Question 1

Is an ECA mandatory for Canada Express Entry in 2026?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the Educational Credential Assessment is required to claim CRS points for foreign education. Without it the diploma is treated as 'no foreign credential' and the file is rejected at the Comprehensive Ranking System scoring step. The ECA must come from one of the IRCC-designated organisations (WES, ICAS, IQAS, ICES, CES) and must be issued within the last 5 years at the time of profile submission.

Question 2

Which IRCC-designated ECA agency is fastest for Canada PR?

Accepted Answer

WES processes 80% of applications in 7 business days when documents arrive in good order. ICAS averages 10 days, IQAS up to 20 days, CES 15 days. Adding the apostilled diploma directly to the WES portal (rather than waiting for the issuing institution to send it separately) is the single biggest accelerator — most delays come from the institution channel, not WES itself.

Question 3

Does Canada accept apostille documents in 2026?

Accepted Answer

Canada became a Hague Convention member on 11 January 2024. Documents from issuing countries that joined the Convention before that date are accepted with apostille by IRCC. Documents from countries that joined the Convention after Canada's accession need to be checked individually — IRCC may still require consular legalisation if the bilateral effective date has not been reached. Documents from non-Hague countries (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar) always need full embassy legalisation.

Question 4

Do IRCC translations have to be done by a Canadian translator?

Accepted Answer

No. IRCC accepts translations done abroad by a certified translator, provided the translation is accompanied by a signed affidavit from the translator stating their competence and the accuracy of the translation. A translation done by a Canadian member of an ATIO / OTTIAQ / CTTIC association does not need an affidavit. The apostilled original must be submitted alongside the translation.

Question 5

How recent must police certificates be for Canada Express Entry?

Accepted Answer

Police certificates must be issued within 6 months of the final decision on the application — not 6 months of the application date. For Express Entry this often means the certificate has to be re-issued mid-process. RCMP certificates for Canadian residence are valid throughout the application; foreign police certificates from countries the applicant lived in for 6+ months since age 18 are all required.

Question 6

How does the NOC 2021 TEER code affect my IRCC experience letter?

Accepted Answer

Since November 2022 IRCC has used the 5-digit NOC 2021 (TEER system) to assess work experience. The experience letter must explicitly mirror the NOC lead statement and at least 50% of the main duties for the chosen TEER code. A mismatch between the letter and the NOC duties causes the IRCC officer to silently downgrade the CRS points without issuing a Request for Evidence — the file is simply not invited.

Work Permit Documents for Canada — WES & ECA-Ready