Recognition of credentials

You may need to have your foreign-earned qualifications assessed to determine how well you meet the standards for your occupation in Alberta. An assessment may involve comparing your qualifications to similar qualifications in Alberta and Canada.

Qualifications can include:

• Your credentials.
• Training and/or work experience.
• Your educational qualifications.

Regulated occupations and trades

Each province in Canada is responsible for setting their own standards, education and training requirements for occupations. In Alberta, regulated occupations have legal requirements or restrictions. In some regulated occupations, such as pharmacist, engineer or accountant, you must be registered with a professional organization. In regulated trades, such as welding, bricklaying or heavy equipment mechanics, you must be registered with Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT), a division of the provincial government ministry called Alberta Advanced Education and Technology. AIT is responsible for administering laws and regulations governing work in the trades.

Resources to help assess your qualifications and research your occupation

• Review Working in Alberta: A Guide for Internationally Trained and Educated Immigrants. This document is accessible through the Alberta Learning Information Service eCareerShop.
   
• Visit CERTinfo on the Alberta Learning Information Service web site to find out about certification and registration requirements for employment in Alberta.
   
• Visit the web site for the Government of Canada’s Foreign Credential Referral Office and Working in Canada Tool to find and compare credential information across Canada.
   
• Contact the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS). This service compares educational qualifications from other countries to provincial educational standards for individuals, employers, educational institutions, professional regulatory organizations and other provinces.
   
• Visit the Apprenticeship and Industry Training web site to find out more about requirements to work in a trade. The Qualification Certificate Program is designed for people who have the necessary skills and experience but either have no certification in their trade or occupation or have a certificate from a non-Canadian apprenticeship authority. This program gives experienced tradespeople a way of proving their skills and experience meet provincial standards. An assessment is required to find out whether the person has the established skills to pass the test to become a journeyman.

Date Updated: Nov 01, 2007
RDP-542