A Degree That Doesn't Automatically Travel With You
One of the more disorienting discoveries many professionals make after relocating is that a degree earned in one country doesn't automatically carry the same weight in another. In the United States, for example, there is no central government body that validates international degrees -- recognition instead happens through independent credential evaluation services, and is ultimately determined by the employer, institution, or licensing board requesting it.
When an Evaluation Is Actually Required
Credential evaluation becomes necessary in several distinct situations: applying to a university that requires foreign transcripts translated into a familiar framework, applying for jobs where an employer wants documented proof of your educational background, pursuing licensure in regulated professions such as healthcare, engineering, accounting, or teaching, and immigration processes including H-1B visa petitions, green card applications, and other USCIS filings where the applicant's highest degree is from a non-U.S. institution.
For H-1B specifically, the evaluation must confirm the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree or higher -- and skipping this step in a petition typically results in a Request for Evidence that can delay a case by months.
How the Process Actually Works
A credential evaluation service is an independent organization that assesses foreign academic qualifications -- degrees, diplomas, and transcripts -- and translates them into terms the receiving country's institutions or employers understand. With roughly 195 countries each running distinct educational systems, these services function as a genuine bridge rather than a bureaucratic formality.
Two main types of evaluation exist: a general evaluation, which provides a summary comparing the foreign qualification to its equivalent, and a comprehensive course-by-course evaluation, which breaks down individual courses, credit values, and calculates a GPA on the receiving country's grading scale. The second type matters most for anyone hoping to transfer academic credit rather than simply prove a qualification exists.
Choosing a Service
In the United States, the Department of Education does not endorse or recommend any specific evaluation service, and instead advises using whichever service is recommended by the employer, institution, or licensing board the evaluation is being submitted to. Recognized providers include organizations affiliated with the Association of International Credentials Evaluators, an association of evaluation services with an enforced code of ethics.
Costs and turnaround vary considerably depending on the complexity of the case and how much documentation is provided, and the process itself can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months -- meaning it's rarely something to start at the last minute before a job offer or visa deadline.
This Isn't Only a U.S. Problem
Credential recognition friction isn't unique to the United States. Canada's licensing boards and professional regulatory bodies similarly require academic credential evaluations from internationally educated professionals, and the issue has drawn enough policy attention that Canada announced significant federal funding in 2025 specifically aimed at improving foreign credential recognition processes nationally.
The Practical Takeaway
For anyone planning a move that involves continuing a regulated profession or pursuing further education, credential evaluation is worth researching well before departure, not after arrival. Understanding which type of evaluation a specific employer, licensing board, or immigration process actually requires -- and budgeting the real time and cost involved -- prevents an otherwise straightforward relocation from stalling on paperwork that has nothing to do with the move itself.