If you are planning to emigrate from the UAE, your degree will almost certainly need to be assessed by an organisation the destination country trusts. The problem is that every country uses a different organisation, for a different purpose, with different document rules. And many UAE residents waste weeks on the wrong step — usually UAE attestation, which most immigration assessments do not ask for at all. This guide shows which assessment each country needs, what it costs, how long it takes and how to send your documents from the UAE.
Checked on 16 October 2026 against WES, IRCC, GOV.UK and Immigration New Zealand. Sources at the end.
On this page
- Which assessment do you need?
- Your passport decides, your residence changes the route
- The attestation mistake
- Canada: the ECA
- United Kingdom: Ecctis
- Australia: skills assessment, not WES
- New Zealand: NZQA IQA
- Germany: statement of comparability
- A realistic timeline from the UAE
- Mistakes to avoid
- Questions people ask
Which assessment do you need?
| Destination | Assessment | Who does it | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada (Express Entry, PNPs) | Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) | WES, ICAS, IQAS, ICES, CES (MCC for doctors, PEBC for pharmacists) | Education points and eligibility |
| United Kingdom | Ecctis statement | Ecctis | Proving an English-taught degree, or degree equivalence |
| Australia | Skills assessment | Your occupation’s assessing authority (for example Engineers Australia, ACS, VETASSESS, CPA Australia) | Eligibility for skilled visas |
| New Zealand | International Qualification Assessment (IQA) | NZQA | Qualification points and level |
| Germany | Statement of comparability, or anabin check | ZAB (Central Office for Foreign Education) | Recognition for Blue Card and Opportunity Card |
Key point: these are not interchangeable. A WES report does not count in Australia, and an Australian skills assessment does not give you Canadian education points.
Your passport decides, your residence changes the route
Here, neither your passport nor your residence decides the rules — where you studied does. Each assessment body has separate document rules for each country of education. A Pakistani national with a UAE degree follows the UAE rules; an Indian national with an Indian degree follows the Indian rules, even if both live in Dubai.
Your UAE residence matters for logistics: you will courier documents from the UAE, pay in foreign currency and often ask a university back home to send sealed transcripts internationally.
The attestation mistake
Many UAE residents assume they must first get their degree attested — by their home country, the UAE embassy, and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs — or obtain a UAE Ministry of Education equivalency. Those steps are for employment and residence in the UAE. They are generally not required for WES, ICAS, NZQA or Ecctis, which verify documents directly with the issuing institution.
There are exceptions. For example, IQAS asks for Pakistani degrees attested by Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC), and Pakistani applicants often need HEC attestation for other assessments too. Always read the assessment body’s country-specific rules before paying for any attestation.
Canada: the ECA
Why it matters
In Express Entry, a foreign degree gives you no education points at all unless it has an ECA. Education is worth up to 150 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points for a single applicant:
| Education (single applicant, no spouse) | CRS points |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree (3+ years) | 120 |
| Two or more credentials, one of 3+ years | 128 |
| Master’s degree | 135 |
| Doctorate | 150 |
An ECA is valid for five years from the date of issue.
WES vs ICAS vs IQAS
| WES | IQAS | ICAS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fee | C$264 + 13% HST, plus delivery | C$260 for one credential, C$100 per extra, C$25 admin | C$210 package plus courier |
| Courier to the UAE | International courier C$97 | Courier C$90; rush service C$250 extra | Courier C$85; no rush service |
| Typical time after documents arrive | about 2 weeks verification + 1–2 weeks evaluation | about 15 business days | about 20 weeks |
| Transcript delivery | Sealed by institution, or WES digital partner | Institution, or sealed envelope sent by applicant; some electronic delivery | Institution only |
Figures as published in August 2026. Clocks start only when the body has all required documents — the slowest step is usually your university’s registrar.
Country tips for UAE residents
- UAE degrees: ask your university registrar to send transcripts in a sealed, stamped envelope (or through WES’s digital partner if your university is enrolled). Make sure your programme was accredited by the UAE Commission for Academic Accreditation when you graduated.
- Indian degrees: for an Indian master’s or postgraduate diploma, WES usually also requires your bachelor’s documents. ICES does not accept documents from third-party transcript services — your university must send them.
- Pakistani degrees: IQAS requires HEC-attested copies uploaded to its portal. ICES publishes a list of Pakistani institutions it will not evaluate — check it before paying.
- Filipino degrees: request the Transcript of Records in a sealed envelope from your university; CHED authentication may be requested by some bodies.
United Kingdom: Ecctis
For the UK Skilled Worker visa, you can prove B2 English with a degree taught in English if Ecctis confirms it is equivalent to a UK bachelor’s or higher and was taught in English. This saves you an English test. Ecctis can also confirm qualification levels for PhD-related salary rules. You apply online with Ecctis; the fee and processing time are on its website.
See our UK Skilled Worker guide.
Australia: skills assessment, not WES
Australia does not use a general credential evaluator. For skilled visas (189, 190, 491, 482 and others) you need a positive skills assessment from the authority assigned to your occupation, for example:
| Occupation group | Assessing authority |
|---|---|
| Engineers | Engineers Australia |
| IT professionals | Australian Computer Society (ACS) |
| Accountants | CPA Australia, CA ANZ or IPA |
| Many other professions | VETASSESS |
| Nurses | ANMAC |
Skills assessments check both your qualification and your work experience. Fees and timelines vary by authority and are significantly higher than an ECA. See our Australia PR guide.
New Zealand: NZQA IQA
New Zealand’s points system uses your qualification level, and from 24 August 2026 overseas bachelor’s degrees can earn more points than before. For the new Trades and Technician pathway, an overseas qualification needs an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) from NZQA. Some qualifications on NZQA’s exemption list do not need an IQA. See our New Zealand residence guide.
Germany: statement of comparability
For the EU Blue Card and Opportunity Card, Germany checks whether your degree is recognised. If your university and degree are listed as “H+” in the anabin database, you may not need more. Otherwise you apply to the ZAB for a statement of comparability. See our Germany guide.
A realistic timeline from the UAE
| Step | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Request sealed transcripts from your university | 1–6 weeks (home-country universities are often slowest) |
| International courier to the assessment body | 3–7 days |
| Document verification | 1–3 weeks |
| Evaluation | 1–3 weeks (much longer at some bodies) |
| Total for a Canadian ECA via WES | about 6–10 weeks end to end (Sifqa estimate from the steps above) |
Start your assessment at the same time as your English test, not after it.
Mistakes to avoid
- Paying for UAE or home-country attestation that the assessment body does not need.
- Choosing an ECA body that does not accept documents the way your university can send them.
- Sending only your degree certificate when transcripts are required.
- Name mismatches between passport and degree. Prepare an affidavit or name-change evidence early.
- Using an old ECA — Canada only accepts ECAs issued within the last five years.
Questions people ask
Do I need to attest my degree in the UAE before WES?
Usually no. WES verifies documents with your institution. UAE attestation is for UAE employment, not Canadian immigration. Some bodies do require home-country attestation, such as HEC attestation for Pakistani degrees at IQAS.
How long is a WES ECA valid?
Five years from the date of issue.
Can I use WES for Australia?
No. Australia uses occupation-specific skills assessments.
How much does WES cost from the UAE?
C$264 plus 13% HST, plus international courier (C$97 for priority express). Fees are paid online in Canadian dollars.
Which ECA is fastest?
From published figures in August 2026, IQAS and WES are usually faster than ICAS once all documents arrive. The real delay is usually your university sending transcripts.
Related guides
- Canada PR from the UAE
- Australia PR from the UAE
- UK Skilled Worker visa from the UAE
- New Zealand Skilled Migrant residence from the UAE
- Germany Opportunity Card and Blue Card from the UAE
- IELTS vs PTE vs CELPIP in the UAE
Sources
- World Education Services — credential evaluations and fees: wes.org
- World Education Services — ECA for Canadian immigration: wes.org
- IRCC — Educational credential assessment for Express Entry: canada.ca
- GOV.UK — Skilled Worker visa: knowledge of English (Ecctis): gov.uk
- Immigration New Zealand — SMC 2026 changes (NZQA IQA): immigration.govt.nz
- Cosmos Immigration — WES vs IQAS vs ICAS for UAE residents, August 2026
Written by Asad Waleed M, Dubai. Asad has lived in the UAE for nine years and researches visa rules from government sources. He is not an immigration lawyer or consultant, and Sifqa does not process applications. Read the editorial policy.
Last checked 16 October 2026. Rechecked quarterly and when assessment bodies change fees. Found an error? Email ionicwaleed@gmail.com — it gets fixed and logged.