International Applicant: Apply for ECE/ECEA Certification in BC

To complete your application, you will need to know:

• The full name of your educational institution
• The name of your program or course
• Your student number/ID as it will appear on your transcript
• The start date and end date of your program or course

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Apply for an International Credential Evaluation Service Comprehensive Report

Visit the BC Institute of Technology (BCIT) International Credential Evaluation Service website and apply for a Comprehensive Report.

• This service has its own process and requirements, including an application fee
• This process can take several weeks
• Contact BCIT’s International Credential Evaluation Service for more information about requirements and processing times

The ECE Registry offers fee waivers to eligible applicants to cover the cost of Comprehensive Reports.

Fee waivers:

• Are issued on a first come, first served basis
• Depend on funding availability
• Cover the assessment of one credential evaluation
• Are not provided retroactively (you will not be reimbursed if you have already paid for a credential evaluation)

To apply for a fee waiver, you must have already submitted the following to the ECE Registry:

• A complete application form
• A Program Confirmation form (except if you are applying for an ECE Assistant Certificate)
• Course outlines/syllabi
• Official transcript

Contact the ECE Registry before you apply for a Comprehensive Report to find out if you are eligible for a fee waiver. The ECE Registry may ask you to provide additional information to determine if you are eligible.

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Obtain a character reference

Your character reference must be someone who:

• Can speak to your character and has known you for at least 6 months
• Can speak to your ability to educate and care for young children
• Is not a relative, partner, spouse, or yourself
• Is not the same person you provide as your 500 hour work experience reference (if applicable)

It is recommended that your reference is a certified ECE who has directly observed you working with young children. Your Character Reference form must be completed and signed by your reference within 12 months of your application document submission.

• Ask your character reference to send your completed Character Reference form directly to the ECE Registry

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Gather your identification documents (ID)

Submit a copy of one piece of primary ID and one piece of secondary ID from the table below.

• Your ID must be valid and government-issued
• ID that is not in English must be professionally translated
  • A copy of the original ID and the translated copy must be authenticated by the translator and submitted directly to the ECE Registry

• Do not submit original identity documents (for example, birth certificate or passport)

Acceptable ID

Primary ID

Secondary ID

Driver’s licence or learner’s licence issued by a Canadian province or territory B.C. identification card (BCID) B.C. Services Card Canadian birth certificate Canadian or foreign passport Canadian citizenship card Canadian permanent resident card Canadian record of landing/Canadian immigration identification record Indian status card

Driver’s licence or learner’s licence issued by a Canadian province or territory B.C. identification card B.C. services card Canadian birth certificate Canadian or foreign passport Canadian citizenship card Canadian permanent resident card Canadian record of landing/Canadian immigration identification record Indian status card Health or services card from another Canadian province or territory Foreign birth certificate (a baptismal certificate is not acceptable) Photograph identity card issued by a foreign national or regional government

If you cannot provide any of the documents listed on the ID table, contact the ECE Registry.

If your current legal name is different than the name on some or all of your supporting documents, submit proof of name change, for example:

• Government-issued marriage certificate
• Divorce certificate or papers
• Government-issued change of name document

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Confirm your work experience

If you’re applying for an ECE Five Year Certificate, you must show you have completed the required 500 hours of work experience.

Work experience hours:

• Are counted from the date you started your education and cannot include your practicum/placement hours (hours that were a part of your education)
• Must be completed within the 5 years before your application submission
• Can be work or volunteer hours

References must:

• Have directly supervised (observed) you working with children birth to 5 years old
• Speak to your knowledge, skills, and abilities (competencies) as an ECE during the hours they supervised you
• Have held valid ECE certification or registration in Canada during the time they supervised you
• Not be the same person you provide as a character reference

If your 500 hours were completed at more than one location and under the supervision of more than one ECE, you must provide a reference from each person who supervised your hours.

• Ask your work experience reference(s) to send your completed 500 Hour Work Experience Reference form(s) directly to the ECE Registry