This account is based on a real experience shared with us by a contributor to our course development. Details have been changed and some elements combined or omitted to protect the individual’s privacy. Licensing references are included for general context only. Always verify current requirements directly with RECA.
When Neha arrived in Calgary, she had an engineering degree, two suitcases, and a head full of plans. Like many newcomers, she assumed her education and experience would open doors.
They didn’t — at least not the ones she expected.
After months of job applications and rejections, a friend suggested real estate. Neha had always loved homes, neighbourhoods, and working with people. She decided to pursue a real estate licence — and eventually a mortgage licence as well, reasoning that the overlapping material made dual licensing
a smart move.
What followed was a journey that tested her patience at nearly every turn.
Step 1: Proving Her Credentials
Before enrolling in any pre-licensing course, Neha needed RECA to approve her eligibility. Since her engineering degree was from India, she needed a credential assessment through an approved provider.
She chose IQAS — the International Qualifications Assessment Service, run by the Alberta government. It seemed like the natural choice.
It was anything but straightforward.
The IQAS website was unreliable. Support was slow to respond. When her assessment was finally complete, she paid for courier delivery to ensure it reached RECA quickly and with tracking.
What she got was regular Canada Post mail with no tracking at all.
When enough time had passed, Neha followed up with RECA. Their response was not what she expected: they had no record of receiving her transcript.
IQAS maintained they had sent it. RECA maintained they had not received it. Nobody knew what had actually happened — and nobody seemed particularly motivated to find out.
Writing to IQAS support went nowhere. So Neha did what anyone determined enough eventually does: she found the director of the IQAS unit in the Government of Alberta directory and wrote directly.
After several back-and-forth exchanges, RECA finally acknowledged receiving the transcript — nearly two weeks after the issue first surfaced.
Lesson learned: Start the credential assessment process as early as possible. Keep every receipt, every email, and every confirmation. If something goes wrong, do not wait — escalate.
Step 2: Proving Her English
Despite having worked in English her entire career and speaking it fluently in every professional setting, Neha still needed to pass an approved English proficiency test. RECA requires it for applicants whose
education credentials do not include a clear demonstration of English instruction.
She chose CELPIP.
What surprised her was how different the test was from everyday professional English. Conversational fluency and workplace proficiency are one thing. Timed, structured test conditions with specific task formats are another. Neha had to practice deliberately before she felt ready.
On exam day, she arrived prepared. What she could not have prepared for was the fire alarm.
Midway through the exam, the building was evacuated. Test takers spent over an hour and a half outside waiting for the all-clear. When they were finally allowed back in, the exam administrators had paused all workstations to preserve the time remaining.
All workstations except one.
Neha’s.
Her exam had continued running while she stood outside. When she returned to her station, her remaining time had counted down without her.
After considerable back-and-forth with the exam administrators, the situation was eventually resolved. But it was not the calm, focused exam experience anyone hopes for.
She passed.
Step 3: Real Estate Licensing
With her eligibility confirmed and her English proficiency documented, Neha enrolled in the Fundamentals of Real Estate course. She completed it, sat the RECA exam, and passed on her first attempt.
She then completed the Practice course and passed that exam as well.
Her real estate licence was issued. One goal down.
Step 4: Adding a Mortgage Licence
Since much of the foundational course material overlaps between real estate and mortgage licensing — and since her credential assessment, English proficiency test, and criminal record check were already on file — Neha decided to pursue her mortgage licence as well.
She enrolled in the mortgage pre-licensing program through AMBA, which imposes a six-month completion window with fees for extensions.
Neha completed the course within the six-month window. But illness during her exam preparation period meant she missed the deadline to book her exam.
She contacted both RECA and AMBA to explain the situation. AMBA’s initial position was that she would need to re-enrol in the course at a cost of over $1,500 plus GST.
Neha pushed back. She was still within her enrolled period. She had completed the course. Being forced to pay full tuition again for an exam scheduling issue caused by illness felt unreasonable — and she said so, persistently.
Eventually, AMBA agreed. The exam was rescheduled without requiring
re-enrolment.
When Neha finally sat the mortgage exam, she passed on her first attempt. She did note, however, that several concepts tested — including mortgage calculations — were not adequately covered in the course material. It was a gap she had to identify and fill on her own during preparation.
The Finish Line
Neha is now dual-licensed in Alberta — as both a real estate associate and a mortgage associate.
The path took longer than expected, involved more friction than it should have, and required her to advocate for herself at nearly every stage. Bureaucratic delays, missing documents, a fire alarm mid-exam, and an illness-related scheduling dispute were not part of the plan.
But she got there.
What This Story Is Really About
Neha’s journey is not unusual. Delays happen. Systems fail. Things outside your control will affect your timeline.
The best you can do is start early, document everything, know your rights, and be prepared to push back when something is genuinely unfair.
At Advanced RealPro, we cannot fix IQAS processing times, stop fire alarms, or negotiate with exam providers on your behalf. But we can make the education part of your journey as straightforward as possible — with courses built around RECA requirements, content that actually prepares you for what is on the exam, and a guarantee that means something.
If you complete your course and don’t pass both RECA exam attempts, we will refund your full course fee. No conditions. No fine print.
We believe in our curriculum. If we couldn’t get you there, you shouldn’t pay for it.
Enrol in Fundamentals of Real Estate →
Learn more about RECA eligibility for applicants with non-Canadian credentials →
The licensing process described in this article reflects RECA and AMBA requirements current as of May 2026. Always verify current requirements directly with RECA at reca.ca before beginning your licensing journey.