever certificates and transcripts you have are legitimate and not from some phony university or something that you just bought from the internet.
Farmington university, anyone?
Now as an ECA compares your education to its Canadian equivalent, you don’t really need an ECA if you have studied in Canada. That’s obvious, right?
But if you have studied outside Canada, then getting an ECA is a must for your Canada PR.
How to Get Your ECA for Canada?
There are many organizations that you can use for educational credentials assessment in Canada.
But no matter which organization you choose, the evaluation process will begin only after you make the payment and they receive the necessary documents from you or your university.
ECAs are not needed for Canadian credentials.
You can get ECA reports from multiple ECA agencies like bachelors from one and Masters from another one.The credentials evaluation process itself can also take several weeks to several months.
Another factor is that the evaluation criteria can change from time to time. So if you are expecting a certain kind of evaluation as per your credentials, you might apply with a different evaluating body, if you don’t get it from the first one you apply with.
At the end of the day, the ECA outcome depends on the evaluating body. While you can follow the guidelines and expect an outcome, no one can really predict it for you.1. World Education Services – WES
WES website: https://www.wes.org/
ECA Fees:-
200 CAD for any number of credentials and 100 CAD for upgrade + Courier charges
Canada ECA Processing Time:-
35 days from the day all the documents are accepted.
WES Degree Equivalency Tool:-
https://applications.wes.org/ca/degree-equivalency-tool/
You can use the WES degree equivalency tool to check what your degree is equivalent to.
2. International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS)
IQAS Website:
http://work.alberta.ca/immigration/international-qualifications-assessment-service.html
ECA Fees:-
200 CAD for any number of credentials and 100 CAD for upgrade + Courier charges
Canada ECA Processing Time:-
23 weeks from the day all the documents are accepted.
3. International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES)
ICES Website: https://www.bcit.ca/ices/eca/
ECA Fees:-
200 CAD for each credential.
Canada ECA Processing Time:-
20 weeks from the day all the documents are received.
4. Comparative Education Service (CES)
CES website: https://learn.utoronto.ca
ECA Fees:-
210 CAD for each credential + Courier charges/Order for softcopy or free of cost for pickup at university of toronto office option
Canada ECA Processing Time:-
90 days from the day all the documents are accepted.
5. International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS)
ICAS Website: https://www.icascanada.ca/home.aspx
ECA Fees:-
200 CAD for any number of credentials + Courier charges
Canada ECA Processing Time:-
30 weeks from the day all the documents are received.
6. Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC)
PEBC Website: https://www.pebc.ca/index.php/ci_id/3116/la_id/1.htm#FSWP
ECA Fees:-
100 CAD for any number of credentials + Courier charges
Canada ECA Processing Time:-
8 weeks from the day all the documents are received
7. Medical Council of Canada (MCC)
MCC Website: https://physiciansapply.ca/services/educational-credential-assessment/
ECA Fees:-
111 CAD for any number of credentials + Courier charges
Canada ECA Processing Time:-
14 business days for the soft copy and 8 weeks for the hard copy from the day all the documents are received
So, Why WES is the Best ECA for Canada Immigration?
Believe me, I am not saying this because I used WES for my Canada ECA or because I have a special place in my heart for them. Go and you ask around. Most immigrants would tell you that WES is the best ECA for Canada immigration.
WES is by far the most popular organization to get an educational credential assessment in Canada.
The reason is simple.
They have the most efficient processing time, and they don’t charge any more than the other agencies.
Unless you are a doctor or pharmacist, WES should be your first choice. So if you have been wondering about the best ECA for Canada immigration, then it will be WES without any doubts.
Now, of course, there might be scenarios where you should consider other agencies so that you can accumulate more CRS points for Canadian immigration.
In this article, I will tell you how to do a WES evaluation for credentials along with how I did it.
Here is the procedure to apply ECA for Canada on WES.
1. Create an Account on WES Portal
Create your account on WES’s official website by visiting it. Make sure to choose Canada as the country where you will use your evaluation since WES also does ECA for the United States.
After choosing Canada, you would further be prompted to choose the purpose.
WES Standard Application
This is for people who want to study in Canada and get a Canadian license and as such. So if you want to get a study visa for example, you would need this.
ECA Application for IRCC
This is the most common one used by people who want to immigrate to Canada using express entry or PNP route. IRCC Canada is the Government entity handling all these. Most of you would be choosing this option.
ECA Application for Agri-Food Pilot:
You need to used this only for Agri-Food Pilot project
In my case, I chose ‘ECA Application for IRCC’ and click on ‘Start Application’.
You will be prompted to fill in your personal details, date of birth etc on the next page, after which you can create the account.
If You make a mistake of choosing the wrong evaluation type, and made the payment, you can contact WES through their contact us page using your reference number and request them to change the evaluation type.
2. Provide Mailing Address to World Education Services
Once you create WES account, you would need to provide the mailing address and phone number. This address is where WES would send your ECA hard copy. While the hard copy is not necessary to have, it can be useful in many scenarios.
3. Provide Education for WES Evaluation
This is the most important step where you would need to provide your educational details.
Now, IRCC Canada only asks applicants to submit only their highest completed credential for an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). However, this doesn’t apply to Indians. Check the section on Indians for the detailsThis means if you have a Master’s and Bachelors, you would want to get the Masters evaluated and not the Bachelors. But for certain countries like India, this comes with a caveat.
If you have Master of Education, Master of Engineering, Master of Philosophy, or Master of Technology in India, then you don’t need to evaluate the Bachelor. In all other cases, you do.
Click on ‘Add Credential” to fill out your educational qualifications. Have your certificate in front of you when you do this step so that you don’t make any mistakes.
In my case, I had done a Bachelors only, so I chose that. I filled out the name of my institution, and name of the certificate as well as the years I attended the degree.
If your institute is not listed, you can enter it manually.
Once you complete adding one credential, you can add any other credential. So after adding bachelors, you can add the Masters as well.
Usually, most of the people would choose University Education and then Bachelor’s or Master’s or Ph.D.
The type of education would have different options depending on where you finished your education.
For many countries like the Philippines, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, United States of America, you would choose ‘Higher Education’, rather than ‘University Education’.
Name of Diploma/Certificate
The name of Diploma/Certificate should be exactly as your certificate says.
Common examples:-
- Bachelor of Technology
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Philosophy
- Master in Business
- Master in Science
4. Confirm the Recipients for Credential Assessment in Canada
Once you finish adding your educational details for Canada ECA on WES, you can select the recipients who would receive the ECA. By default, WES would send the educational credential assessment report to
- you, the applicant
- IRCC Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Now if you want, you can add more recipients from the approved list of WES. For example, if you want the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program to receive your ECA, you can select it there. There are various state governments that you can choose as well.
So, if you plan to apply to a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) in Canada, do add the program as a recipient. In any case, you can also add PNP recipients later.
This will cost you extra.
Once you confirm the list of recipients, you can see what all WES would provide.
It will provide
- A PDF soft copy of education evaluation for Canada immigration to you
- ECA report for IRCC Canada electronically
- Official paper report for you
- Electronic storage for your report
After this, you can choose Standard Mail through Canada Post or International Courier that comes with tracking. If you ask me, choose Standard Mail since the hard copy again is not necessary and it costs significantly less.
5. WES Requirements for Evaluation of Degree in Canada
Pay extra attention to this page to understand what documents are exactly needed and how they should be submitted for the WES evaluation in Canada.
The document requirements and submission will greatly vary depending on where you finished your education.
- You might or might not need to upload a copy of your certificate.
- You might be able to get the official transcripts from the university and courier them to WES in a sealed envelope.
- Your university would need to courier the official transcripts to WES and not you.
- Your university would email or send the transcripts electronically for WES evaluation and there won’t be any need for the hard copies to be couriered.
In my case, I had graduated in India. WES needed me to upload my degree certificate and my university to send the official attested transcripts.
Upload Degree Certificate
Upload a clear, legible photocopy of the final or provisional degree certificate in ‘My Account’.
Send the Official Attested Transcripts from the University
Here is the thing. The official transcripts are not college-issued mark sheets/result cards. An official transcript would include
- all subjects/papers taken
- marks earned for each year of study
- your university student identification number
Your university would need to attest these documents, and send them directly to WES in a sealed envelope that is signed or stamped across the back flap by the appropriate authentication officer of the university.
If the documents are being sent by standard Mail or courier, make sure to
- include the WES reference number that you would get after paying WES evaluation fees. This reference number should be on each envelope and document that you submit to WES.
- not to send your original documents unless they are specifically requested by WES.
All documents must be mailed to WES. WES does NOT accept documents delivered in person.
Before making the payment, you can verify all your information and check the WES evaluation fees.
In my case, it was $230 CADs.
6. Pay WES Evaluation Fees
There are three ways to pay WES evaluation fees.
- Credit card
- Cheque/money order
- Western Union Money Transfer
Now, credit card is definitely the fastest way to make the payment.
Once you submit the payment, you would see the success message with the WES reference number. They will also send you a confirmation email.
7. Upload Documents for WES Evaluation
For me, the first step was to upload a copy of my certificate for credential assessment in Canada. Skip this step if you don’t need to do it.
For this, you would need to visit the ‘My Accounts’ section and upload it there.
Before you upload, here are the rules.
- Upload only PDF or JPEG files. Do not password-protect your PDF.
- The maximum file size is 10 MB.
- You can upload a total of 20 files. Please consider combining several pages into one file if they are related.
- Only upload correct, clear, legible documents. Your documents cannot be deleted once they are uploaded.
- Do not upload academic transcripts or mark sheets, upload is available only for degree certificates and translations.
8. Transcript Submission WES Degree Evaluation
This is where things get tricky. Especially if your university doesn’t have a mechanism to send the documents electronically or for you to ask them to send the transcripts.
News flash: A lot of the universities don’t, especially the ones in developing countries.
So, in this case, you would need to make a trip to your university or college or both, fill out some forms, get some signatures, pay the fees and possibly pull some strings for the university to send the transcripts in a sealed envelope.
WES sealed envelope
This is how a WES sealed envelope looks like. It should always have the WES reference number and the return address of your university, and contain the official transcripts.
9. WES Receives Your Transcripts
Once WES receives your transcripts, the status of your application would change. And you will receive an email from WES on the same.
Here is the email I received from WES.
10. Receive the ECA from WES
Once the evaluation is complete, you can see it in the WES portal.
You would see the notification that they have sent Canada evaluation report to IRCC and view it electronically and download it as well.
Here is mine.
WES Address in Canada
You or your educational institution would need the WES address in Canada when sending your official transcripts. Here is the address.
World Education Services
Attention: Documentation Center
102-2820 14th Avenue
Markham, ON L3R 0S9
Canada
Make sure to mention the WES Reference No. above the address when sending transcripts.
How Long is WES ECA Canada Processing Time ?
WES usually takes 35 business days or less to complete the credential assessment in Canada. And this is after the receipt, review, and approval of all documents, and payment in full.
If additional research, correspondence, or verification is required, the degree evaluation in Canada will take longer.
That being said, people have received it in a week or two as well.
How Long is Canada ECA Valid?
ECA for Canada is valid for 5 years.
Does WES Refund after Payment?
So there are some cases where WES can refund your evaluation fees, especially when they haven’t received the transcripts from your university and haven’t initiated the real evaluation.
For example, let’s say you thought they would give you Master’s equivalency for an MBA and you made the payment. Then you realized that you would get a Bachelor’s only and you are better off with CES or IQAS.
In this case, you might a successful refund from WES as long as they haven’t received the transcripts.
Upgrading Your ECA for Canada
It is possible to upgrade your ECA to reflect a new degree. So for example, if you got your bachelors evaluated and then two years later, you did a Masters, you can upgrade your credentials assessment so that you get the CRS points for the Masters.
This will cost you extra and the university or you need to send the transcripts of the new degree.
Understanding the ECA Report
ECAs for some degrees are fairly easy to interpret and for some, it’s a little tricky. Especially with integrated courses and Master’s, I have found that the reports might not give you a clear idea of what’s going on.
The best way to interpret the report is to visit the ECA interpretation on the official Canadian government website.
Select the points system as comprehensive raking system and then check the Canadian equivalency and the points associated with them.
Link:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/education-assessed/read-report.html
ECA for Cananda in India
If you are planning on doing ECA for Canada from India, then there are certain things that you need to take into consideration.
Any Indian applicant who is sending in a master’s degree or postgraduate diploma to get assessed also has to send their bachelor’s degree.
Exceptions:
Indians with a Master of Education, Master of Engineering, Master of Philosophy, or Master of Technology degree. Also, Indians who have a Ph.D. do not need to send a bachelor’s or master’s degree for evaluation.
ECA for Masters in another Country + Bachelors in India
If you have done your Masters from a western country like the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany etc, and your Bachelor’s from India, in that case, you need to get the Master’s evaluated only.
In this case, there is no need to mention your Bachelor’s.
However, note that whether you will get a Master’s from a foreign university would entirely depend on the course you have studied and your university. The only difference is that you don’t need to get your Bachelor’s evaluated.
ECA for Indian MBA
If you have done MBA in India (distance or full-time), then doing the credential evaluation through WES is probably not the best idea unless it is from IIM or IIT.
Is MBA considered a Master Degree in Canada?
WES assesses all Indian MBAs as PostGraduate Diploma of one year (Since June 2018) apart from PGDM from IIMs and IITs.
So if you have done your MBA from any university other than IITs/IIMs, then try to use CES or IQAS or any other agency (not WES) for your evaluation, since a Masters assessment gives you more CRS points.
Is Integrated MBA valid for Canada PR?
Yes, it is. If you have done an integrated MBA like B.Tech+MBA for 5 years, I would strongly recommend you to use IQAS for your evaluation to get a Master’s.
Is Distance MBA considered Masters in Canada?
Yeah, Canada doesn’t really care if your MBA is in Masters like some other countries. So don’t worry about it.
Indian Chartered Accountant Equivalent in Canada
WES is the only agency that evaluates Chartered Accountant or CA degrees in India. And it evaluates it as a 3-year bachelor’s.
Indian Masters Degree Equivalent in Canada
If you have done your Master’s in technology or arts or any other streams ( not MBA), in that case, your evaluation will vary depending on the Canada credentials evaluation agency.
| Masters in India | Canada Degree Evaluation |
| M. Tech, MCA, M.E., M.Ed. | Masters |
| M. Sc/M. Com/M.A | Masters by ICES & IQAS. Other agencies might consider it Post Graduate diploma or Bachelors |
Canada Evaluation for MCA
MCA or Master of Computer Application is treated as a Masters for Canada. But keep in mind that you need to get the bachelor’s evaluated in this case as well. So for example, if you did BCA and then MCA, you need them both to be evaluated.
ECA for Ph.D. in India
WES does evaluate the Ph.D. as equivalent to a Canadian earned Doctorate. The question is whether you would need to evaluate just the Ph.D. or the other degrees as well.
I have known people who have evaluated B. A + M.A+ Ph.D., although they had to evaluate all 3 degrees in one application. Then there are those who only had to evaluate the Ph.D.
I believe this depends on your stream. If your Master’s can’t be evaluated independently, in that case you would have to evaluate the bachelor and master.
Diploma Degree Equivalent in Canada-Lateral Entry
A common question is how the Canada credential evaluation will look like if you have done a diploma(usually 3 years) and then got into a degree on the basis of that diploma. This is common with lateral entries to Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) or Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.).
You would need to evaluate both diploma and degree in this case, not just degree, which means you need to send the transcripts for both separately. And you might as well need to send a letter from the university stating that the admission to B.tech was provided on grounds of completion of a Diploma in the similar or same field.
You would be creating one single application and making one single payment.If you are applying on WES, you can choose technical education for Diploma and university education for bachelor’s.
Usually, the Canadian equivalency, in this case, would be a 2-year diploma + 4 years degree.
And you would get points for two or more degrees.
Post Graduate Diploma Equivalent in Canada
If you have done a Post Graduate or Post Graduate Diploma after the Bachelors, then it will be considered as a PG diploma only.
BALLB – Professional or Not?
An LLB followed by B.A. or B.Com. is usually considered as a professional degree only, although there have been reports of WES evaluating it as a dual bachelors.
So if you want to get the ECA for BALLB, it’s worth trying with IQAS or CES. That way you get a professional degree and your points would be equivalent to a Master’s.
Blacklisted Indian Universities by ICES
ICES maintains a list of universities that are blacklisted due to non-compliance, lack of quality measures and fraudulent practices and more, even though they might be recognized by the UGC.
Here is the list of blacklisted Indian universities by ICES.
What to Do if Your University is not Listed?
As all the evaluating bodies are different, if your university is not listed in one of the evaluating bodies, you can check whether it is there in any other. For example, if your university doesn’t show up on WES, check on CES or IQAS etc.
WES Evaluation for Indians
WES is definitely one of the most preferred agencies to use for your credential evaluations. But you do need to understand a few things before going for WES evaluation.
Indian Degrees That Are not Evaluated by WES
WES does not evaluate education in
- Ayurveda
- Unani
- Siddha indigenous medical systems.
Dual Bachelors Degree
In some cases, you might receive a dual bachelor’s, especially with law degrees. For example, if you did two bachelors at the same time.
However, in IRCC, you would need to fill out Bachelors only. You cannot select 2 degrees.
Indian Degrees with Lateral Entry
If you were a lateral entry into the second year (or third semester) of a Bachelor of Technology or Bachelor of Engineering, in that case you must also provide documentation for prior study, e.g. Diploma in Engineering from a State Board of Technical Education.
You Can’t Send Transcripts, the University Can.
From Indians, WES only accepts official transcripts issued, attested, and sealed directly from the university. You, the applicant, or third-party agents can’t send these documents.
College-issued mark sheets/result cards are not accepted by WES unless from an autonomous college.
You can check the official list of autonomous colleges in India here.
IQAS vs WES: Which is Faster & Better?
If you are talking about which is faster, then WES is no doubt faster than IQAS or any other agency.
But if you are talking about getting the best bang for your buck, there are situations where IQAS surely trumps WES.
For example, if you have done an MBA or PGDM, your chances of getting a Master’s equivalent are way better through IQAS or any other agency, but WES.
WES is quite picky when it comes to Master’s and MBA, so you really need to find alternatives if you want to get a Master’s equivalent for your Master’s or MBA or PGDM.
People have been able to get their MBA evaluated in IQAS within 60 days or less without any followups.
And coming to Indians, in most cases, except for an MBA from prestigious institutes like IIMs and IITs, WES will evaluate it as PGDM.
Hi! I would like to inquire if I could apply for Two or more Bachelor’s degree, if I received a WES assessment of Dual Bachelor Degree (4 years)? I have two Bachelor of Science degrees, but finished it in the same duration and same school. I’m not sure if IRCC would accept if I selected this option. Thank you!
Hi Kris,
WES does give out Dual Bachelors, so I think it is possible that you receive the same. You can send a message to WES through contact us and explain it. They will help you better.
In IRCC, you would need to fill out Bachelors only. You cannot select 2 degrees.
Hi, I need to evaluate my MBA for Express entry. I have done MBA 2years From Punjabi University followed by Btech 3years(Lateral entry) from PTU + 3 years Polytechnic diploma.
I have already applied to WES for MBA only. My concerns are :
1) Do i need to ask them to add credentials of btech and diploma ?
2) do i need to send Btech transcripts only with MBA transcripts or diploma transcripts also should be sent.
3) if I don’t send my btech and diploma transcripts, will they evaluate on MBA ?
Please guide i am quite confused what should i do ?
Hi Parminder,
As far as I know, you would need to get both the bachelor’s and master’s evaluated. You need to send transcripts for your Bachelors and Masters. This would be done in a single application with one single payment. I don’t think you would need to evaluate the diploma.
These things can cause delays in future. Since you have already applied, you can get in touch with them.
Hi Deb,
Thank you for the detailed explanation. This was very helpful.
However, I have one doubt. What if my college is one of the Blacklisted colleges by ICES. Can i still apply for the document evaluation and will it be accepted by WES?
If not, please guide me on what can be the further process.
Thank you.
Hi Maneesha,
Thanks for stopping by. If your college is blacklisted by ICES, you can definitely try through WES or IQAS. As long as it is not blacklisted there, no issues.
I have completed my 3yrs Bachelor of Computer Applications degree and 3 years Masters of Computer Applications degree and i want to know the level of equivalency of my MCA according to Canada if i will apply for ECA through WES?
Hi Tarsem,
WES evaluates MCA as Masters. So go for it.
thank you so much bro for your help … plz tell me is it enough to send MCA for assessment or i need to send both BCA and MCA ????
Hi Tarsem,
You would need to send both BCA & MCA.
Hi Deb Pati,
plz tell me while uploading documents on WES account after paying fees to WES is it enough to upload only the DEGREE Certificates of both BCA and MCA or i have to upload marksheets of BCA ( all three years) and MCA (6 semesters) ?????
Hi Tarsem,
The degree certificate will be fine.
Hi Deb,
I am really thankful to you , i got the WES evaluation of my MCA degree as a MASTERs …
Happy to hear that Tarsem.
Hi Deb Pati , I want do ECA through WES and for that I have to do transcript verification from GNDU University Amritsar and I am applying for it online on GNDU website but I was stuck at a point they are asking to add a foreign address and I am confused which address I have to put any CANADIAN UNIVERSITY address or WES address ?
Hi Tarsem,
The foreign address would be the address of WES, if they would need to send the physical transcripts to WES. Not any Canadian university. And if they would send them electronically, the foreign address is not really necessary.
Thanks Deb Pati ….
Hi Deb,
First of all, thanks for detailing the steps. Great job! Keep it up!
My question is related to ECA. What will be the ECA (Canada equivalent) for someone who studied in India and completed 10+2+2 academic years (i.e. 2 years of Bachelors Degree in general category under old curriculum after completing 10+2 from school)? I have seen ECA done for 3 years and above for Bachelors Degree, but not for 2 years Bachelors Degree (University of Calcutta) which used to prevail prior to 2016.
Looking forward to hear from you.
Thank you.
Hi Arup,
Thank you for your kind words.
Honestly, I didn’t even know that 2-year Bachelor’s was a thing. Always thought it was for 3 years or more.
I would recommend you to get in touch with WES. If they say that it won’t be a Bachelor’s, please try with IQAS. IQAS has a very good understanding of the Indian education system.
Okay. Thanks Deb. Appreciate your help.
I wish I would know. Would really appreciate if you could update once you know.
Hello
can anyone clarify my doubt, i did M.tech(IT) from IKG PTU and B.tect as well from the same university. Also i was lateral entry student i also need to get ECA for my diploma or only for B.tech and M.tech.
Hi Shikha,
Had you done the bachelor’s only, then you would need to get the diploma and bachelors assessed. But you also did an M.Tech.
The good news is that Indians with M.Tech don’t need to get their bachelor’s assessed. So you can just get the M.Tech assessed. You should be awarded a Master’s for that.
Hello Deb,
You have been a helpful hand on this trend, please do not stop helping people, especially when it is needed urgently.
My question is that; is it possible to claim ‘two or more certificate’ for a diploma in Midwifery (a 3 years program) coupled with a bachelor’s degree in Nursing ( a 5 years program)?
Hi Odekunle,
Thanks for your kind words.
See, your highest degree is what matters. So if you have a bachelor’s, you need to get the ECA done for that only. So only the nursing in your case. There is no need to get it for the diploma unless yours was a lateral entry or not through regular mode. Also depends on the country you passed from.
Hi Deb,
I found this blog really helpful. Thanks for making the process look simple and clear. I have a question I have done a 3 years (Bachelors of Art (Honors) Economics) and 2 year Master in Business Administration – Human Resources. As I have read on your blog too that if anyone has done Masters from India then they should get ECA done via CES as they would treat this as Masters.
Question I have is Do I need to get both Bachelors and Masters evaluated via CES. As lot to place I read that we just need to get the highest degree evaluated. Can you please guide as should I get both bachelors and Masters evaluated from CES or just Masters.
Hi Adi,
Thank you.
You need to get both Bachelor and Master evaluated.
For Indians, only when it is a Master of Education, Master of Engineering, Master of Philosophy, or Master of Technology, there is no need to evaluate the Bachelor.
If I wish to get a Canadian PR and study there which WES application do I choose? the one for IRCC or standard application?
Hi Sushma,
WES standard is for a study visa ( universities asks for it ).
The ECA for IRCC is for Canada immigration or PR. So it depends on what you want to do first.
I have completed my 4 yrs Bachelor degree of Textile Technology under Dhaka University Bangladesh I want to know the level of equivalency of my degree according to Canada if i will apply for ECA through WES ? Thanks in advance
Hi Razib,
You can check that on https://applications.wes.org/ca/degree-equivalency-tool/
Hi Deb,
I got an Email from my University which in the Remarks below and I want to confirm that they sent the documents electronically or by post plz tel me about that??
Remarks: Digital copy of transcript has been sent to World Education Services. After 10-15 days status would be update on your account of World Education Services.
Hi Tarsem,
That means your university sent the transcripts electronically.
Hi Deb,
Thank you for such an amazing detailed out article , this is of great help!
Appreciate it 🙂
Question: I have done my Masters of Science in Information technology from mumbai university. So in order to receive a masters equivalent where do i apply my ECA from as you mentioned WES wont accept it as masters?
I am planning to apply for PR visa so as to increase my points which would be preferable and best option if not WES?
Thank you!
Hi Ted,
Thank you for your kind words.
If you have a Masters of Science, you can go through ICES or IQAS. They will treat it as Masters.
Hi Deb,
Thank you for such an amazing detailed out article , really appreciate it.
Question: I have done Integrated B.Tech(CSE) and MBA, a full-time course of 5 years. So can you guide me that will i be bachelor’s or master’s equivalent or if i am even eligible for this. If yes, where do i apply my ECA.
It would be really helpful.
Thank you!
Hi Rahul,
I would strongly recommend going with IQAS for integrated course evaluation to get a Masters.
Hi Deb
I have done B.Sc (Zoology honours) and M.Sc (Zoology) from Delhi University.I also did B.Ed from Guru Govind Singh Indraprastha University.All these were regular full time courses.After this, I did Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management (PGDBM) from IMT ( centre for distance learning), Ghaziabad.I want to apply for Canadian PR . Will I be considered Masters from WES?
Hi Anuja,
Try to do it with IQAS or CES. WES would not evaluate your PGDM as Masters.
Hi. Thanks for replying. I actually have three degrees –
BSc, MSc and PGDBM. When I check in the evaluation tool, it takes a year away from my MSc and combines it to my BSc to consider it as a four year Bachelor and then consider MSc as one year of Graduate study. Now if I add my PGDBM degree to the mix and even if it does not consider it a standalone Master degree, will it add it to my MSc one year Graduate study and the combined years can then be considered equivalent to a Master degree?
You can definitely try and check the WES equivalency tool if you want to take the WES route. I have provided the link in the article. But I would still strongly suggest IQAS if you want to get a Master’s. I believe WES might award you dual bachelors.
Hi Deb,
Thank you for your detailed article.
Im planning apply for Canada PR. I have Masters of Science from United Kingdom and Bachelors of Technology from Indian University, do I need to get the both certificates evaluated in WES? Please suggest
Hi Subash,
Thanks for stopping by.
You can mention the Masters of Science from the United Kingdom when filing for the evaluation. No need to mention anything related to Bachelors. Just get the Masters evaluated.
Hi Deb,
Thanks for the detailed article. really great info.
I have one query here,
My wife is M.Tech and she is the main applicant for Canada. My question is
1. If We want to claim the spouse point as well, Do I also need to do ECA for my degrees? or only doing my wife’s degree ECA is fine.
2. I Have done full time B.Tech and done Mtech from BITS pilani In correspondence (WILP program). does My MT.ech will be considered Equivalent to masters degree by WES ?
Hi Shailesh,
Thanks for stopping by.
1. Yes, if you want to claim spouse points, you need to get the ECA done as well. That’s the proof.:)
2. I do believe the M.Tech program would be considered Master’s by WES. I think the certificate doesn’t say anything about correspondence or online, right? But feel free to recheck in the WES equivalency tool. I have given the link in the article.
Hi Deb,
Thank you so much for the detailed explanation. I am from Pakistan and recently got my Masters degree evaluated from WES. They have evaluated my degree however the problem is, they have considered my degree as 4 years Bachelors equivalent. What should I do in this scenario as I am losing points for epxress entry.
Regards,
Atif
Hi Atif,
Unfortunately this is common when it comes to WES & Masters. You can apply with IQAS or CES.
Hi Deb,
Thank You for the detailed article!
My spouse is the primary Applicant. He has a B.Com (Bachelor in Commerce) and MBA from SRM University, Chennai. I have a B Tech Degree. Is it better if we do both of our Bachelors from WES and his MBA from CES/IQAS? Or should we do the entire thing(3 sets of credentials) from one place?
Hi Hazel,
I think the first approach would be better even though it might take a bit longer. He should definitely be able to get the points for the Masters from CES/IQAS.
i already have wes eca, can i aplly for another eca through IQAS?
Yes you can.
Hi, I have done my Masters of Engineering from Canada and my Bachelor of Engineering from India. Do I need to go for WES evaluation for my bachelors from India for application of express entry?
Hi Krunal,
I don’t think so. Since your Master’s is from Canada, you should be fine.
Hey Deb,
Just 2 words to describe your explanation: Awesome and Satisfactory, i have never come across such a detailed, easy to understand and to the point information for ECA.
I came across this because I did my evaluation through WES for BE (EC) + MBA full time and from WES I got Bachelor’s degree (four years) and postgraduate diploma (one year) response,
I am applying for PR and having 10 years of work experience (34 year age)
As mentioned in your post i should go with IQAS for getting Masters in ECA, but do you have any example or know anybody who got Master through IQAS recently, just asking so that i can decide to take risk as cost involved in it.
also do I have to evaluate both BE and MBA or only MBA evaluation is enough by considering WES for BE
Hi Appu,
Thanks a lot for your kind words.
Yes, I do know people who got a Master’s for MBA through IQAS after getting PGDM through WES.
You can go for only an MBA evaluation for IQAS. You can try Truecopy to send your transcripts rather than postal.
Firstly i would say Awesome article👍👍
Can you please guide me?I have done bca and mca from different universities ,so i need to evaluate both degrees from wes with both degree certificates?
Hi Minakshi,
Thanks.
Yes, you would need to get both of them evaluated.
Hi deb,
I really appreciate your clear cut answers for all the queries above
In my case i have two bachelor degrees and one masters MBA
and first bachelor degree is incomplete and i want to apply with second one which is BA.English distnace have completed on the same year as MBA that means b.a and mba have completed on the same year will i get through IQAS?
Hi Shihad,
I have never come across a scenario like this. I would request you to get in touch with IQAS or CES and see what they respond. Ideally, a Master’s can start only after a Bachelor’s is finished. In your case, they both have the same year of completion. So there lies the dilemma. The distance part doesn’t really matter.
Hello. Never seen such a detailed post on ECA like this one. So thank you for that.
My question : I have a BA.LLB degree from India. And I am yet to start my maters from canada this year. I just want to get my ECA done before hand for me to apply for PR later as it will be valid for 5 years. Where do you suggest I get it from ? WES or IQAS or CES, in order for me to get a masters rather than a dual bachelors ? Since I am in no hurry, I don’t mind the time it takes. Also are IQAS and CES valid for 5 years too ( in case I apply for PR next year or next to next year ) ?
Hi Ari,
Thank you.
Since you would be doing your Master’s in Canada and you are in no hurry, why not apply with the Masters in Canada? You would get the required points easily, and no need to do the ECA since your education is from Canada.
That being said, you can try IQAS or CES for the 5 years BALLB. It would be evaluated as a professional degree, that can help you claim the points for Masters.
I have created an account in WES and paid the fees. But still I can’t see “Upload Documents” button on My Account page. It says wait for 15 minutes, but it has been over an hour and still can’t upload. Please suggest how much time it takes for the button to be enabled.
That’s news for me. I was able to upload maybe in 15-20 minutes or so.
Hi Deb,
Thanks for the detailed explanation. This helps a lot of us.
My spouse has done her B.A and M.A from Delhi University. We went for WES ECA and they evaluated her degrees as Bachelors and 1 year postgrad diploma. To gain points, we need Master’s equivalency.
Would like to know if CES would recognize her M.A as Master’s and should we just get her ECA for MA done or both MA and BA as they charge separately. Would you recommend IQAS over CES in this specific case.
Thanks
Hi Vatsal,
Your spouse will get a Master’s for M.A from IQAS. Definitely worth trying. Go for M.A only and try Truecopy.
Hello Sir,
I would like to know that I have done Master of Laws/LLM (2 years course), So in case of Master of Laws, Do I need to assess my Bachelor of Laws (3 years course) as well? And before LLB, I have studied Bachelor of Science (3 years course). Moreover, which ECA agency is good in my case for getting higher points in CRS Score?
Thank You.
Hi Mohit,
Yes you need to assess both Bachelor’s and Master’s. Try IQAS or ICES.
Hi
I have done BA.LLB (hons) from India and I want to get my ECA done for PR Application. I used the WES degree equivalency tool but it came out to be Bachelor degree 4 years. Please guide from where should I get ECA done in order to get Professional degree 100%
IQAS/CES.
Hi Deb,
I got my pgdm assessed by IQAS which they considered equivalent to university diploma instead or Masters. Now, i am thinking of getting my bachelor degree also assessed by WES so that i can claim 2 or more degree.
Is this the right approach??
Looking forward for your suggestions.
Hi Porav,
How will that help you really- having two degrees? And IQAS usually gives Masters for PGDM. I am quite surprised that you got a diploma.
I would recommend you to visit the ECA report interpretation link to understand it better. I have a section in the article that can help.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/education-assessed/read-report.html
Hi Deb,
What is the process for WES for a person with 2 Post Graduate Certificates from Canada, for applying PR?
Hello Deb,
This is one of the best articles i have come across regarding ECA, it can be quite confusing 😉
Kindly help me with this – I have a PGDM from AICTE approved institution of Delhi after my B Com(H) from DU. Recently i have also got my Advanced Diploma in Management accounting from CIMA UK. So could you help which evaluation agency should i choose so that my points are maximized. i have found that my CIMA diploma would be considered as 2nd Diploma (a 3 year one) so i believe i would be able to choose two post graduate diploma option during CRS and get good score or you would suggest to try with IQAS which might consider my (PGDM as Masters and i would be better off in CRS
Thanks in advance and keep doing the great job
Hi Monali,
Thank you for your kind words.
I believe it would be better to try IQAS and get a Master’s, rather than 2 diplomas.
Hi Deb,
Here is my scenario.
I have done BBA through distance education from a Tamilnadu based University. Then I did a 2 years MSc IT from Sikkim Manipal University (distance Mode). Here in SMU, based on my previous IT Vendor certification/course, I got entry directly into the 2nd semester (lateral entry) of MSc but I did write the 1st sem exam as well. Eventually I passed my all 4 semester papers of MSc within 1.5 years duration in the mid of 2011 Mid. After this, I took admission into Distance MCA (3 years course) directly into 3rd year (lateral entry based on 2 years MSc IT). It is a Tamilnadu based state university and I passed the MCA course just in 1 year. But since my admission into the MCA was a lateral entry & I studied only in the last year, my MCA university did not provide me any consolidated marks sheet. From my this MCA university, I have I have got only 3rd year marks sheet, + provisional & Original Degree certificates. If I go to WES for my Master degree ECA, then what are my chances ? Will my MCA Degree & last year marks sheet suffice or I will have to share my SMU degree as well ?
Hi Anyon,
It is possible to apply by providing two sets of mark sheets if you are a lateral entry. It would be similar to the diploma+degree type situation I take. But I don’t understand why you received only 3rd-year mark sheet. You might consider reaching out to WES and ask about their take on this before making the payment.
And since you have one Msc in IT, you might try IQAS or ICES for that one.
HELLO,DEB,
I am Swati, and I have done Ph. D. in HR and M.B.A. HR from India, I want to go for Immigration/PR, which ECA agency is good in my case for getting higher points, can I apply for ECA on my own without any agent/consultancy? I need to evaluate both degrees with both degree certificates? What is the process for WES for a person with Ph. D. and MBA, Certificates for applying PR?
Hi Swati,
You don’t need any agents for doing the ECA. If you have done a Ph.D., go for WES. Only the Ph.D. certificate will be fine. No need for an MBA certificate.
Follow all the steps mentioned in the article and you will be able to do it yourself.
Hi
Thank you for such an incredible post. I have two questions I am applying for Canada PR and I have done MA (1year course) from United Kingdom and another MA & BA Hons from India, what ECA should I choose Wes or icas and do i need to upload all of my BA and MAs. And my spouse did BDS (dentist) from India what shall I choose for him? Apologies for such a lengthy question.
Appreciate the help.
Hi Tania,
Thank you for your kind words.
For your spouse, for BDS, WES would be the best.
For you, please check https://applications.wes.org/ca/degree-equivalency-tool/ for the equivalency of your MA in the UK. If it’s not a masters, then try ICES or IQAS for your MA in India. You will get a Masters.
Hey
Thanks Deb for your immediate response. My UK degree is equivalent to Masters in Canada as per WES. Another little query: shall I only use my UK degree for evaluation and drop degrees from India because Wes is considering them graduate degrees. Or should I go for ices or iqas but they took ages in processing. What would you suggest? Thank you
Hi Tania,
I believe in that case, you can evaluate your UK degree through WES, and drop the degrees from India.
Hi Deb,
It was such good article and a explained with great finesse.
Just to put my last doubts to rest., if you cab suggest what agency to choose for ECA.
1. B.E from Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra .(Full Time)..4 years
2. MBA (Distance ) 2 years ….Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu
3. EPGDBM (Executive Postgraduate diploma in Bussiness managament (Part Time…2 years)..Symbiosis International University, Pune.
Which Agency , should I choose for getting maximun CRS score,or equivalency to Masters .
Can I choose differenet Agencies for diferent degrees here .
Sewk your expert opinion.
Thanks.
Hello Rajesh,
Thanks.
You can definitely choose different agencies for different degrees but I would recommend IQAS or ICES and get your MBA evaluated so that you can score the maximum points.
Thanks for your reply and necessary clarification.
Could you please also tell, Should I go only for ECA of only one Degree (Highest) i.e MBA through IQAS ?
Is it necessary to get Bachelors also evaluated by any Designated ECA Agency ?
Alternatively ,
If I get Masters for My MBA from IQAS, Should I still get my B.E evaluated for ECA ?
HELLO,
I have done BBA and MBA. Do i need to get ECA for both the degrees or only MBA?
Kindly suggest me the ECA body as well from which i should apply.
Hi Rajni,
You can go for only an MBA evaluation for IQAS. You can try Truecopy to send your transcripts rather than postal.
Hi Deb,
Can you tell us what is Truecopy and how will it help?
Thanks.
Hi Jot,
Truecopy is helpful for sending your transcripts. Check out their website to find more info.
Hi Deb, I have couple of questions regarding the documents requisition. As per the update i am required to upload my Masters(2 years) and Graduation(3 years) document. My question is
1. Do i just need to upload only one document(final or provisional) each on WES
2. I do not have transcripts, in my case could you let me know how many transcripts do i need to request my university to send to WES. I mean the total number of transcripts needed to be sent to WES by my university. My university is asking for the number of papers so that they can tell me the fees accordingly.
Awaiting your response!
Ansar
Hi Mohammed,
1. You would need to upload the final/provision degree certificate for each.
2. The university should send all the transcripts they have for both degrees. It should be a standard thing, right? Same for all the students. I am a little surprised that they are asking you. 🙂 Since it’s different for different universities, I can’t really say. But I assume if you have 5 mark sheets, there would be 5 transcripts.
Hi Deb, I have done B.tech-M.tech dual degree course in Computer Science from Jaypee noida from 2008-2013. The college issues two seperate degrees, one for mtech and one for btech. But they issue single transcript having 11 semesters. So which degree should i get evaluated and from which organization WES or IQAS?
Thanks in advance
Ayush
Hi Ayush,
In case you have an M. Tech, you don’t have to evaluate the B. Tech. IQAS will definitely award you a Master’s. You can check with WES whether they will. WES does evaluate normal M.Tech as a Master’s, but in case of an integrated degree, I am not 100% sure although my gut says they should. Please check and maybe you can update once you know. Would be helpful for people in future.
Hi Deb, WES evaluated both my degree correctly.
Perfect. That is great to hear Ayush.
Did you get ur both degrees bachelors and masters evaluated or only the bachelors? I have done dual degree integrated course in cse from NIT HAMIRPUR. Could you please help me too ?should i ho for WES pr any other agency?
Hey!
Should a Master in Science from IIT Dehli be evaluated through WES, I know someone who got it equivalent to a two years master’s degree for MSc from IIT Hyderabad by WES.
Yes, I have heard the same. But do check the WES equivalency tool and reach out to them before making the payment.
Hi Deb,
I have a follow up query to my earlier query dates 05 July.
If I get my MBA evaluated from IQAS and get Masters Credential for same.
Should I still get My B.E. evaluated by WEs or IQAS or CES ?
Hi Rajesh,
If you get your MBA evaluated from IQAS as a Master’s, that would be enough. No need to evaluate the B.E separately.
Thanks a lot.
Hi Deb,
I have a query regarding my WES report. I have done a 3 years bachelors degree in accounting and finance and have also attained membership in ACCA (4 years). I had got few exemptions in foundation papers of ACCA based on my prior bachelors degree. Initially I have created a WES profile for educational purpose (CPA Ontario) and the summary status had just showed bachelors degree of 4 years although both degrees were recognized but for ACCA, there was a remark about the exemptions. I now wanted my WES report for PR so I ordered a duplicate IRCC report as that was the only option available. However, the report is the same wherein I know of the candidates in the past who have received 2 bachelors degree doing the same course as mine.
I would really appreciate if you can suggest me what I should be doing? Can I create another WES profile with a new email id.
Your response in this matter will be highly appreciated.
Thank you
Hello,
I understand.
Do you mean creating a new log-in and applying for the evaluation again? I have heard people getting 2 bachelor’s in scenarios like this, so it’s worth a shot.
Hi Deb,
You have articulated it pretty well, thank you for the details. I have a query that I would like to put it out there.
I have a 3 year Bachelors degree (from an Indian University) and a Diploma in Marketing (1 year non-post graduate diploma from Welingkar Institute) and I intend to get these evaluated from WES.
For selection of the “Type of Education” for my diploma, there is not much clarity on which category to choose from the drop down list since it is not a post graduate diploma. The closest is the “Non University Post graduate diploma” however it does not seem to be the right one.
Both, the institute and the diploma are available in the drop down list however I’m not certain of the drop down choice in the “Type of Education”. Please advise.
Also, do you believe I will get points for the diploma under “two or more certificates, diplomas and degrees” while calculating my CRS, assuming WES considers it a diploma?
Thank you in advance.
Hi Ishita,
Do you mean you did the diploma from Welingkar before your bachelor’s? In that case, you can try the normal diploma. I believe you can get points for that.
Hello Deb,
Thank you for such an informative blog.
I had 3 years diploma in engineering and after 1 year of experience I joined DTU evening class for Btech(4 years) not lateral entry it’s a normal 4year course…. so I need to evaluate both certificates or only the Btech certificate?
Thank you in advance for your help…
Regards
Hi Shahrukh,
Since it’s a normal batch, I don’t think you need to evaluate the lateral degree. Only B. Tech would do.
Hi Deb,
Thanks for the detailed post, really helpful.
I have B.tech from Indian university and an MBA from Hongkong(18months).
Should I get my MBA evaluated from WES or IQAS to get Master’s.
Thank you in Advance.
Hi Suman,
Have you checked your MBA from Hong Kong in the WES equivalency tool? If it’s Master’s, then go for it.
Hi Deb Pati,
It will be appreciable if u could help me with uploading and sending hard copy documents on WES.
Do I need to only give my Master degree and transcript only OR also graduate transcript /Degree as I have done both from different universities.
Or else do I need to evaluate both degree separately.
Please help me so that i can apply and get ECA without any hassle.
Hi Irfan,
If you have a Master of Education, Master of Engineering, Master of Philosophy, or Master of Technology in India, then you don’t need to evaluate the Bachelor. In all other cases, you have to evaluate both.
Hai Deb,
I have masters from australia and bachelors from India do I need to assess both for Canada immigration
Hi Shashi,
No, assessing the Masters from Australia only would be fine.
Hello Deb,
My daughter, an Indian citizen, graduated from Ohio University, US in Bachelor of Fine Arts, performance and choreography in May 2021. Now she is preparing for IELTS for PR in Canada. Could you please guide how should I get her degree evaluated through WES?
An early revert would be very helpful.
Hi Nidhi,
She can get the WES evaluation done the same way mentioned in the article. And it would be much faster since most US universities send electronic transcripts. This process is different for different universities. So once she applies and makes the payment, she can ask the university to send the transcript electronically.
Hello Deb, I have completed my Masters in Commerce (M.Com) from Delhi university and B.com (Honors) from delhi university. I have completed both of these from regular college and have 1st division. Which organization should I go for evaluation? (I believe IQAS is not accepting any applications)
Also, I have a “Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting” from CIMA, UK – should I get this included in the evaluation as well?
Would appreciate your response. Thank you
Hi Swati,
Yes, IQAS is tricky these days but that would be your best option. If not, try ICES.
Have you checked the equivalency for the Advanced Diploma on WES or elsewhere? If you get Masters’s for your M.Com, then you won’t probably need it.
Hello Deb, I have completed my National Diploma(ND) 3 year and have completed my Higher National Diploma(HND) which WES asked me to fill the two certificates and send transcript for the two. What point will I have for certificates without spouse
Hi Qudus,
You would get some more points if you get the equivalency for your spouse.
hi Deb,
I have done both Diploma and B.Tech as a lateral entry by joining direct second year. After completion of HSc (12th) joined as lateral entry in Diploma.
So, now I have to submit my both B.Tech and Diploma transcript for WES.
1. Since I joined as lateral entry in Diploma, do I need to submit any other supporting document?
2. What will be the Canadian equivalent for Diploma and B.Tech.
Hi Karthik,
1. I think only the diploma transcript would do the trick.
2. Usually, the Canadian equivalency, in this case, would be a 2-year diploma + 4 years degree.
Hi Deb,
I am an IMG physician with three years of experience as a family physician. I studied an MSc in Public Health in Canada. Now I am going to apply for PR through BC Express entry by a provincial nominee certificate (International postgraduate).
As I do not intend to practice as a physician in Canada for now, and the MCC process is expensive and time-consuming, can I request my MCA only by WES?
Hi Armin,
If you are a practicing physician, it must be evaluated by MCC. But from your comment I believe, you are not practicing anymore and don’t intend to. So in that case, I believe you can do it through WES. But do check with them before making the payment.
Hi Deb,
I had done my Bachelor degree evaluation with WES before one year and I would like to add my Master degree now. As my Bachelor degree evaluated before should I do it again?.
Hello Anthony, I don’t think you need to evaluate it again.
Hi Deb,
1. I completed 3 years full time Diploma in Computer Engineering from Board of Technical Education Delhi.
2. I also completed B.A (Pass) from DU through correspondence.
3. Finally i completed Master in Computer Application 3 years distance learning from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & technology.
Please suggest should i opt for WES or IQAS for ECA for Canadian PR ?
Will my MCA degree considered as Canadian Masters equivalent by WES/IQAS?
Do i need to get ECA done for all Diploma, Bachelors Degree & Master Degree?
Thanks
Hi Praveen,
WES would consider the MCA as Masters only. You do need to evaluate the bachelor for MCA. I understand that you did the MCA based on the B.A degree, which means it was for 3 years as well. In that case, you can evaluate B.A and the MCA.
I have 3 years M.Div. (Master of Divinity) degree from the Global School of Open Learning, Centre for Global Leadership Development, accredited by Asia Theological Association (ATA). In this case, ATA is like the university, but ATA does not send transcripts. It’s the college (GSOL)that will send transcripts to WES but in sealed envelope etc. My question does WES assess such theological/spiritual degrees? Also, will it understand that ATA does not send transcripts but only college? Also, it’s a 3 years masters. Will it be accepted as such?
Hi George,
I really don’t have an answer to your question. I have never heard about this Master’s. You could check the WES equivalency tool and maybe reach out to them and ask about your specific degree.
The 3 year Masters might be accepted as well as the transcripts from the college. However, I don’t think WES will award it as Masters even if they recognize it.
Try IQAS as well.
Hello sir,
I am a dentist and I sent photocopies of my degree with mark sheets through my university in 2019 for IRCC evaluation . Evaluation was complete within a month…the status show complete .on opening my report,there are grade evaluation for my subjects but with a watermark non official…Official ECA report was not sent to me…how shall I get that
Hi Rimcy,
This happens from time to time. Nothing to worry about. The hard copy takes some time to reach you.
Hi Deb,
I am planning to do Diploma in Business and Management in Canada and prior to this, I have done my B.Tech(3 years) as I joined as lateral entry and did the 1st year in some other university.
So, do I need to do ECA for my previous degree if I’m enrolling for 2 years Diploma in Canada?
Thanks.
You can complete the diploma and then do the ECA for that.
Hi Deb,
Just wanted to confirm that if we go for Diploma in Canada, then do we have to get our Bachelor’s degree done in India evaluated by ECA?
Thanks,
Neelansh
Hi Neelansh,
I would say yes. How would get the points for bachelor without evaluating it?
Hi Deb,
Following the completion of my tenth grade, I pursued a three-year diploma in mechanical engineering, followed by a three-year bachelor’s degree in computer applications (BCA). I had my bachelor’s degree evaluated; do I also need to have my three-year diploma evaluated? Will I receive any extra points?
Hi Hari,
Yes you would get extra points for the diploma.
Hi Deb,
I have done my bachelors in Fashion designing and Technology of 3 years from India and masters in International Fashion Management from UK. So do I need to get the ECA of only my masters ?
I will be looking forward to your response.
Thanks
Simar
Hi Simrajeet,
Yes, only masters would work out for you.
Thanks for your response.
Do you have any idea that does WES considers Masters of UK equivalent to masters itself or diploma. As I want my CRS score to be Up and following in the category of masters or two or more degrees will be beneficial?
I believe it should be a Masters but you can confirm it using the WES equivalency tool. The link is there in the article.
Hi Deb,
Your content is very helpful! Anyway, just wanna clarify something. I am already a PR here in Canada, wanted to upgrade my studies. In the application form of WES, under “Recipient 2: Institution(s) receiving your report”, do I still need to put the IRCC as my status here is different from a student visa?
Also, I have here with me the physical documents (Transcript of Records and my Bachelors degree certificate). Do I still have to ask my university back in the Philippines to send it to WES?
Hoping to get a reply from you. Thank you so much.
Hi Jeannifer,
Thank you for your kind words.
1) No need to put IRCC, I believe.
2) Not sure if WES is accepting degrees directly from students who have completed their education in the Philippines. If they are, you can send them directly. It varies from country to country.
Hello, thanks for this post! How far in advance should you apply for WES? E.g. if you want to apply for PR in July 2022, can you start gathering your documents and apply for WES right now (Oct 2021)? Or would IRCC be confused to receive your electronic report so early? How do you make sure the timings match? Thanks in advance!
Hi,
I think you can apply to get ECA done like 4-5 months before you apply for the PR. Since it is valid for 5 years, you would have time on your side.
Hi, Thanks for the great and easy to understand explanation.
I have one question, By mistake I only uploaded front side of my degree, and we cannot delete the document once it is uploaded.
So now should I upload the whole front and back side again or just back side of the degree?
Will it effect to my application in any way?
Hi Dharampreet,
You can upload the back side. I believe it should work. And then contact WES and let them know about it.
Alright, thanks for replying.
Hi Deb,
1st I would like ton tanks for giving very crispy & concise details about how to get ECA.
I’ve question here
I’ve done Masters in Mass Communication in 2008 from Guru Jambheshwar University.
I worked for sometime in media then I left media.
Then I did MBA(PGDBM) in 2012 from IMT Ghaziabad. Since last 5 years working in HR domain.
If I go ECA for MBA highly likely won’t get Masters equivalency. If I choose Masters in Mass Comm then I may get Masters equivalency but Mass Comm is not related to my current job.
Please advise.
Hi Feroz,
Why not try IQAS/ICES and get a Master’s equivalent for the MBA in Mass Comm? That would be a better route, right?
Hi Deb,
Thanks for prompt reply.
I think you misunderstood. I’ve done Masters in Mass Communication and after that I did PGDBM (Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management) from IMT Ghaziabad.
Hi Deb,
Thanks for some clarification. WES can be confusing. I don’t have a degree or diploma but have more than a hundred university/college units. It says IRCC will only evaluate your highest education. How do I fill the credentials?
I also have a few college certificates like Caregiving, Massage Therapy, etc. Do I include those?
Thanks in advance for ur reply.
Hi Reneé,
Unfortunately, I don’t have an answer to your question. I believe you could check the WES equivalency tool and see if something could work out. Also try IQAS.
Hey Deb,
Thank you so much for providing such concise details about how to get ECA.
I just want to clarify something. As am applying for Canadian PR.
I have completed my Master’s of Science (M.sc) from Amity University, Bachelor’s of Science (B.sc) from Delhi University, Also I have done my Bachelor’s of Education (B.Ed) from M.D.U. I have completed all these from regular college. Which organization should I go for evaluation (WES or IQAS)?
Will my M.SC degree considered as Canadian Masters equivalent?
Hoping to get a reply from you. Thank you so much.
Hi Astha,
You should try the M.Sc with ICES or IQAS. They consider it as Masters.
Hi Deb,
Thank you for such informative blog. This is really helpful.
I have done:
B.Sc. Biotechnology – DAVV university, India (3 years)
M.Sc. Biotechnology – KIIT University, India (2 years)
Professional Science Masters degree (PSM) – Washington State Uni (WSU), USA – 1.5 years (Its a 2 years program, they call it a masters degree, can be completed early by taking more credits per semester or be completed in 3-4 years if you are doing it part-time)
I checked my credentials through the online WES equivalency tool – It considered – BSc as 4 years bachelors, MSc. as 1 year graduate study, and PSM degree as Masters.
What do you suggest I should do? Should I drop MSc from India and just get my Bachelors (India) and Masters (US) evaluated? Or They are considering my BSc of 4 years by taking 1 year from the my MSc (India)?
Another option, should I just go ahead with Masters (US) and drop the evaluation of Indian degrees? Which option would help maximize the CRS?
Thank you for your help!
Hi Aaditi,
Clearly, the Masters from the US would help you score more points. You can drop everything else.
Hi Deb,
I am going to start now the process to get the ECA for my bachelor’s degree. I am wondering, since I studied in Spain my certificate is in Spanish, do I need to get an official translation or is it okay just uploading the original?
I am sending the academic transcript in English through my uni, so that part seems to be fine but I’m quite unsure about the certificate part.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience, it is extremely helpful 🙂
Hi Cecilia,
I believe you would need to get the certificate translated as well if the university doesn’t send it. Here is how to get it done: https://www.wes.org/advisor-blog/wes-translation-services/.
hello, I have done my BBA (4 years, 140 cr.) & MBA (2 years, 48 cr.)from different Universities in Thailand.
Which organization should I go for evaluation (WES or IQAS)?
Do i need to get ECA for both the degrees or only MBA?
Please advise.
Hi Prakash,
For your MBA, you should get Masters from WES. You can do it only for the MBA. Try the WES Equivalency tool to confirm. The link has been provided in the article.
Hi Deb,
This article is very informative thank you for this. Secondly i want to know something, i have done Bachelors in Engineering & Master in Project Management. Whether i have to to go for WES or IQAS for evaluation and i have to sent both degres for evaluation as well ?
Hi Muhammad,
Try for IQAS. And yes, you need to get both evaluated.
Hello, Deb,
Your articles breaks down the whole process excellently and the information is really helpful. I do have a doubt though. I am about to create my WES account for IRCC. I want to know the window available to me from the day I make the payment and get my WES reference number to the day my college sends the transcripts. Here is another issue. Is it fine if my Postgrad institute ends up sending the transcript a month after my Undergrad institute?
Will await your input.
Thank you so much for the article!
Hi Antra,
Thank you for your kind words.
I think once you make the payment, you have quite a bit of time, although I don’t know if there is any window really. I know people for whom it took 2 months to send the transcripts. I don’t think it would be an issue if the postgrad institute sends the transcripts a month after the undergrad one. It will just delay the process. Nothing else.
Hi,
I have Completed an MBA (1.5 Years) after BBA (Hons) (four years), Total 17.5 Years of Education. Will WES Evaluate this equals to Masters in Canada? If Not, Which ECA Body would be the Best?
Hi,
Go for IQAS.
What you know about the recent Changes to NOC System of IRCC?
Kindly, Suggest me the best, trustworthy and CHEAP Immigration Consultant,
I am from Pakistan but i can get services online.
Or
Would it be best to Lodge EE, PNP Applications myself?
I would simply ask you to do it yourself. I am sure there are immigration consultants though.
Hi Deb,
My friend suggested me to opt for CES for evaluation, but I am bit concerned about the processing time.
I have completed BCA (3 years) from GGSIPU, Delhi and MCA (3 years) from GGSIPU, Delhi. Which ECA body should I opt?
Looking forward to hear from you.
Hi Rohit,
WES considers MCA as Master.
Hi Deb,
Thanks for the swift response. Really appriciate your guidance.
All the best Rohit. If you can, please update how it went.
Thanks Deb for all the valuable guidance. I have received the reports today and MCA is equivalent to Master’s in Canada.
Hi Deb,
Thanks for your valuable guidance. I received my report on 7th Dec and MCA is equivalent to Master’s. It just completed within a month.
Thanks Rohit.
I have an integrated M.Sc. (5 year program) in biotech from VIT University, vellore, India. Will this be recognised as a master’s degree by WES?
Try with IQAS.
Hi Deb,
I have completed MCA(Master of computer applications) 3 years program and prior to that I have completed B.sc(Bachelor of Computer Science). As per required documents there is an exception has mentioned as Master of computer applications doesn’t provide bachelor degree documents. Is that correct? It seems this exception has added recently. Please clarify. Thank you in advance.
Regards,
Jebastin
Hi Jebastian,
Yes, you will need to provide the documents for the Master’s only. No need for a bachelor’s.
All the best. Please update how it went and how long it took.
Hi Deb,
I have done my BSc from St. Xavier’s Calcutta which was autonomous under University of Calcutta at that time. I followed it up with a masters from University of Delhi and a PhD from IISER Bhopal. From which agency should I do my ECA for applying for Canadian PR?
Hi Arnab,
Since you have a Ph.D., you can go with WES. You would need to evaluate the Bachelors, Masters, and doctorate depending on your stream or only the Ph.D. Ph.D. is evaluated as equivalent to a Canadian earned Doctorate by WES.
Hello Deb,
Many thanks for this explanation. I have only one question,
I have a university degree (4 years) and a master’s degree (1.5 years excluding the thesis period) from Turkey. What are the chances of WES not considering this master’s degree? Thank you in advance for your help.
Hi ÖZÜN,
What is your Master’s in? Have you tried checking on the equivalency tool?
Hi Deb
Thanks for a detailed article.
I have a question for my ECA,
I have done B.Sc. in Computer Science and then
MCA
Will WES evaluate as Masters Degree?
Moreover, I can also see that Master of Computer Application is also there on the exception list of documents for Master’s Degree/
In this case, Do I need to submit only my MCA documents or B.Sc. Comp. Sci. as well?
Looking forward to your reply asap.
Respected sir
I am sukhpreet kaur, pursuing graduation in Tamil Nadu open university. I did matriculation (10grade) + 3 year diploma in computer engineering from aicte approved board (PSBTE & ITboard) [which is equivalent to 12th class,i had equivalence certificate of the same] + 2 year BCA through lateral entry in distance mode from Tamil Nadu open university(ugc deb approved).So, my total qualification is 10+3+2 i.e. 10 class + 3 year diploma+ degree through lateral entry. Exemption of 1 year is given because i already studied same subjects in diploma which is of 3 years (while +2 is of 2 years).Currently I am employed at NIT as project assistant.I want to do my masters from canadian university.
My question is:-
From which agency should I do my ECA ?
which agency will have more chances of evaluting my qualification as Bachelor degree of 3 years.
Hi,
Go for IQAS.
Hi,
Thanks for the info. I had completed my M.Sc in Human Genetics from Andhra university, Andhra pradesh.Do I need to submit my bachelor’s as well as masters transcripts,certificates for evaluation and which is the best WES or IQAS?
Hi Deb,
A very detailed and step by step elaborated WES blog I’ve come across so far. Really appreciate your efforts and time invested!
I have my profile created on WES. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, did another certified program in Banking and Finance alongside Bcom, which was also for 3 years.
After which, did my Post Graduate diploma in Management from AIMA (AICTE approved). However, catch here is I’m yet to complete my final semester project work – which is an ongoing process and this might take more time.
I have a couple of queries:
1. Do you think WES will consider certificate program that I did alongside Bcom? This is for PR purpose and I’m looking at additional points for CRS.
2. Can WES evaluate my PGDM with provisional diploma certificate (which I have already uploaded n got ‘accepted’ status on WES) and consider an ongoing diploma? To get under “two or more degrees/ diploma”?
Does WES evaluate an ongoing diploma? Or will WES put a hold on my application till I complete my PGDM project work?
PS: i have completed all 4 semester examinations consolidated marksheet of my PGDM. It does highlight that I’m yet to complete my project.
Looking forward for your expert advice.
Thank you very much, in advance!
Hi Sasha,
Thank you for your kind words.
1. I believe, WES would consider the certificate program you did alongside BCom.
2. Yes, WES does accept provisional certificates depending on the institute it was issued from. Since yours is already accepted, it is all good.
For MCA – A bachelor’s degree is no longer required!
As per their site –
” If you have an Indian master’s degree or an Indian postgraduate diploma…
You must also provide your bachelor’s degree documents. WES cannot complete an evaluation without these documents.
Please note: There are currently five exceptions. Those exceptions apply to people with a Master of Education, Master of Engineering, Master of Philosophy, Master of Technology, or Master of Computer Applications degree.”
Hi Deb,
I have few doubts:
1. I have done Btech Computer science(4yr) and currently pursuing MCA(2yr) through distance education IGNOU University.
Will I get master’s equivalency for this?
Waiting for your reply .
Hi Suhaila,
Yes, you should get it.
Hi Deb
I Have completed my Bachelors in arts (3 year) and later i completed my Bachelors in law(3 years) from india. I want to get my education evaluated from IQAS for express entry. The question is should i get my both bachelors degree evaluated or should i get only Bachelor of laws evaluated. i am really very confused about this kindly help me out.
thank you
Hi Gavvy,
You should get both of them evaluated in one go.
Hi Deb. Thankyou for such a great article. Really it solved most of my WES queries.
But specifically for my program i am confused.
I have done bachelors and masters of technology under 5 year dual degree programme in conputer science and engineering from national institute of technology Hamirpur himachal pradesh. Should i get my both degress assesed under WES or the masters? And being a 5 year combined course of applying for assesment of both degrees then it should be a 4+1 or 3+ 2 bachelors and masters respectively? Could yoh please guide me on this. Reply soon. I would be highly obliged.
Hi Jasmine,
You would be much better off with IQAS for an integrated degree.
Hey Deb,
Your blog is very useful to people. Thank you very much. I have a question. I would like to apply for Canada PR.
Please note that I have :
1) 3 years Bachelor of Science Degree (Mahatma Gandhi University)
2) 1 Year Bachelor of Education Degree (University of Kerala)
3) 3 Years Bachelor of Laws (Mahatma Gandhi University)
WES can evaluated 3 bachelor degrees in one time? One fee is enough for all these 3 degrees? your early reply will be highly appreciated.
Regards,
Mrs. Reji Salim
Hi Reji,
Yes, you can pay just once time and get all the degrees evaluated at the same time.
Dear Deb,
Please note that I made a mistake in my WES form. In my order instead of course by course evaluation I mention document by document. Is it possible to change after evaluation without extra payment? One of my degree pass year also written wrong. Is there any problem with this? Your kind reply is highly appreciated.
Reji
Hi Reji,
I understand that you have already made the payment. In that case, you can email WES and explain the whole thing.