Overview
The International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) is an Alberta government service. IQAS is designated by the Government of Canada to provide Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) assessments for immigration purposes. An ECA issued by IQAS can be used for the Canadian Federal Skilled Worker Program under Express Entry for 5 years.
IQAS does assessments and issues certificates that compare credentials from other countries to educational standards in Canada.
Who can apply
You can get an assessment for immigration purposes if you’re:
- planning to immigrate to Canada, and
- in need of an ECA for Canadian immigration purposes
If you have a Canadian degree, diploma or certificate, you do not need to get an ECA for that credential.
Why get an assessment
The ECA is for formal academic / technical education.
An assessment doesn’t guarantee:
- a job
- a successful application for immigration
- that your credentials will be recognized for licensure in Canada
But, if you’re successful with your application to immigrate to Canada, this assessment may also be used when applying for jobs.
Cost
Application fee (regardless of the number of credentials): $200
Courier fees:
- to an address in Canada: $15
- to an address outside of Canada: $75
Fees apply to each applicant; spouses cannot submit their credentials under one application.
Processing times
- an assessment takes 9 weeks to process after all required documents and payments are received
- assessment of some applications may take longer if extensive research is required
- times may vary based on the volume of applications
- mail delivery time is not included in the processing time