The most expensive word in an ECA file is "certified". ICAS says a translation "does not need to be completed by a certified translator". PEBC wants "an official, certified translator" and refuses photocopied translations. The Medical Council of Canada accepts translations from three named companies and nobody else. Order to the wrong rule and the assessment waits while you pay for translations twice.
The rest of the educational credential assessment process is predictable. This guide covers the steps in order, the five organizations and three professional bodies IRCC designates as of October 2026, what each wants from your school, and each one's translation rule in its own words.
What is an ECA, and do I need one for Express Entry?
An ECA verifies that your foreign credential is valid and equal to a completed Canadian one, such as a three-year bachelor's degree or a one-year diploma. IRCC needs the version issued for immigration, not the course-by-course evaluations universities and employers use.
You need one if you completed your education outside Canada and want to:
- Qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker Program as the principal applicant.
- Earn points for that education in the Comprehensive Ranking System, in any Express Entry program.
- Add points for your spouse or common-law partner's education, which needs its own ECA.
"You don't need an assessment for a Canadian degree, diploma or certificate." An ECA is also not a licence: engineers, nurses and other regulated professions go through their provincial regulator separately.
Which organizations can issue an ECA for IRCC?
Most people use one of five designated organizations. Physicians, and pharmacists or architects who need a licence to practise, must use the professional body for their occupation.
| Organization | Who uses it | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| World Education Services (WES) | Most applicants | April 17, 2013 |
| Comparative Education Service (CES), University of Toronto | Most applicants | April 17, 2013 |
| International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS) | Most applicants | April 17, 2013 |
| International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS), Alberta | Most applicants | August 6, 2015 |
| International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES), BCIT | Most applicants | August 6, 2015 |
| Medical Council of Canada (MCC) | Specialists and family physicians (NOC 31100, 31101, 31102) | April 17, 2013 |
| Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) | Pharmacists (NOC 31120) who need a licence to practise | January 6, 2014 |
| Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) | Architects (NOC 21200) who need a licence to practise | May 20, 2024 |
The CACB is the newest. IRCC still accepts a valid architect's ECA issued by another designated organization before October 31, 2024.
How do I get an ECA? Seven steps in order
- Decide which credentials to assess. Each credential you want points for needs its own assessment, and full points for two or more require at least one program of three or more years. IQAS notes that for an ECA "only your highest completed or awarded educational credential needs to be assessed."
- Choose the organization. Compare the document routes for your country, the fee, the posted processing time and the translation rule, which is the one people forget.
- Apply for the immigration product. WES says a standard course-by-course evaluation "cannot be used for immigration". CES wants your CES Student Number issued before your school sends anything.
- Have your school send official records, in a sealed envelope stamped across the flap or by secure electronic delivery. ICES accepts email only from an educational-domain address. ICAS treats an envelope posted by "an applicant or another third party" as unofficial, while IQAS and CES let you forward the unopened envelope in limited cases.
- Upload copies and translations: scans of both sides of each diploma and transcript in the original language, with translations made to the organization's rule.
- Answer requests quickly. The clock starts only when the file is complete. In October 2026 IQAS posted about 15 business days (5 to 7 with paid rush), ICAS an average of 20 weeks with no rush option, and the MCC 14 business days from a request, which requires your degree, or in some cases your transcript, to have passed source verification first.
- Enter the result in Express Entry. "Enter the results and the reference number into your Express Entry profile," keep your originals, and be ready to upload copies if invited.
Who may translate my documents for an ECA?
The organization decides, and the rules run from any accurate literal translation to three named companies.
| Organization | Who may translate | How it is submitted |
|---|---|---|
| WES | Your institution or a certified translation service; never the applicant | Uploaded to your WES account or sent by you |
| ICAS | Any literal translation; a certified translator is not required | With the original documents, never alone |
| IQAS | A qualified professional translator, not necessarily certified in Canada | Uploaded, or inside the institution's package |
| CES | A certified professional translator, or university officials | With complete colour copies of the original-language documents |
| ICES | A Canadian certified translator; a home-country official translator only if you apply from abroad and cannot get one | Translator's stamp, with a signed copy of the source |
| MCC | ITC Global, NATIONS Translation Group or Straker only | The provider's file, unmodified |
| PEBC | An official, certified translator; in Canada, a provincial association member | Original translation, stamped and signed on every page |
| CACB | A professional translator or the university; never the applicant | Directly from the translator or university |
WES, ICAS and IQAS: a professional word-for-word translation
WES wants "precise, word-for-word English or French translations from your academic institution or a certified translation service", with words "in the exact order as they appear". It cannot accept "translations completed by applicants", offers no translation service, and wants photocopies of translations, not originals, which cannot be returned.
ICAS asks for translations "in the same format as the original documents" but says the translation does not need to be completed by a certified translator, while reserving the right to request a certified translation. IQAS accepts "word-for-word translations from an objective and reliable source" that "do not need to be certified or notarized."
CES: a certified professional translator or the university
CES "requires that translations be completed by any professional certified translator" or "appropriate university officials", without notarization. The translation must "clearly identify the translator and bear their stamp or signature." CES points applicants to ATIO, Ontario's association, without requiring membership; ask CES if you are unsure.
ICES, PEBC, MCC and CACB: named translators or direct delivery
ICES expects a Canadian certified translator, found through STIBC or another provincial association. Applicants abroad who cannot get one "may submit a translation from an official translator in your home country", but if it is not completely accurate, "ICES will require a new translation from a Canadian certified translator."
PEBC wants "an official, certified translator", which for a translation done in Canada means a member of a provincial or territorial association such as ATIO, OTTIAQ or STIBC. "Copies of translations are not accepted, even if certified."
The MCC requires documents in your physiciansapply.ca account to be "translated by one of the translation service providers listed". It does not pre-review documents, and a translation with errors may have to be redone at your expense. See our guide for international medical graduates.
The CACB wants translations "sent directly from the translator to the CACB office" and rejects handwritten translations, translations of photocopies and anything the applicant sends digitally.
What must an ECA translation show?
Everything on the document, in the original system. The assessor, not the translator, decides what your studies equal in Canada.
- Every course title exactly as printed. "Theoretical Mechanics" stays "Theoretical Mechanics", not "Physics".
- Every grade, credit and hour in the original scale, plus the grading legend, often printed on the reverse.
- The credential title as issued. A Russian специалист degree is "Specialist", never "Master's".
- Dates of study, award date and mode of study, such as full-time or distance.
- Stamps, seals and signatures, described in brackets, and the reverse of every page: ICES wants documents "translated in their entirety".
- Names as in your passport, with a translated name-change document if your name has changed.
How long is an ECA valid, and what if it expires?
Five years from the date of issue. It must be less than five years old when you complete your Express Entry profile and when you submit your application, and "if you apply with an expired ECA, we'll refuse your application."
If the report will expire before you can apply, contact the organization that issued it: "They may re-issue it, depending on the type of ECA and/or the organization." The MCC lets you request a new ECA four years after the original report date. Translations do not expire, so keep the files for any re-assessment.
Why ECA files stall or get sent back
- The wrong product: a course-by-course evaluation made for a university.
- The wrong translator: your own translation for WES or the CACB, a home-country translator for ICES when you live in Canada, any provider not on the MCC's list, or a photocopied translation for PEBC.
- Translations without the originals. ICAS says "Do not submit only the translations."
- A broken seal. WES rejects documents when "the envelope is opened or the seal is broken."
- A summarized transcript or converted grades, which force a new translation.
- Name mismatches between diploma, passport and profile, with no name-change document.
Checklist: before you apply for an ECA
Questions people ask
Do I need an ECA if I studied in English?
Yes. An ECA measures equivalency, not language, so education completed outside Canada needs one if you want it to count for Express Entry. The only difference is that documents already in English or French need no translation.
Which ECA organization should I choose?
Physicians must use the Medical Council of Canada, and pharmacists and architects who need a licence must use PEBC or the CACB. Everyone else can choose WES, CES, ICAS, IQAS or ICES, so compare the document routes for your country, the fee, the processing time and the translation rule.
Can I translate my own documents for an ECA?
Not for WES or the CACB, which reject translations completed by applicants, and not for ICES, PEBC or the MCC, which name the translators they accept. ICAS does not require a certified translator but can ask for one. Documents you later upload to IRCC cannot be translated by you or your family either.
Do ECA translations need to be notarized?
No. IQAS says translations do not need to be certified or notarized, CES does not require notarization, and WES asks for a word-for-word translation from your institution or a certified translation service. In an Express Entry file, the translator's sworn affidavit comes into play only when you upload foreign-language documents to IRCC, as explained in certified vs sworn affidavit.
How long is an ECA valid for Express Entry?
Five years from the date of issue. It must be less than five years old when you complete your profile and when you submit your application, and an expired ECA leads to refusal, so ask the issuing organization about re-issue if yours will lapse first.
Can I use a WES evaluation I got for a university?
No. WES says standard course-by-course or document-by-document evaluations cannot be used for immigration or Express Entry, so you need a new ECA application for IRCC. Translations that met WES's rule the first time can usually be reused.
How much does an ECA translation cost and how long does it take?
Official Translations charges CA$39.95 per page, a page being up to 300 words, with a signed Certificate of Accuracy. Most one-page diplomas are delivered as a signed PDF within 24 hours, and longer transcripts take one to three business days.
