Some international agreements are in place to facilitate the recognition of academic credentials and professional qualifications to work in or outside Canada. This is generally possible through international cooperation agreements on the mutual recognition of:

• an academic credential, and thus its academic program; and/or
• a professional qualification.

Such agreements are often known as mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) and are negotiated:

• between two or more jurisdictions, countries, or regions, such as the:
• Canada-European Union: Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA);
• Québec-France Agreement on the Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications.
• by regulatory authorities or professional associations in Canada with other organizations outside Canada.

For more information, use the Directory of International Labour-Mobility Resources to search for a specific country and get information on MRAs for an occupation.

What type of documents are recognized?

1. Academic credentials are usually issued by an educational institution and may include:
   1. diploma(s) or degree certificate(s);
   2. transcript(s)/grade sheets/index;
   3. detailed course outline(s).

Regulatory authorities or professional associations usually work in close collaboration with postsecondary institutions to set standards and quality-assurance criteria for academic programs leading to professional registration and/or licensing.


2. Professional qualifications are usually issued by a professional regulatory authority or association for a given occupation and may include a:
   1. certificate of competency or qualification;
   2. professional qualification certificate or licence to practise.