WES (World Education Services) and VerifyBR are both used by US companies dealing with Brazilian credentials, but they serve fundamentally different purposes. WES is a credential evaluation service. VerifyBR is a credential verification service. The distinction matters.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | WES | VerifyBR |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Converts foreign degrees to US equivalents | Confirms whether the candidate actually graduated |
| Primary use case | Immigration, academic admissions, licensing | Employment verification, hiring decisions |
| Price | $100-186 | Free lookup, $49 full verification |
| Speed | 7-20 business days | Instant to 5 business days |
| Who initiates | Candidate must send official transcripts | Employer uploads resume or enters details |
| Identity verification | Not included | Gov.br-backed identity check included |
| Criminal check | Not included | Federal criminal clearance included |
| Accreditation check | Included in evaluation | Free (instant via e-MEC database) |
| Employment verification | Not available | $20 add-on ($69 bundle) |
| Typical cost for hiring | $100-186 (and doesn't answer the hiring question) | $0-49 |
WES charges $100 for a basic document-by-document evaluation and $186 for a course-by-course evaluation. VerifyBR's Institution Lookup is free and instant. Full Verification, which confirms enrollment and graduation directly with the institution, is $49.
Key differences
Evaluation vs. verification: different questions
WES answers: "What is the US equivalent of this Brazilian degree?" A Bacharelado in Ciencia da Computacao from UNICAMP becomes "equivalent to a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science." This is useful for immigration and licensing. VerifyBR answers a different question: "Did this person actually graduate from this institution?" That is the question employers need answered when making a hiring decision.
WES requires the candidate to send official transcripts
To use WES, the candidate must request official transcripts from their Brazilian university and have them sent directly to WES. For Brazilian institutions, this process alone can take weeks. Some universities charge fees, require in-person visits, or are slow to respond to international requests. With VerifyBR, the employer just needs a resume. We handle the rest, including direct contact with the university when needed.
Speed: instant to 5 days vs. 7-20 days
VerifyBR's free Institution Lookup returns results in seconds. Full Verification takes 1-5 business days from candidate response. WES standard processing takes 7 business days after they receive all documents, but getting Brazilian transcripts to WES typically adds 2-4 more weeks. Rush processing (3 business days) costs an additional $50 on top of the evaluation fee.
WES is not a background check
A WES evaluation does not verify identity, check criminal records, or confirm employment history. It evaluates academic credentials for equivalency purposes. VerifyBR's Full Verification includes government-backed identity verification via Gov.br, federal criminal clearance, and optional employment verification. If you need to vet a candidate for hiring, a WES evaluation alone is insufficient.
Brazil-specific infrastructure
VerifyBR integrates with Brazil's e-MEC database (4,328 institutions, 899,657 courses), verifies digital diplomas cryptographically (for 2021+ graduates), and validates Gov.br digital identity attestations. Our verification team is based in Brazil, speaks Portuguese, and contacts university registrars directly. WES processes Brazilian credentials as one of 200+ countries, with no Brazil-specific digital integrations.
When to use WES vs. VerifyBR
Use WES for immigration and academic admissions
If your candidate needs a formal credential evaluation for a US visa application, graduate school admission, or professional licensing (nursing, engineering, teaching), WES is the right tool. USCIS and many state licensing boards require a NACES-member evaluation. WES provides this. VerifyBR does not.
Use VerifyBR for hiring and employment verification
If you are making a hiring decision and need to confirm that a Brazilian candidate actually graduated from the institution on their resume, VerifyBR is the right tool. We verify the credential is real, confirm the institution is accredited, and include identity verification and federal criminal clearance. This is what employers need. A degree equivalency evaluation is not.
Use both when immigration and hiring overlap
Some companies sponsoring H-1B or L-1 visas for Brazilian employees need both: a WES evaluation for the immigration filing and a VerifyBR verification for the hiring decision. The two products are complementary. WES tells USCIS the degree is equivalent; VerifyBR tells you the candidate actually earned it.
The bottom line
WES and VerifyBR are different tools for different jobs. WES converts a Brazilian degree into a US-equivalent credential for immigration and licensing. VerifyBR confirms whether a candidate actually graduated from the institution they claim, for hiring purposes.
If you are an employer hiring Brazilian developers and your question is "did this person actually earn this degree?" — VerifyBR answers that question faster and at a fraction of the cost. Search any Brazilian institution for free with our Institution Lookup, or get full verification starting at $49.