When navigating the process of immigration, credential evaluation, or professional licensing especially for Indian professionals moving to Canada, the US, or other Western countries you will encounter a variety of reference numbers issued by different organizations. Each number serves a specific purpose, belongs to a specific body, and is used at a specific stage of your journey.

This article explains the most commonly encountered reference numbers, what they mean, who issues them, and how they are used in immigration and credential documentation.

1. WES Reference Number

What is WES?

WES (World Education Services) is one of the most recognized credential evaluation organizations in the world. It is widely used for Canadian immigration (Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs), US university admissions, and employment purposes. WES evaluates foreign academic credentials and converts them into a Canadian or US equivalent, so that immigration authorities, employers, and institutions can understand the value of your degree.

What is the WES Reference Number?

When you create an account and submit a credential evaluation application on the WES portal (wes.org), you are assigned a unique WES Reference Number. This is a alphanumeric identifier that looks like this: WES0000000000 (WES followed by digits).

What is it used for?

• Directing your documents: When your Indian university sends your official transcripts to WES, they must write your WES Reference Number on the sealed envelope or in the subject line of the email. This is how WES matches incoming documents to your application. Without this number, documents can go missing in WES’s mailroom.
• Tracking your application: You use this number to log in and check the status of your evaluation on the WES portal.
• Express Entry / CRS Score: Once WES completes your evaluation and issues an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report, the ECA report number (linked to your WES Reference Number) is entered into your IRCC Express Entry profile to claim CRS points for education.
• Sharing with employers or institutions: Some Canadian employers and universities may ask for your WES reference number or ECA report number to verify your credentials independently.

Important Notes

• The WES Reference Number is generated at the time of account creation, even before you pay or submit documents.
• It does not expire, but your ECA report is valid for 5 years for Express Entry purposes.
• Always double-check the number before communicating it to your university’s exam section, as a wrong number means WES cannot match your documents.

2. NASBA File ID (CPA Aspirants)

What is NASBA?

NASBA (National Association of State Boards of Accountancy) is the US body that oversees CPA (Certified Public Accountant) licensing. If you are an Indian Chartered Accountant (CA) or commerce graduate planning to appear for the US CPA exam, you will interact with NASBA for credential evaluation.

What is the NASBA File ID?

When you apply to NASBA for an International Evaluation (to determine your eligibility to sit for the CPA exam), NASBA assigns you a unique File ID sometimes also called the NASBA ID or Candidate ID. This is typically a numeric identifier.

What is it used for?

• Tracking your evaluation: You use the File ID to check the status of your credential evaluation on the NASBA International Evaluation Services (IES) portal.
• Communicating with NASBA: Any correspondence with NASBA whether by email, phone, or mail requires you to quote your File ID so that staff can locate your record quickly.
• State Board applications: Once NASBA completes your evaluation, you apply to a specific US State Board of Accountancy (such as those of Colorado, New Hampshire, or Montana states popular among international candidates) to get your Notice to Schedule (NTS). Your NASBA File ID and evaluation results are referenced throughout this process.
• Directing academic documents: Just like the WES Reference Number, your NASBA File ID must be written on any sealed transcripts or documents sent to NASBA from your Indian institution.
• Prometric testing: Your NTS (Notice to Schedule) contains a separate Section ID for each CPA exam section (FAR, AUD, BEC, REG), which you use to schedule your exam at a Prometric test center.

Important Notes

• NASBA evaluation is separate from state board evaluation. Some states do their own evaluation; NASBA IES works specifically with states that have outsourced international evaluation to it.
• The File ID is different from your Candidate ID at Prometric, which is issued once you are authorized to take the exam.

3. IRCC Application Number (UCI / Application Number)

What is IRCC?

IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) is the Canadian federal department that handles all immigration applications Express Entry, study permits, work permits, PR, and citizenship.

What reference numbers does IRCC issue?

a) UCI Unique Client Identifier Also called the Client ID, the UCI is a permanent number assigned to you the first time you interact with IRCC (e.g., when you apply for a study permit or visitor visa). It looks like: 0000-0000 or an 8-digit number. Once assigned, it stays with you for life across all future Canadian immigration applications.

b) Application Number Each individual application you submit (study permit, work permit, PR, etc.) gets its own Application Number (e.g., E000000000 for online applications or a paper-based reference number). This is used to track the specific application, respond to IRCC requests, and check processing status on the IRCC portal.

What are they used for?

• Quoting in all correspondence with IRCC (emails, webforms, or letters)
• Tracking application status on the IRCC portal
• Linking biometrics, medical exams, and police clearance certificates to the correct application
• Referenced in your COPR (Confirmation of Permanent Residence) and PR card

4. ECA Report Number

The Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) Report Number is the final output of your WES (or other designated organization) evaluation. Once WES completes your assessment, they issue an ECA report with a unique report number. This is what you enter in your IRCC Express Entry profile under the education section to claim CRS points.

Designated organizations for ECAs in Canada include WES, ICAS, IQAS, PEBC (for pharmacy), MCC (for medicine), and others depending on your profession. Each has its own report numbering format.

5. OINP / PNP Application Number

If you are applying through a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) such as Ontario’s OINP, BC PNP, or Alberta AAIP each province issues its own application or reference number when you register or submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). This number is used to track your provincial nomination application separately from your federal IRCC application.

6. LMIA Number (Labour Market Impact Assessment)

If a Canadian employer is sponsoring your work permit, they must first obtain an LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). A positive LMIA comes with a unique LMIA Number, which your employer shares with you. You must include this number in your work permit application to IRCC to demonstrate that a Canadian employer has been approved to hire a foreign worker for the role.

7. Job Offer / Offer of Employment Number (Employer Portal)

When a Canadian employer submits a job offer to support your Express Entry application, they do so through the IRCC Employer Portal. The portal generates an Offer of Employment Number (a 7-digit number). You enter this number in your Express Entry profile to have the job offer validated and to claim additional CRS points under the arranged employment category.

8. Biometrics Reference Number / BRP

When IRCC instructs you to provide biometrics (fingerprints and photo), they send you a Biometric Instruction Letter (BIL) containing a Biometrics Reference Number. You take this letter to a designated Service Canada location or Visa Application Centre (VAC) to give your biometrics. The number links your biometrics record to your application.

9. Medical Exam / eMedical Case Number

Immigration medical exams in Canada are conducted by IRCC-designated panel physicians. After your exam, the physician submits results electronically via the eMedical system, and you receive a eMedical Case Number or HAP ID (Health Assessment Portal ID). This links your medical results to your IRCC application automatically.

Quick Reference Summary

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Confusing WES Reference Number with ECA Report Number. These are related but different. The WES Reference Number is your account/application ID during the process. The ECA Report Number is the final output you use in your IRCC profile. Make sure you enter the ECA Report Number not the WES Reference Number in Express Entry.

Not writing your reference number on documents. Universities and courier services frequently lose or mismatch physical transcript envelopes. Always write your WES Reference Number or NASBA File ID clearly on every envelope and ask the sending institution to do the same.

Mixing up UCI and Application Number. Your UCI is permanent and personal; your Application Number changes with each new application. When responding to IRCC webforms or correspondence, double-check which one they are asking for.

Using an expired ECA report. WES ECA reports are valid for 5 years for Express Entry. If yours has lapsed, you need to apply for a new evaluation before submitting your profile.

Final Thought

Each reference number in the immigration and credential ecosystem exists for a specific reason to link you, your documents, and your applications together across multiple organizations that do not otherwise share data. Treating these numbers carefully, noting them down safely, and quoting them correctly in every communication is one of the simplest but most important habits you can build as you navigate your immigration journey.

This article is intended for informational purposes only. Immigration and licensing requirements change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with the relevant organization IRCC, WES, NASBA, or your provincial authority before submitting applications.