Evaluating your Education

Definitions:

• Educational Credential means:
  • Any diploma, degree, or degree, or apprenticeship credential issued on the completion of a program of study or training at an educational or training institution recognized by the authorities responsible for registering, accrediting, supervising, and regulating such institutions in the country of issue. (Regulation 73)
  • The program of study or training must be completed. A two year bachelor's level program earns 20 points (Regulation 78(2)(d)(ii)). A similar one-year program earns 15 points (Regulation 78(2)(c)(ii)). However, finishing one year of a two-year bachelor's level program will not result in the awarding of 15 points because the program was not completed.
• Full-time means:
  • In relation to a program of study leading to an educational credential, at least 15 hours of instruction per week during the academic year, including any period of training in the workplace that forms part of the course of instruction. (Regulation 78(1))
• Full-time equivalent means:
  • In respect of part time or accelerated studies, the period that would have been required to complete those studies on a full-time basis.

Points are awarded according to the various levels of study completed as well as the total years of study as outlined in Regulation 78(2). Some interesting anomalies exist. For example, a 3 year non-university level program obtains 22 points while a 2, 3, or 4 year bachelor's level degree only gets 20 points.

In addition to the level of study that needs to be obtained, there are specific requirements for minimum number of years of study that must be completed. Regulation 78(4) appears to provide that if an applicant has the educational credential but not the total number of years required, then you award the applicant the same number of points as the number of years required by the section coresponding to that educational credential. Thus, an aplicant with a master's degree who has only 16 years of study instead of the required 17 years should be awarded 17 rather than 20 points. However, Chapter OP6, s. 10.2 interprets Regulation 78(4) differently. The guidelines explain that if an applicant has a master's degree, but only 16 years of education, you would go down to the category for which the applicant has completed the total number of years required and, using this example, award 22 points.