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How long does an ECA through CES (Comparative Education Service) take?

Canada • Express Entry • immigration 0 views
By VisaBuddies Communityvia community — compiled from public visa forums

Step-by-Step

For applicants waiting on an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) through CES and wondering if slow processing is normal:

  1. Long delays and poor communication have been reported. One applicant said CES was taking a long time to process their file and didn't respond to phone calls or emails during the wait.

  2. A real example timeline: documents received by CES on March 13th, with the ECA result finally issued in the last week of September — roughly six months of processing.


Because ECA processing times can vary significantly and this thread reflects individual applicant experiences rather than official CES service standards, check CES's current published processing times before assuming your case will follow the same timeline.

Dos, Don'ts & Tips

  • Tip: Budget for CES ECA processing to potentially take several months, based on applicant-reported experiences — don't assume a quick turnaround.
  • Do: If CES isn't responding to calls or emails, keep records of your attempts to follow up and check their official website for current processing time estimates.

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