WES Credential Assessment for Iranian Degrees: Documents, Process, and Timeline

The WES Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) is one of the first concrete steps in an Express Entry application — and for Iranian applicants, it is also one of the most complicated. Iran is not a signatory to the Hague Apostille Convention, the Canadian embassy in Tehran has been closed since 2012, and the verification of Iranian degrees runs through a government portal that operates exclusively in Persian and requires a domestic phone number to register. None of this is insuperable, but it requires knowing the right sequence before you start.

What WES Evaluates and Why It Matters

WES (World Education Services) is one of IRCC's designated organizations for Educational Credential Assessments. When you submit your profile to the Express Entry pool, you need a WES reference number confirming how your degree compares to Canadian standards. This equivalency directly affects your CRS score:

• Four-year Karshenasi (Bachelor's): Canadian bachelor's degree — 120 CRS points
• Karshenasi Arshad (Master's): Canadian master's degree — 135 CRS points
• Doctorate (Doktora): Canadian PhD — 150 points

A downgrade — where WES evaluates your credential as a diploma rather than a full degree — costs you 15–45 CRS points. This is the most common and expensive mistake Iranian applicants make, and it is almost always preventable with the correct documentation.

The Two Paths for Iranian Documents

WES accepts Iranian academic documents through one primary method: institutional direct mail. Your university sends your original degree certificate (Daneshnameh) and official transcripts (Riz-e-Nomarat) directly to WES in sealed, stamped envelopes. WES does not accept documents that have passed through the applicant's hands.

The good news: WES typically accepts Iranian transcripts in English or Persian when sent by the university, bypassing the full MFA legalization chain that applies to many other document types. This simplification can reduce your preparation timeline from six months to approximately 8–12 weeks.

For documents that require translation (such as some degree certificates), WES requires a certified English translation accompanying the original Persian documents, prepared by a Dar-al-Tarjomeh Rasmi (officially authorized translator).

Step 1: Register on the WES Portal and Create Your Application

Go to wes.org and create an account. Select Canada as your destination and "IRCC" as the purpose. After paying the evaluation fee (approximately CAD 264 for a document-by-document evaluation), you will receive a WES reference number. This number goes on the envelopes your university sends.

Step 2: Trigger the Sajjad Portal Process at Your University

Before your university can send documents to WES, you need to clear the Ministry of Science (MSRT) verification through the Sajjad Portal (portal.saorg.ir). This is the government's official channel for releasing academic documents for international use.

The Sajjad process requires:

1. Registration using an Iranian national ID and domestic mobile number
2. Upload of your identity documents
3. Your university's registrar approving and stamping your academic records through the portal
4. The university preparing sealed envelopes addressed to WES with your reference number on the label

If you are outside Iran, you almost certainly need a representative — a trusted family member or a licensed agent — who can physically visit the university and the Ministry to ensure the envelopes are prepared correctly. The Sajjad portal interface is in Persian and requires an Iranian SIM card for the registration SMS.

Step 3: Laghv-e Ta'ahod — Clearing Your Commitment

Graduates of state-funded universities who received a subsidized education have a legal obligation called Ta'ahod — a commitment to work in Iran for a specified period before being free to emigrate. If you completed your commitment (through employment years counted by the SSO), your university can release documents without delay.

If you have not completed the commitment period, you must formally cancel it (Laghv-e Ta'ahod). This process involves paying a calculated fee to the Ministry of Science, based on your field of study and years remaining. The fee is assessed at the Ministry's offices and must be settled before the university will release documents. Engineering and medical graduates typically face higher fees than humanities graduates.

For those who have left Iran, initiating Laghv-e Ta'ahod generally requires a power of attorney (Vekalatnameh) granted to a relative or agent in Iran.

Step 4: Document Requirements by Degree Type

For a Bachelor's or Master's degree:

• Official sealed transcript (Riz-e-Nomarat) directly from the university registrar
• Official degree certificate (Daneshnameh) — some universities include this in the sealed envelope; others send it separately
• For Master's degrees: proof of thesis completion (e.g., thesis title page, defense documentation) — this is critical for avoiding a downgrade to Graduate Diploma

For PhD degrees:

• All of the above
• Abstract or title page of the doctoral dissertation

If your degree is from Islamic Azad University (IAU):

• Additional documentation supporting the academic rigor of your program — see the separate post on Azad University WES evaluation for specific requirements

Step 5: Sending Documents to WES

The standard method is for your university to mail documents directly to WES's Canadian address. The envelopes must be:

• Sealed by the university registrar
• Stamped with the university's official seal
• Labeled with your WES application reference number on the outside

The university's international office may or may not be familiar with WES requirements. Having a printed copy of the WES country-specific requirements for Iran to present to the registrar avoids costly mistakes.

Timeline

If all preconditions are met (Laghv-e Ta'ahod cleared, Sajjad process initiated, no complications), the realistic timeline is:

• Sajjad portal process and document preparation at university: 4–8 weeks
• International mail from Iran to WES Canada: 1–3 weeks
• WES processing after document receipt: 7–20 business days

Total realistic timeline: 8–12 weeks from starting the process to receiving your WES evaluation results.

Common Mistakes That Cause Delays or Downgrades

Sending documents yourself. Any documents that pass through your hands — even just to forward them — will be rejected by WES. The entire chain must be institution-to-WES.

Missing thesis documentation for Master's degrees. If WES cannot confirm that your Karshenasi Arshad included a thesis or capstone project, they may evaluate it as a Graduate Diploma rather than a Master's degree. Always include thesis documentation proactively.

Not clearing Laghv-e Ta'ahod first. Some universities will prepare documents without first confirming the Ta'ahod is cleared, creating a situation where MSRT then blocks the release. Clear the commitment before approaching the registrar.

Expired documents. WES evaluations are not time-limited, but your passport, language scores, and medical exam all have expiry periods. Coordinate your WES timeline with your overall Express Entry timeline to avoid having to redo steps.

The Iran → Canada Express Entry Guide includes a detailed checklist for the WES process, including the Sajjad portal steps, Laghv-e Ta'ahod fee calculation, and the exact envelope labeling format WES requires for Iranian documents.

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