Does a foreign degree need a Canadian equivalency assessment to qualify under the CUSMA professional list?

It depends on the specific listed profession, so there is no single blanket answer that applies across the whole CUSMA professional list. Some professions on the list have their own requirement that a foreign credential be formally evaluated or assessed for Canadian equivalency before it will be accepted, while other listed professions do not carry that same formal assessment requirement, based on how that particular occupation's criteria are defined.

The part that trips people up is assuming that because CUSMA involves professional occupations generally, a formal credential assessment must always be part of the process, or conversely, that because some professionals do not need one, none do. In reality, this varies occupation by occupation, so the correct approach is to check the specific requirements attached to the listed profession that matches the applicant's role and credentials, rather than relying on what applied to a colleague in a different listed profession. Getting this wrong can mean submitting an application without required documentation, or unnecessarily spending time and money on an assessment that was never required for that profession. Because this depends on the exact listed occupation involved and the credential requirements tied to it, applicants should confirm what applies to their situation through IRCC's guidance or with an immigration lawyer before assembling their application.