BCIT International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES) offers support for employment pathways to Canada

BCIT ICES benefits both the Canadian government and skilled international workers

With over one million job openings in BC over the next decade according to the Labour Market Outlook Report, the BC government recognizes the need for skilled workers to fulfill the workforce gap in the coming years. One of the ways the government is addressing this concern is by ensuring that BC is a welcoming place for international workers. In particular, providing clearer and faster career, educational, and immigration paths for skilled immigrants ensure that Canada continues to become an increasingly attractive choice for the international workforce population.

As a provincially mandated credential evaluation service in BC, BCIT ICES is a key service provider for many individuals during immigration. Designated BCIT staff examine international education credentials, certificates, and other qualifications, and evaluate them for Canadian-level equivalences. For example, the educational training in Canada to become a health care aide may not be the same as their international counterparts. ICES evaluates these international education credentials, which helps Canadian newcomers determine if they meet the requirements for a regulated profession.

ICES services also help international workers prove to Canadian employers, post-secondary institutions, and immigration services that they have the necessary knowledge and training for their chosen field in Canada. You can choose from three types of services offered by ICES: basic, comprehensive, and immigration (ECA). For many, an ICES report is proof that you do not have to start your employment or education from zero.

VIEW: A list of organizations and educational institutions who require an ICES evaluation.

BCIT ICES assesses a vast range of industry sectors and educational backgrounds

ICES assesses credentials across a wide variety of industries and sectors. This includes, but is not limited to: business and finance, tourism, agriculture, medical, nursing, and engineering.

Basic Report: General evaluations for employment

ICES’ basic service provides Canadian newcomers with general evaluations that are used for employers and professional organizations. If you are seeking general employment in Canada, these evaluations include a brief program description and Canadian equivalent for each fully or partially completed credential, as well as the number of years of education completed.

Comprehensive Report: Credential assessments for pre-requisite or admission purposes to post-secondary institutions

For Canadian newcomers looking to enter a professional occupation or admission to post-secondary institutes such as BCIT, the comprehensive report includes all information in the basic report with the addition of a list of courses, language of instruction, and GPA calculations.

In furthering the provincial mandate of credential evaluation services in BC, ICES has begun assisting the Nursing Community Assessment Services (NCAS) in a pilot program since January 2023. Prior to this, nursing credential evaluations were exclusively handled by the National Nursing Assessment Services (NNAS). With the increasing need for nursing and healthcare professions in the past few years, the nursing bodies have expanded their evaluation processes. As one of the chosen agencies to provide nursing credential assessment to help with this process, BCIT ICES is proud to contribute in reducing significant barriers to Canadian workforce and education in nursing and healthcare.

LEARN MORE: Basic and Comprehensive reports offered by BCIT ICES

Immigration Report: Educational credential assessments required for immigration purposes

The bulk of evaluations ICES performed are for immigration purposes. ICES is one of the five designated services in Canada to provide this service. BCIT ICES completes roughly 12,000-13,000 evaluations per year and have received requests from over 100 different countries annually.

How to get in touch with BCIT ICES

If you are a skilled immigrant seeking to come to BC or Canada and would like to have your credentials evaluated, take a look at the BCIT ICES for more information.

Let ICES help you achieve your goals by providing clear paths to employment and post-secondary opportunities in BC and across Canada.