If you are fresh out of school or have been working in your field for many years, starting again in a different country can seem scary. However, you may not have to start from the beginning. Understanding how to evaluate your credentials is key to ensuring that your hard-earned educational accomplishments are recognized and valued in Canada. Whether your aspirations lean towards pursuing further education, securing new employment opportunities, or validating your experiences with professional accreditation, understanding how to navigate this process is will get you so much closer to your goals.

In this blog, we’ll help you find out what organizations can help you and the process of how to evaluate the educational documents you earned outside of Canada, so that you can pursue your dreams confidently in Canada.

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Where to go to evaluate your credentials?

The Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada (ACESC) is made up of six members. They work together to evaluate your credentials. This helps anyone who wants to study, work, or immigrate to Canada. ACESC plays a key role in maintaining fair and transparent standards for evaluating educational credentials across the country, making it easier for people to pursue these goals anywhere in Canada. The six members of ACESC are:

ACESC members issue assessment reports based on the documents you give them and provide expert opinions on these documents awarded to you while outside Canada through a comparability procedure. Why do you need to do this? Well, educational institutions and immigration offices use these reports for document authentication. So, these authorities rely on ACESC reports to guide their decisions concerning internationally educated applicants seeking to settle in Canada for immigration, employment, professional licensure, registration, or further educational pursuits.

People working on a computer together to evaluate your credentials. — Credit: Mimi Thian

What’s the process like?

Regardless of which of the six ACESC members you choose for your credential assessment, the steps look very similar:

Sign up or fill out the application form.
Submit your documents: Your academic record is crucial to evaluate your credentials. You’ll need to provide proof of your academic achievements, including diplomas or degree certificates, transcripts or mark sheets, detailed course outlines if your documents are not in English or French, you may need an official translation, and etc.
Pay the evaluation fees.
Track the progress and receive your evaluation.

Equipped for Further Education!

After your academic credentials undergo an assessment, you’ll receive a detailed assessment report. This report outlines the Canadian equivalency of your degree or certificate. Upon receiving the assessment report, you’ll gain clarity on how your qualifications align with Canadian standards. With this information in hand, you can confidently present both the assessment report and your original diploma or degree certificate when needed.

By showing both your assessment report and original credentials, you actively ensure that your qualifications are transparent and accurate, which improves your chances of success in Canada. With the support of ACESC and its member organizations, individuals can embark on their Canadian journey equipped with the necessary tools to navigate the educational and professional landscape with ease and confidence.

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