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When you arrive in Alberta

It is important to assess the skills you have acquired outside the country to see how they compare with the skills you can acquire here in Canada. If your training has gaps as compared to Canadian standards, this assessment will help you identify them and help you choose courses to become fully qualified.

The International Qualifications Assessment (IQAS) service was established by the Alberta government to assess education received outside of Canada and issue certificates which establish Canadian equivalencies for diplomas obtained abroad. This assessment may be useful to enter the labour market, join a professional licensing organization or enroll in postsecondary educational institutions. Before starting this process, it is important to ensure that employers, associations or institutions to which you plan to submit these certificates, will accept them and take them into account.

You will be required to submit original certificates, diplomas, transcripts, letters of recommendation and records of employment. Generally, these documents are sent by institutions from your country of origin to an institution in Alberta. However, if they are written in a foreign language, they must be translated word for word by an accredited translator. Your originals will be returned once the evaluation is completed. It is important to note that IQAS accepts documents in French.

Some professional licensing organizations and post-secondary institutions do their own skill assessments. You must contact them directly to learn how your internationally earned qualifications may be recognized.

If your skills are recognized and your occupation is regulated by a professional licensing organization or association, you will have to become a member to legally practice in Canada. In general, the procedure is as follows: you will have to pass one or more entrance exams, register as a member and pay dues, usually every year. Your accreditation will depend on your level of experience and the position you will hold as a professional.

If part or all of your experience is not recognized by employers or by the professional licensing organization for your field or profession, you will need to receive additional training to acquire the competencies required in your occupation.

Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials
Foreign Credentials Recognition

Government of Alberta
International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS)