Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is WES?
A. WES is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing accurate and reliable evaluations of academic credentials earned outside
Canada. WES is the largest and one of the oldest credential evaluation services in
North America. Each year we prepare evaluations for approximately 50,000 individuals from all over the world, and provide reports to
occupational regulatory bodies, government agencies, colleges and universities,
employers and immigration attorneys. WES evaluations are nationally recognized for their accuracy and reliability. WES maintains a library of the most up-to-date research on comparative education, an archive of annotated documents for more than 300,000 completed evaluations, and an extensive database of information on foreign institutions, programs of study, credentials and grading scales. Because our evaluators are specialists with access to the best resources, WES makes the evaluation process fast, efficient and reliable.
As a charter member of the National Association of Credentials
Evaluations Services (NACES),
and a member of the Canadian Alliance of Credential Evaluations
Services (www.canalliance.org)
who plays a key role in establishing and upholding professional
practice standards. WES is also a member of the Canadian
Bureau of International Education (CBIE),
the Canadian Education Association (CEA),
and the Association of Registrars of Universities
and Colleges of Canada (ARUCC).
Q. What is credential evaluation?
A. Credential evaluation is the process of assessing the academic record, course work and the educational degrees, certificates or diplomas obtained in one country and determining their equivalents in another country
Q. Who uses WES?
A. WES serves many clients, both individuals and institutions, who need clear and authoritative evaluations of academic credentials earned abroad.
Occupational Regulatory Bodies, college and university admissions professionals,
Immigrants and permanent residents educated outside Canada who are seeking to further their educational or career prospects,
overseas candidates applying for professional licensing/certification or university study in
Canada, human resources professionals, immigration attorneys.
Q. How do applicants perceive the credential evaluation process?
A. Applicants generally appreciate WES's specialized expertise, and they welcome the opportunity to have an objective and credible analysis done of their education. They see WES as an objective, neutral party, whose evaluation will enable them to receive fair consideration of their candidacy for professional licensing or certification. They further appreciate the fact that WES staff members are dedicated professionals who can quickly and easily respond to students' - or the professional
bodies' - questions and concerns.
Q. Who pays for the evaluation?
A. The applicant pays WES directly for the evaluation in most cases. However, boards or agencies may choose to pay for their candidates' evaluations.
Q. How do applicants perceive the cost of an evaluation?
A. In our experience, the fee is rarely if ever an obstacle to seeking an evaluation of credentials. Relative to the increase in income that generally follows upon the validation of academic credentials , the cost of a WES evaluation is negligible.
Q. How long does an evaluation take?
A. Evaluations are completed in just 10 days, once all necessary documents and fees have been received. An evaluation can be expedited (using our Same-Day or 3-Day rush services) for an additional fee.
Q. Is my board abdicating its responsibility by asking WES to evaluate foreign credentials?
A. Absolutely not. A WES evaluation report makes foreign educational credentials readily understood in
Canadian terms, providing your board with a well-informed and objective assessment of the candidate's academic qualifications. The evaluation does not make a recommendation regarding the broader issue of a candidate's eligibility for licensing or certification. The evaluation report is a tool that allows you to more quickly and confidently make a decision regarding an applicant's eligibility for professional licensing or certification.
Q. Does WES translate foreign-language documents?
A. No. WES requires that applicants submit documents in their original language, together with a literal word-for-word translation by an external translation service. In the course of the evaluation, WES evaluators, who are multi-lingual, verify the translation. If your institution does not have a preferred translation service, WES can recommend one.
Q. What if our staff has questions about a WES evaluation?
A. WES is always happy to provide further information about a credential evaluation or to answer general questions about foreign education systems or credentials. Our
client services department is always available to answer your questions. They will ensure that you receive a prompt and accurate response.
Q. What if a candidate is not satisfied with the evaluation?
A. WES has a very high satisfaction rate. However, we carefully review every query about an evaluation, and we provide a response to the applicant. (Each evaluation report explains how to contact
our evaluator.) While we cannot guarantee that an applicant will always agree with an evaluation, WES will explain to an applicant the methods and procedures by which determinations were made.
Q. What if a student submits forged documents or credentials that are not genuine?
A. If there is any question about a document's authenticity, WES issues a verification request to the issuing institution. We then hold the evaluation in abeyance until a reply has been received. If the institution notifies WES that the records are not genuine, we cancel the application and notify both the professional
body and the applicant, explaining the reasons for the cancellation.
Q. Who receives the evaluation report?
A. Both the applicant and the occupational regulatory body requesting the evaluation are sent copies of the report. Additional copies may also be requested.
Q. How do I refer a candidate to WES?
A. There are different ways of directing applicants to WES for evaluation of foreign credentials: If your board requires evaluation of all foreign credentials, you can enclose a WES application form in your application packet. Or you may choose simply to provide applicants with information about WES, leaving it to them to contact us directly. Many
occupational regulatory bodies provide a link from their web site to the WES web site: www.wes.org. We will make the evaluation process easy and efficient for them. If your board prefers that WES evaluate only specific credentials, , you may want to send the WES application form only to those applicants who hold these credentials.
Q. How do I obtain WES applications?
A. WES regularly mails applications to professional boards that have requested them. You can also contact WES at any time to receive additional applications, or you can download an application from our web site:
www.wes.org/ca. To order application forms please contact us at the number below. There is no charge for the applications.
More Questions?
We would be glad to discuss our services with you in greater detail. You can contact us by calling our
Client Services Manager at 1-866-343-0070. Or you can reach us by e-mail at supportca@wes.org.
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