An immigrant who wants to come to Canada may need to have their credentials assessed. Immigrating as a skilled worker, to work in certain trades, or to study in certain fields means needing to evaluate how work or study measure up to Canadian standards.
Credentials such as education, work experience, and professional certifications need to be assessed to see if they meet the standards in Canada. For instance, a lawyer or nurse in one country might be required to take courses or work for a certain period of time to be able to practice their profession. But, that same lawyer or nurse, in order to practice in Canada, might be required to take different courses or meet other professional requirements not required by an immigrant in their country. The same applies to an educational assessment. Courses that are required and length of study could be quite different for an immigrant in their country from what Canada requires to graduate from a particular course of study.
There are benefits to having credentials assessed, such as:
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proving to an educational institution or prospective employer what an immigrant is qualified to do or has learned through study
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understanding jobs in Canada that an immigrant might be qualified to do
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evaluating credentials against standards in Canada
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finding out if an immigrant needs more or different training or work experience
An immigrant will need to gather their documents and consult a Canadian government-approved agency to have their credentials assessed. The process will likely take some time and money, so it’s a good idea to check what is needed and start the process early.
