Current Average Processing Times*

Document-by-Document (DxD)

3 days or less

Course-by-Course (CxC)

8 days or less

Educational Credential Assessment (ECA for IRCC Canada)

6 days or less

*Processing times may vary. Processing starts once all documents have been received, reviewed, and accepted by WES and payment has been made in full.

Benefits for Employers

Canadian employers that screen internationally educated candidates for positions unregulated by national or provincial licensing bodies refer these individuals to WES. Our credential evaluation services mitigate risk and simplify and streamline the hiring process. We verify candidate credentials, provide Canadian equivalencies for all academic credentials, and support partners with the training and resources they need in order to ensure best practices.

WES draws on a deep well of knowledge and experience. Our evaluations database includes samples of ~28,000 credentials and 5,600 grading scales from 203 countries and territories.

Companies that employ individuals in regulated occupations can learn about our partnerships with professional licensing and certification bodies here.

Identifying Diploma Mills & Avoiding Fraudulent Documents

Thousands of hardworking professionals and students come to Canada every year for employment, and a handful will attempt to do so with degrees issued by so-called diploma mills or by using documents which are fraudulent. By instituting and enforcing rigorous documentation policies, employers can select qualified candidates, minimize fraud and protect the integrity of the screening process. Documents should be received directly from verified academic institutions or other recognized organizations and authenticated by authorized officials. All translated documents must be accompanied by sealed copies of official academic records.

The WES Credential Evaluation Process

  1. Employers refer candidates with international credentials to WES for credential evaluation.
  2. After WES receives all required documents and fees, evaluators with area-specific expertise verify the status of institutions and the authenticity of the credentials.
  3. WES evaluates the credentials according to admissions requirements, education levels, institution types and objectives of the educational programs.
  4. WES measures the credentials against Canadian standards and converts credit hours and grades to Canadian equivalents.
  5. Before completion, credential evaluations are reviewed by senior WES evaluators.
  6. WES completes WES Evaluation Reports within seven business days of our confirmation and review of the required applications, documents and fees. WES Evaluation Reports are delivered to employers and candidates via mail or AccessWES®, our secure online delivery system.

Employer Playbook: Strategies for Immigrant Inclusion in Canadian Workplaces

Leveraging the expertise and best practices developed by members of the #ImmigrantsWork coalition, the Employer Playbook provides easy-to-implement strategies that support your efforts to:

  • Recruit the best candidates
  • Add diverse perspectives that support your company’s resilience
  • Foster an inclusive workplace where immigrant employees can thrive

The inclusion of diverse perspectives is a powerful enabler of business performance.

#ImmigrantsWork

The challenges of the labour market vary depending on their local context. The needs of employers in one locale differ from those in another—which is why strategies and resources for tapping into immigrant talent must be suited to local needs.

#ImmigrantsWork, a national coalition of organizations that serve the immigrant community, is committed to empowering employers through collective action to develop effective, sustainable workforce practices at the regional level. Following the success of three pilot communities (see this report for more details), WES is proud to launch #ImmigrantsWork Phase 2 and partner with five new communities in co-creating durable workforce strategies contextualized across Canada.

Refugee Hiring Event Guide: A Guide to Coordinating a Collaborative Response to an Employment Imperative

This practical guide summarizes key lessons from the Toronto Refugee Hiring Event. The hiring event model can translate to other communities to connect employers with pre-screened, job-ready refugees for pre-scheduled interviews.

This guide will help you to:

  • Identify the stakeholders in your community that can support a refugee hiring event
  • Understand the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder
  • Host a successful refugee hiring event in your community

This is a product of the Refugee Jobs Agenda Roundtable, a working group of Canadian employers, community agencies, and governments dedicated to increasing refugees’ access to employment opportunities.

#WelcomingEconomy for Refugees

Refugees have education, skills, and experience that benefit Canada’s workforce. The #WelcomingEconomy for Refugees campaign, launched by more than 50 partners and led by the Refugee Jobs Agenda Roundtable, highlights the many social and economic contributions refugees have made. Co-chaired by The Honourable Ratna Omidvar and Darrell Pinto, the Roundtable is a coalition of more than 80 organizations across Canada working to promote inclusive hiring practices aimed at increasing refugee access to employment. WES is proud to support the campaign through our strategic coordination of the Roundtable.

The #WelcomingEconomy for Refugees campaign includes a series of interviews with business leaders sharing how they have welcomed refugees into their workplaces.

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