NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

Hi all! I'm currently in Whistler BC on an IEC, in the process of gathering my documents to apply for PR.

to get the points I need, I'm hoping to have my UK NVQ level 2 in carpentry and or NVQ level 6 in construction site management assessed for equivalence. Whether or not I am able to have these assessed will affect which route I take to apply for PR, so I was hoping to be sure it was possible before beginning my application.

​WES said they were unable to tell me, without me paying and starting the process which I have read can take months, CES said they did not convert NVQs, only degrees. From my research on here I'm led to believe that CES are the better option for NVQs? so I'm a bit confused and wondering if the lady at CES misunderstood what I was asking....

my IEC visa is up in June so I want to get my application in ASAP and didn't want to go barking up the wrong tree waiting months to get points for my NVQs if they're worthless here anyway.


I'm wondering if anyone else here has any similar experience with NVQ equivalency... and if they were successful, which provider they used? Thanks, Joe

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

Hi, welcome to BE.

NVQ's usually aren't worth any points, no ECA provider routinely assesses them as they are vocational and not academic. But not sure I've heard of a NVQ Level 6 being assessed, which may perhaps be worth some points as it's a much higher level?

Whatever you do, you need to do it quickly, as it can take 4 months to get an ECA, WES is quicker but you'll need to get a wiggle on. Chances of you being able to keep working are already slim if your IEC expires in June, so have a search of the forum and see if anybody has reported success with an NVQ and WES, if so, get it sent off urgently.

What is your current CRS score and what is your occupation?

Best of luck.

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

Thanks Christmasoompa!

​​​​​​Yep from some of the posts I have searched on here I can only find people who have had level 2 and 3 trade qualifications such as plumbing and electrician qualifications assessed, with those coming back eventually as 1 year high school or technical college diploma level.

With level 6 considered as degree equivalent at home I was hoping it would count for a bit more, even if it was just two year study equivalent instead of one. WES were unwilling to let me know before paying and waiting however long their assessment takes... which seems silly as I'm sure they should be able to give an estimate or even just say if they would be willing to assess my qualification based on previous applications! I'm worried that they just group all NVQs under the same umbrella since it is a vocational qualification, and by the time I find out for sure it would be too late.

I work as a carpenter here in Canada, and at home I was working as a construction site manager for a year before leaving, previous to that as a carpenter.

My points vary quite a bit depending on what I input with regards to my qualifications, without qualifications I'm only at 352 points, with a one year equivalent education I'm at 450, two years puts me at 458 and three years at 480 which I think would be the only safe bet for getting an invite.

I think I would be able to get a job offer from my current employer, but I was really hoping to leave this Job as soon as possible as my work conditions aren't the best! So I'm not sure if using those points would tie me to this job for however long my my application takes?

Also, I'm assuming express entry is the fastest route? With federal skilled worker etc taking longer to process.

Thanks, Joe

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

Seeing that you are working in Canada have you considered taking a trades exam?
If you take and pass the exam it should give you the same points as a job offer.
Also you would then be eligible for the federal skilled trades part of express entry. You would only then have to wait for an FST draw.

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

WES ignored my level 4 NVQ completely, but counted my level 3 as equal to a semester of post secondary. but I went to college with someone who had their level 4 down as 3 year, our NC (HNC without the higher bit in UK speak) counted as 1 year of college so i got a 1 year college ECA, he got a 2 degree with one being at least 3 in duration ECA - so its a bit of a crap shoot.

However may as well throw it in as its not that expensive, you may get lucky, if not it will at least get you something for high school hopefully.

As stated above personally I'd be challenging the trade exam even if it means travelling out of province or the like - a C of Q added onto your application will add 50 points and make you eligible for an FST draw (last draw was at 357).

I believe processing times are exactly the same whether you go via EE,FSW or FST - only difference is with FST you need to wait for a draw with the lower cut off.

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

https://www.itabc.ca/apply-apprentic...fication-exams - then apply for FSW (Trades) :)
https://www.itabc.ca/program/carpenter - look under 'challenge Certification/Recognize Prior Experience'

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

Yeh seems kinda annoying the way it seems they assess things seemingly randomly, I've just found a bit on the WES site thats says that they do not assess occupational or trade qualifications, I'm guessing that NVQ's would fall under a trade qualification so wondering if its even worth submitting anything for evalutation...

Thats a relief with the processing times being similar, i'm kinda thinking my easiest option at the moment would be to go the job offer route... do i need to have been with the same employer for a year or more, or can it just be a year or more of skilled work do you know?

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

Are you sure about that? You said without qualifications you’re at 352, so with a C of Q you’d be at 402 - way above the points requirement for getting an invite via FST?

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

[QUOTE=Siouxie;12817620 - then apply for FSW (Trades) :)
- look under 'challenge Certification/Recognize Prior Experience'[/QUOTE]


I have considered taking the red seal, but i'm still coming up a bit short on points even with a red seal if i don't get any points for my previous education.

I also worry that going as long as i have without taking exams i may struggle challenging the red seal haha!

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

Oh yes sorry i didn't think of that haha!

So that makes that a viable option, i'm going to look up and phone my closest red seal certification place tomorrow.

I do worry with taking the red seal however that i might struggle with the difference in metric/imperial measurements and the like... I have no trouble working as a carpenter on site here, however being in a different country and so long out of college, i don't feel particularly confident in my written skills for the examination with different units and terminology used... on site is usually fine, as there is always someone around to translate or explain these differences haha

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

Other option is to get the job offer sorted, that’s also worth 50 points if your employer would do that?

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

I felt exactly the same way for mine and had no experience working in the country.

Truth be told its a multiple choice exam, I believe for yours you may also be supplied/allowed a calculator. I just tried the red seal carpenter trial exam online and got 60% and aside from building a stud wall at home and some concrete forms for walls in the garden I've gone nowhere near carpentry ever. (should also mention some of the maths questions I just took a punt at as didn't have a calculator) - obviously this isn't indicative of a final mark.

The one I sat for my trade was way easier than I'd prepped for. If you have a search round you can most likely find an exam or 3 online.

​​​​​

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

It's not Red Seal -- the Red Seal Endorsement goes on your Certificate of Qualification from your Province of choice - a Red Seal endorsement allows you to work in other Provinces without having to requalify for them. You may be able to obtain your Provincial Certificate of Qualification based on your past provable work experience - that is what is called 'challenging' - :).

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

I think he would be ok with giving me a job offer as long as it doesn't cost him anything! haha. I would have to look into whether or not he needs to get an LMIA for me.

The other problem i can foresee with that is that i have only worked for this guy for 8 months, with the rest of the years skilled work experience being made up of hours on the books for an employment agency. From looking on the immigration website it looks as though i have to have at least a year working for the employer who is giving me the job offer?

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

Thanks thats reassuring, ill give the trial exam a go this evening.

Which trade did you sit an exam for? and how long from booking roughly did it take for you to be able to sit the exam?

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

Ohhh i see! so if i'm understanding you right its basically like an ECA that is issued by the province/red seal certifier? (i'm looking at red seal as though it is a qualification like our NVQ)

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

Automotive service technician, I sat it in SK, but spoke with the people who organise the exams (the apprentice and trade certification commision), just had to book it 28 days in advance of the exam date, they had a calendar online with exams roughly once per month - if i remember correctly BC had a lot more choice of exam dates (I debated booking my exams in BC and SK as in theory you could challenge both exam boards at the same time rather than wait for your mark, and a resit, and for AST at least the course material was the same across both provinces),

Note - booking is sort of 2 stage, you send them an application to challenge the exam, is basically proving your work history and UK (or other country quals) with a fee, they then approve or decline this, giving you a letter that allows you to book your exam. Whole process took me around 4 months, but could have been done in 2 - they had me approved within 2-3 weeks of sending my application in, then I sat on it for a bit prior to booking my exam.

Not exactly, it's attached to your C of Q, basically giving the exam the backing of the red seal program, idea is it means you don't have to resit an exam for that trade in another province. Whether you have a redseal or not attached to your C of Q makes no difference to your points, but these days for the trades that are red seal approved, your C of Q almost always comes with the red seal attached - the deal with SK and BC is you apply for the exam and tick both the box for CofQ and Redseal and if successful you get both - there is no extra cost, the passmark is the same and for SK it was definitely the same exam. Unsure why you wouldn't tick both boxes when going for your C of Q.

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

Thanks Stumpylegs

Makes a lot more sense now. I gave them a call yesterday and they said it will be 6-8 weeks to get approved to challenge and then about that long again to book the exam and get my results so i'm guessing they're a bit slower/busier in BC at the moment.

I'm thinking my best plan of attack is going to be to send all of my qualifications, including high school off for ECA, while also booking to challenge the red seal and seeing if i can get that job offer secured in writing with the current employer. then just use whichever option works out or comes first haha!

On a side note, can any of you point me in the direction of a template or some sort of guidelines for the employers job offer letter? also, i'm seeing online that i need 12 months continuous or 1560 days of skilled work... does this mean that i have to have been with the same employer for the whole time? i have the full amount of days, but they are split between two different companies, with a month or two of unskilled work between to the two can anyone foresee that being a problem?

Thanks for all the help so far guys its much appreciated!

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

How did you get on with getting your NVQ 6 assessed? I’ve got a 7 and can’t find out if it’s actually worth anything..

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

I ended up challenging and passing the CoQ/red seal :regular_smile:, as I couldn't get any definite response from the ECA companies and didn't want to risk leaving the country without being sure.

Currently back in the UK so will be applying from here... I think I'm gonna put in for an ECA either way as that could only help with my points even more.

Will post back here when I find out but likely to be a few weeks at least.

What is your Nvq7 in? From what I gather the ECA companies *officially* don't assess vocational qualifications so that basically covers all NVQs unfortunately... However I have read a few posts online where people have said they did get an assessment/had a percentage of the points but not all, so may just be a case of who ends up doing the ECA and the paperwork they are provided with.

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

Thanks. My NVQ is in senior construction management. I’m also in the process of getting my MCIOB and from what I understand I can get a gold seal once I have it.

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

I imagine that being mciob would carry a lot more weight than just the Nvq, not something that I've looked into but I would think there's a lot more chance of the ECA companies taking your qualification seriously at that point.

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

MCIOB won't make any difference for an ECA, it's purely professional, not an academic qualification.

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

Hello .

I wonder how did you get on with your ECA ? I am currently working as a formwork carpenter and looking to challenge the red seal as well . Could you help me with the requirements and was it hard getting it ?

Thank you Leon .

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

Hi Leon,

I didn't end up going for the ECA, as when I contacted the ECA providers only one of them (WES i think from memory) was even willing to consider an assessment of any form (confirmed by the man I spoke to at their call centre, although I don't think he fully understood my questions)... However their website stated that they would not assess vocational qualifications... so with the conflicting info and my rush to secure my chance to return, I just went all in for the CofQ and red seal certificate.

Luckily in the end I challenged and passed the exam, which allowed me to achieve the certificate of qualification and red seal. I would say that it is a fairly difficult exam to do on short notice, but certainly not unachievable if your willing to study.

The first step was contacting the ITA, they will give you a summary of evidence that they require to allow you to challenge the exam. I think it was evidence of 5 years of skilled work. Their approval took a month or two (early covid times). I would do this ASAP if your application is time sensitive.

Unlike the Nvq in the UK (assuming that's where you're from), the exam covers the full spectrum of carpentry, (footings, staircases, structural, finish, windows and doors, roofing and shingles etc).

While I was able to happily work day to day as a carpenter in Canada, since I could refer to specs to make sure I was working to code... Knowing these things off the top of your head is where the difficulty came in for me with the exam, since you have just over two minutes to answer each question (around 100 in total)... So one of the biggest peices of advice I could give would be to get a copy of the building code book beforehand (a copy of the relevant chapters will be provided in the exam), and get good at quickly navigating that book to find relevant info.

The building code can be downloaded free online.

There are refresher courses available if you google them which I imagine would be a huge help, however since everything was closed with covid at the time, and with the man who I was in contact with at the ITA being extremely helpful sending me a list of resources... I chose to self study.
If you send me your email, I can forward the info I have and some PDFs with the material I used to study if it's any help to you?

Best of luck, Joe

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

Hey joe, well done on passing your exam and also first time! I’m challenging my hours at the moment, references have emailed back to them. Are you back in Canada?
rick

Re: NVQ level 6 Canadian equivalence assessment
 

I think he was in Canada at the time, already working there on an IEC visa according to his previous posts. The CofQ was for his PR app.

if you click on a username, you can select the option to view all of the members previous posts.

HTH.