ICAS ECA for Canada PR: Fees, Time and Steps
An ICAS ECA is the Educational Credential Assessment from the International Credential Assessment Service of Canada, one of the five organizations IRCC designates. The fee is $231 CAD with tax included, and ICAS lists about 20 weeks after it receives all your documents (ICAS, checked October 2026). This guide shows the steps, the costs and the mistakes that slow people down.
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What is an ICAS ECA?
An ICAS ECA is a report that shows your completed foreign degree, diploma or certificate is equal to a completed Canadian credential. IRCC designated ICAS on 17 April 2013 (IRCC, 2026).
You apply in the ICAS Client Gateway, upload your documents and ask your school to send its records straight to ICAS. You then enter the results and the reference number in your Express Entry profile.
Do I need an ICAS ECA?
You need an ECA if you studied outside Canada and want to qualify under the Federal Skilled Worker Program or earn points for that education. ICAS is one of five choices, so you need an ICAS report only if you pick ICAS. A Canadian credential needs no ECA.
Why people pick ICAS
- Fee: $231 CAD with tax included, below the WES and IQAS base fees
- Reports: two originals plus an electronic copy are included
- Access for IRCC: secure electronic access is included
- Records: your school sends them straight to ICAS
Is ICAS the right choice for you?
An honest check before you pay for a report.
ICAS fits if you want
- A fee of $231 CAD with tax included
- Two original reports plus an electronic copy
- A school that can send records directly to ICAS
- Time to plan: about 20 weeks is normal
Think twice if
- You are in a hurry: ICAS lists about 20 weeks and offers no rush service
- Your job needs a professional body: doctors, pharmacists and architects
- You only hold Canadian credentials: no ECA is needed
- Your school cannot send records: each qualification needs a records request
Read the ECA overview, see how education adds points in the CRS guide, or run the CRS calculator.
ICAS compared with the other four
All five are designated by IRCC. Fees and times below come from each organization (checked October 2026) and can change. Source: IRCC.
Comparative Education Service
Run through the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. Check its own site for the current fee and time.
International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (this page)
Lists $231 CAD with tax included and about 20 weeks after all documents arrive. No rush service.
World Education Services
Lists $264 CAD plus delivery and tax, and about 3 to 4 weeks after documents are verified. Read the WES guide →
International Qualifications Assessment Service
Known as IQAS. Lists $260 CAD plus a $25 administration fee, and about 15 business days. Read the IQAS guide →
International Credential Evaluation Service
Run through the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Check its own site for the current fee and time.
Not sure which one to use?
We match your credential, your profession and your timeline to the right organization.
Rules to know before you order from ICAS
Regulated professions
If you are an architect (NOC 21200), a doctor (NOC 31100, 31101 or 31102) or a pharmacist (NOC 31120) and need a licence, a professional body assesses you, not ICAS.
Your documents
Do not send originals. Documents become ICAS property and are not returned. Documents not in English or French need a word-for-word translation, and postgraduate degrees need the thesis title page, table of contents and abstract.
Report delivery
You choose courier ($35 in Canada, $40 to the USA, $85 elsewhere) or regular mail ($6 in Canada, $11 to the USA and elsewhere). Extra original reports cost $33 CAD each.
More than one credential
Each credential needs its own assessment. For full points for more than one credential, at least one must be 3 or more years of study.
How long it lasts
Your ECA must be less than 5 years old when you complete your Express Entry profile and when you submit your application.
Licensing
An ECA does not guarantee a licence. You apply to the regulator in the province or territory where you plan to settle.
Related pages
These pages cover the ECA, points, language and the Express Entry process.
How to submit your ICAS ECA
Five actions take you from your first click to a complete profile.
Check your country list
Review the ICAS document rules for your country of education.
Open a Client Gateway account
Complete the online application and pay $231 CAD.
Upload your documents
Upload your copies, plus name change papers if they apply.
Send a records request
Print one Official Records Request Form for each qualification and give it to your school.
Add results to your profile
Enter the results and the reference number in your Express Entry profile.
Want your documents checked first?
We review your credentials and your plan before you pay for a report.
How to get your ICAS ECA, step by step
Six steps from your first check to a complete profile.
Check if you need one
Check whether your program and your credentials need an ECA at all.
Check your country list
Review the document rules ICAS lists for your country of education.
Apply and pay
Create a Client Gateway account, complete the application and pay $231 CAD.
Upload and request
Upload your documents, then ask each school to send its records straight to ICAS.
Wait for your report
ICAS lists about 20 weeks after it has all your documents, handled in order of receipt. It offers no rush service.
Enter results and check the date
Add the results and the reference number to your profile. Confirm the report is under 5 years old.
Five mistakes that waste an ICAS ECA
These mistakes cost money or time.
Ordering one for a Canadian degree
You do not need an assessment for a Canadian degree, diploma or certificate.
Sending original documents
ICAS keeps what you submit and does not return it. Send copies, not originals.
Letting the report expire
An ECA must be less than 5 years old when you complete your profile and when you apply.
Expecting a licence
An ECA does not guarantee a licence in a regulated profession.
Assessing only one credential
Each credential you claim needs its own assessment.
ICAS ECA facts at a glance
Key facts from ICAS and IRCC, checked October 2026.
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ICAS ECA FAQs
What is an ICAS ECA?
An ICAS ECA is a report from the International Credential Assessment Service of Canada that shows your completed foreign degree, diploma or certificate is equal to a Canadian credential. IRCC designated ICAS on 17 April 2013.
How much does an ICAS ECA cost?
The fee is $231 CAD with tax included. It covers two original reports, an electronic copy and the secure electronic access IRCC requires (ICAS, checked October 2026). Delivery and extra reports cost more.
How long does an ICAS ECA take?
ICAS lists an average of about 20 weeks after it receives all your documents. Files are handled in order of receipt, and rush service is not available.
How do I apply for an ICAS ECA?
Create an ICAS Client Gateway account, complete the online application and upload your documents. Then print an Official Records Request Form for each qualification and give it to your school.
How do I send my documents to ICAS?
Upload your own documents in the Client Gateway, and ask your school to send its official records directly to ICAS. Do not send originals, because ICAS keeps what you submit.
Is ICAS designated by IRCC?
Yes. IRCC designated the International Credential Assessment Service of Canada on 17 April 2013, so an ICAS report is accepted for Express Entry.
Is an ICAS ECA valid for Express Entry?
Yes, if it is less than 5 years old when you complete your Express Entry profile and when you submit your application. You enter the results and the reference number in your profile.
Is ICAS better than WES or IQAS?
None is best for everyone. ICAS lists $231 CAD and about 20 weeks, WES lists $264 CAD and about 3 to 4 weeks, and IQAS lists $260 CAD plus a $25 fee and about 15 business days (each organization, checked October 2026).
Does an ICAS ECA guarantee a licence or a job?
No. It may help your job search, but it does not promise a job. For a regulated profession you must get your licence in the province or territory where you plan to settle.