Newcomer Series · Guide 3 of 3

Your degree. Your trade. Already valuable here.

If you trained or worked in another country, you may need to show that your education or experience meets Canadian standards before you can work in certain jobs. What's required depends on the type of job you want, and on which immigration pathway you're using to come to Canada.

Regulated vs. non-regulated jobs
Educational Credential Assessments
Skilled trades & AIT

Get immigration help

Recognized

in Alberta

Step 1

Find out if your job is regulated.

In Canada, jobs fall into two groups.

Regulated jobs

Need a license before you can work. If your job is regulated, you must apply to the group in Alberta that oversees it - a regulatory body. Every regulated job has its own regulatory body, its own rules, and its own list of required documents.

Electrician Plumber Welder (in some cases) Nurse Engineer Accountant

Non-regulated jobs

Do not need a license. Many jobs in agriculture, food processing and general manufacturing fall into this group. Your employer decides if your education and experience are a good fit - you may still want a credential assessed, since it can help your employer understand your background.

Not sure which group your job is in? Ask the employer, or look up your job on Alberta's Foreign Qualification Recognition page.

Step 2

Get an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA), if your pathway requires one.

An ECA is a report that compares your education to Canadian education standards.

PR pathways require or reward an ECA

Most Permanent Residence pathways either require an ECA to meet minimum program requirements, or use it to add points toward a more competitive score - including Express Entry (CEC, FSW, FST) and the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP).

TR work permits do not require one

Temporary Resident work permit pathways, such as the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and the International Mobility Program, do not require an ECA.

Designated assessment organizations

In Alberta, one option for ECA service is International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS), a service of the Government of Alberta. IQAS is one of five organizations designated by IRCC to issue ECAs for Canadian immigration purposes. The others are:

What to know about the ECA process

You only need to get your highest completed credential assessed.
The report compares your education to Canadian standards, which may differ from the standards in your home country - the result may not always be what you expect.
The full process, including collecting and verifying transcripts, commonly takes several weeks from start to finish; processing times and fees vary by organization.
Fees are non-refundable, even if you don't get the result you wanted.
No designated organization can assess every school or program - some are not recognized.

Step 3

If your job is regulated, contact the regulatory body early.

Do this before you apply for jobs, if possible. Regulatory bodies can tell you:

What documents you need
Whether your documents need to be translated
Whether translations need to be notarized
Whether your transcripts must come straight from your school
How long the process usually takes

An ECA compares your education to Canadian standards, but it does not guarantee you'll be licensed. Some regulatory bodies also require additional courses completed in Canada, or a licensing exam, before you can be certified.

This process is separate from immigration paperwork. It applies no matter what your immigration status is, and it can take longer than the immigration process itself. Planning ahead helps avoid delays once you arrive.

Skilled trades

If you work in a skilled trade.

Skilled trades (like electrician, plumber, or welder) work a bit differently than other regulated jobs. In Alberta, trades are overseen by Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT). If you already hold a trade certificate from another country, it is usually not automatically recognized in Alberta - here's what you can do instead.

Trades Qualifier Program

If your foreign certificate isn't recognized, you may be able to apply through the Trades Qualifier Program. AIT will look at your work experience and training - if you have enough verified hours in the trade, AIT issues an approval letter confirming your hours are considered equivalent to the trade's requirements. With that letter and the right immigration paperwork, you can begin working under the supervision of a certified journeyperson. Once you arrive in Canada, you generally have up to a year to complete the required theory exam and, in some trades, a practical exam. Once you pass, you can work independently and receive an Alberta journeyperson certificate.

Exact document names, timelines and requirements can vary by trade - confirm the current process for your specific trade directly with AIT.

Some activities cannot be done without certification. Certain trades in Alberta are "designated trades" - working in these tasks without certification is not allowed, even if you did similar work in another country.

Check before you accept a job. It's best to find out whether your foreign trade certificate will be recognized before you accept a job offer, since the process can take time.

You can contact AIT directly to ask about your specific trade and what documents or exams you may need.

Important to know: Requirements for credential recognition, licensing and trade certification are set by the relevant Alberta regulatory bodies and can change. This page describes the general idea only - it does not guarantee that any individual's credentials, training or experience will be recognized. Confirm requirements directly with the relevant regulatory body.

Series complete