Do I need a UAE police certificate for Canada PR?

Yes, if you have spent six or more months in a row in the UAE since turning 18 — which almost every UAE resident has. You also need one from every other country where the same applies, including your country of citizenship.

Which country's police certificate do I need if I have lived in several?

Each country or territory where you have spent six or more months in a row since age 18. IRCC publishes a page for each country explaining how to request its certificate.

Do I need an ECA if I studied in India and work in Dubai?

Yes, if you want points for that degree. The assessment is of the degree, so the documents come from your university in India, usually sent directly to the assessment organisation.

What should my UAE employment letter say?

Your job title, your duties, the dates you worked there, your weekly hours and your salary, on company letterhead with the company's contact details and the name, title and signature of the person signing.

Can I do the Canada PR medical in Dubai?

Yes. The medical is done with an IRCC panel physician, and there are panel physicians in the UAE. You do it after you are invited to apply.

Canada · Documents from the UAE

Documents for Canada PR from the UAE

Most of the list is the same for everyone. What changes for a UAE resident is how many countries each document comes from.

6 min readUpdated 2026-10-12

Police certificates: the UAE and every other country

IRCC asks for a police certificate from each country or territory where you have spent six or more months in a row since the age of 18 — and the same for your spouse and dependent children aged 18 or over. For most UAE residents that means one from the UAE and one from their country of citizenship, and sometimes a third from a country they worked in before.

IRCC publishes a page for each country explaining who issues the certificate and how to request it, including one for the United Arab Emirates. Read the page for each country on your list before you request anything; the issuing authority and process differ.

Count the countries first. A forgotten six-month posting is the usual reason a file stalls at this step.

Your degree: educational credential assessment

To claim points for education completed outside Canada, you need an educational credential assessment (ECA) from an organisation IRCC has designated. Each degree you want counted needs its own assessment.

Many UAE residents studied in their home country, so the documents come from a university in India, Pakistan, the Philippines or elsewhere, not from the UAE. Most assessment organisations want transcripts sent to them directly by the university, which is the slow part — request them the week you decide.

Employment letters that describe duties

Work experience is evidenced by reference letters from each employer, on company letterhead, with the company's contact details and the signature, name and title of the person signing. The letter must state your job title, duties, period of employment, hours a week and salary.

Gulf employment letters often give a designation and dates but not duties. IRCC matches your duties to an occupation code, so a letter without them is the most common weak point in a UAE file. Ask for the right letter while you are still employed; it is far harder to get after you leave.

Language tests and medicals

English: IELTS General Training, CELPIP or PTE Core. French: TEF Canada or TCF Canada. Results must be valid when you create your profile and when you apply.

The medical examination is done after you are invited, with a panel physician on IRCC's list. There are panel physicians in the UAE, so it does not need a trip home.

Identity, family and translations

Passports for every family member, birth certificates, a marriage certificate if you are married, and proof of settlement funds unless you are exempt. Anything not in English or French needs a certified translation — common for Arabic-language UAE documents and for some home-country records.

The UAE-resident checklist, and where each document comes from
Police certificates	The UAE, your country of citizenship, and any other country of six months or more since 18
Educational credential assessment	Your university (often outside the UAE) via an IRCC-designated organisation
Employment reference letters	Each employer, with duties, hours, salary and dates
Language test results	IELTS General Training, CELPIP, PTE Core, TEF or TCF
Medical examination	An IRCC panel physician — available in the UAE
Proof of funds	Official letters from every bank where you hold an account
Civil documents	Passports, birth and marriage certificates, with certified translations where needed

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Common questions

Do I need a UAE police certificate for Canada PR?: Yes, if you have spent six or more months in a row in the UAE since turning 18 — which almost every UAE resident has. You also need one from every other country where the same applies, including your country of citizenship.
Which country's police certificate do I need if I have lived in several?: Each country or territory where you have spent six or more months in a row since age 18. IRCC publishes a page for each country explaining how to request its certificate.
Do I need an ECA if I studied in India and work in Dubai?: Yes, if you want points for that degree. The assessment is of the degree, so the documents come from your university in India, usually sent directly to the assessment organisation.
What should my UAE employment letter say?: Your job title, your duties, the dates you worked there, your weekly hours and your salary, on company letterhead with the company's contact details and the name, title and signature of the person signing.
Can I do the Canada PR medical in Dubai?: Yes. The medical is done with an IRCC panel physician, and there are panel physicians in the UAE. You do it after you are invited to apply.