Licensing & Renewals > Mortgage Brokerage > New to the Industry > Eligibility

Eligibility

The Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) takes an active role in the development and delivery of pre-licensing education programs. The first step is determining an individual’s eligibility to enroll in the pre-licensing education program. An individual must meet the following requirements.

• Minimum 18 years of age
• Minimum of a Canadian high school diploma or equivalent, or post secondary diploma / degree (see item 3 for full list of equivalencies)
• Proficiency in the English language

The following documents must be submitted to RECA to determine an individual’s eligibility for enrollment in pre-licensing education. 

1. Complete the online Education Eligibility Application Form. Following successful completion and submission of the form, you will be prompted to open and print a paper copy of the form. Initial Section D and E on the printed form, sign and date Acceptance and Acknowledgement Section F. Submit the original completed, signed form to RECA at:

RECA Education
Real Estate Council of Alberta
Suite 350, 4954 Richard Road SW
Calgary, AB T3E 6L1

2. Provide a copy of your birth certificate and a copy of one other piece of identification from the list below.  The identification provided must be in your legal name.

• Current Canadian Passport
• Canadian Permanent Resident Card
• Canadian Citizenship Certificate
• Alberta driver’s licence
• Canadian Forces ID card
• Government issued ID by another province
• Canadian municipal, provincial, or federal police ID

The last name must match on all prerequisite documents (Education Eligibility Application Form, Identification and Transcript). If the last name on the transcript is different from the name indicated on the Education Eligibility Application Form or Identification, a proof of name change must be provided, such as marriage certificate or legal name change document.

These identification documents can be faxed to 403-228-3065, emailed to education@reca.ca or mailed to RECA at the address in Item 1. 

3. Submit official proof that you hold a minimum of a Canadian high school diploma or equivalent, or post secondary diploma / degree.

• Transcripts must be official, signed by the Registrar or proper authority at the issuing institution
• Transcripts must state that a diploma or degree was granted
• Transcripts must be mailed in a sealed envelope from the issuing institution directly to RECA  at the address above in item 1
• RECA will not accept transcripts that you personally submitted

RECA will accept any of the following as official proof that you have met the education prerequisite:

1. An original high school transcript indicating that a diploma was granted in Canada. Request the official transcript be sent directly to RECA
• If you completed high school in Alberta contact Alberta Education at http://education.alberta.ca/students/transcripts.aspx 
• If you completed high school in another province contact the department of education in the applicable province. Contact information can be found at http://alis.alberta.ca/ec/ep/pps/high-school-transcripts.html 
2. An original transcript of a completed degree from a Canadian university accredited through the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC)
         http://www.aucc.ca/canadian-universities/our-universities.html
3. An original transcript of a completed minimum two-year diploma course from a Canadian college accredited through the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC)
         http://www.cicic.ca/664/directory-of-universities-colleges-and-schools-in-canada.canada
4. Relevant education from institutions outside of Canada must be assessed indicating the qualifications are comparable to a high school diploma, a two-year diploma or a degree in Canada. You may have your credentials assessed by the International Qualifications Assessment Services (IQAS) in Edmonton or by a member of the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada (ACESC)
         http://www.canalliance.org/members.en.stm
5. If you do not hold a high school diploma or are unable to provide transcripts, Alberta
   Education offers two alternative methods to obtain a High School Equivalency Diploma. Successful completion of the General Educational Development (GED) tests or accumulated credits
   http://education.alberta.ca/students/hsed.aspx

NOTE: Apprenticeship transcripts are NOT accepted as an educational prerequisite.

4. English is the language of instruction in all pre-licensing education program courses and is consistent with Alberta business environment. All industry members must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language by meeting one the following:

1. A high school or post-secondary diploma / degree from an English-speaking Canadian school or a recognized international English-speaking school
2. A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 83 or higher on the Internet-based test (TOEFL 1-800-468-6335)
3. An International English Language Testing System (IELTS) overall score of 6.5 (minimum of 6.0 in each skill area) or higher
4. A Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL) score of 60
5. A  Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) – Language Proficiency Index (LPI) score of Level 4L in all skill areas
6. A minimum score of 7 in Canadian Language Benchmarks Assessment (CLBA)
7. Successful completion of:
• SAIT – English Language Foundations (ELF) Level 5
• Bow Valley College – Post-Secondary Preparation Program for International Learners
• Chinook Learning Services – Accelerated Academic Preparation II (75%)
• University of Alberta – English for Academic Purposes (EAP)
• NAIT – English as Second Language (ESL) Level 5

An official transcript or confirmation document must be sent from the issuing institution directly to RECA at the above address in item 1.

5. RECA will contact you if there is an issue with any of the documents you have sent.  In addition, RECA will contact you by email upon approval of eligibility.  Please allow up to two (2) business days upon receipt of your final document for processing of your eligibility application.

Privacy Policy
RECA maintains reasonable and systematic controls, schedules and practices for information and records retention and destruction which apply to personal information. RECA may share this information with other course providers for determining eligibility to enroll in these courses.

As part of RECA Education’s course enrollment process, learners are required to indicate they agree to RECA’s collection, use, and disclosure of their personal information for determining their eligibility and enrollment in any pre-licensing or post-licensing education courses, licensing and other regulatory purposes under the Real Estate Act, in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).

Abandonment Policy
The Education Eligibility Application Form will be considered abandoned and all documents will be destroyed, if the Real Estate Council of Alberta has received the application and/or incomplete documentation in support of it from an individual and there has been no activity by the applicant in support of the application for a period of 180 days. 

Suitability Review    
An individual may request an opinion from the Executive Director as to the individual’s suitability for licensing.  If the individual has a criminal record, bankruptcy or disciplinary action by other organizations in his or her past, they may make application for a suitability review prior to completing the education requirements for licensing and registration. This is optional, in order to do so, an individual is to complete the suitability form, submit the fee charged, pursuant to Schedule 2 of the Real Estate Act Rules which is found on the RECA website www.reca.ca and forward any supporting documents requested by the Executive Director to RECA.

For additional information on the licensing process, education requirements, certified criminal record check and suitability issues click on the links below.

Licensing Process

Certified Criminal Record Check

Education

Suitability