The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials

Need an academic credential assessment for general purposes? Contact a member of the Alliance of Credential Evaluations Services of Canada.

To have your academic credentials and professional qualifications recognized in order to work in Canada, the first step is to find out which organization is responsible for assessing and recognizing, but also what documents are required. This depends on whether or not your occupation is regulated.

In Canada, about 20% of jobs are regulated to protect the health and safety of Canadians, such as doctors, engineers, plumbers, and teachers.

  • In regulated occupations, the recognition will be determined by the appropriate provincial or territorial regulatory authority.
  • In non-regulated occupations (80% of jobs), recognition is normally at the discretion of the employer.

To find out whether or not your occupation is regulated, or if you would like more information on your occupation, follow these two steps:

  1. Find the name of your intended occupation in Canada.
  2. Search CICIC's Directory of Occupational Profiles.

Visit CICIC's Directory of Occupational Profiles to identify the organization responsible for recognizing academic credentials and qualifications in your occupation.

Occupation name or NOC code:
Provinces and territories of Canada:
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Get information on academic credential assessment services


Some organizations in Canada responsible for the recognition of academic credentials may not have the capacity to assess the international academic credentials you are presenting to them.

This may be the case when you apply:
  • for admission to an educational institution for further studies;
  • for professional certification, licensing, or registration in a regulated occupation;
  • for a job with an employer in a non-regulated occupation.

These organizations may sometimes rely on external academic credential assessment services to support their internal process. Six members of the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada (ACESC) can provide this service.

Upon completion of an academic credential assessment for general purposes, you would receive an assessment report, which in turn could be provided to the organization responsible for the recognition of your international academic credentials.

Get more information on how to obtain an assessment for general purposes.