Teaching in Canada
To teach in Canada, you must be certified by one of the provincial or territorial regulatory bodies for the teaching profession.
Institutions for Which Teachers Require a Certificate for Employment
Institution
Accredited Alberta schools
Information
Prospective teachers must first apply for Interim Professional Certification (IPC) so that Alberta Education can assess their educational and professional qualifications. If the requirements are met, the IPC allows the individual to teach anywhere within the provinceʼs K to 12 system and is valid for 3 years. When the requirements for Permanent Professional Certification (PPC) are met, a school authority must recommend the individual for a permanent certificate. A PPC does not expire, even if an individual leaves the profession.
Institution
BC public schools, including full-time, part-time, and on-call teachers
Provincial schools or schools that are operated by a participating First Nation or a Community Education Authority established by one or more participating First Nations under the First Nations Jurisdiction over Education in British Columbia Act (Canada)
Independent schools
Institution
School divisions/districts
Funded independent schools
Institutional schools
First Nations schools
Adult learning centres
Information
Essentially any educational institution that wants the province to recognize credit classes for graduation purposes will require a certificate for employment.
Institution
Permanent or temporary positions in the province’s public schools (K–12)
Information
A teacher’s certificate is not required for substitute positions (up to one year) in the province’s public schools. Substitute teachers must have a local teacher’s permit issued by the school district.
First Nations schools and private schools have their own hiring criteria. A New Brunswick teacher certificate may not be required. In the medium term, there are plans to discuss options with First Nations and private schools for reporting misconduct cases to the registrar.
Institution
All public schools located in 7 Regional Centres for Education
All public schools in Conseil scolaire acadien provincial
Designated special education private schools
Information
The institutions listed are legislatively required to hire NS certified teachers. Other parties may have an employment requirement but no legislative requirement.
Institution
All K–12 public schools
Information
Pursuant to section 262 of the Education Act, all teachers who wish to teach in publicly funded schools at the elementary or secondary level must be in good standing with the Ontario College of Teachers. Various types of certificates are issued specifying what age/range/subject one can teach, but there are no limitations in terms of employment even if there are conditions on the certificates. The only exception to this rule is if they are granted a letter of permission (though this is not a teaching certificate; it is for situations of urgent or emergency needs) under section 8(10) of the Education Act.
Institution
Anyone pursuing a teaching career in Quebec’s public or private networks must have the necessary qualifications as set out in the Regulation Respecting Teaching Licences (CQLR chapter I-13.3, r. 2.01). Under the Education Act (section 23) and the Act Respecting Private Education (section 50), anyone who provides preschool education services or who teaches at the elementary or secondary level must hold a teaching licence issued by the Minister of Education (teaching diploma, probationary permit, or provisional teaching licence).
Information
The legislation does provide for exceptions to allow employers to hire someone without a teaching licence. In the public sector, this includes teachers hired by the lesson or by the hour or casual supply teachers, and in the private sector, casual supply teachers. In exceptional circumstances, the Minister of Education may, on the conditions and for the period they determine, authorize an employer to hire a teacher who is not legally qualified, if the employer can demonstrate that there are no legally qualified teachers available to fill a position. Upon verification, the ministry may, at the employer’s request, issue a letter of tolerance. However, experience acquired during a period of teaching under a letter of tolerance cannot replace pre-service teacher education and cannot be used to obtain a teaching licence or official teacher status.
Institution
Publicly funded schools (provincial school system schools and registered independent schools), custody and care facilities, First Nations schools who wish for their students to obtain a Saskatchewan Grade 12 diploma (teachers of the 10, 20, and 30 level credit earning courses are required to be certified teachers).
Information
While not required by law, many First Nations employers of teachers have opted to make certification by the SPTRB a condition of employment.
List of Accredited Post-Secondary Institutions That Offer Approved Teacher Preparation Programs
- Brock University
- Lakehead University
- Laurentian University
- Niagara University, Ontario
- Nipissing University
- OISE/University of Toronto
- Queen’s University
- Redeemer University
- Trent University
- Tyndale University
- Université de l’Ontario français
- University of Ontario Institute of Technology
- Université d’Ottawa
- University of Windsor
- Western University
- Wilfrid Laurier University
- York University
- Yukon University
Yukon Native Teacher Education Program (YNTEP) affiliated with University of Regina.
Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
The CFTA came into effect on July 1, 2017. The CFTA allows teachers certified in one province or territory in Canada to be recognized as qualified for teaching by all other provinces and territories. This means that teachers holding a current, valid, unrestricted teaching certificate from one Canadian province or territory may be eligible for certification in another Canadian province or territory, under the CFTA. This provision aims to facilitate teacher mobility in Canada, by eliminating the need for certified teachers to complete additional studies or exams.
To benefit from these provisions, a teacher may have to complete an application process to transfer certification. The transfer process usually requires the applicant to submit forms and documents and may also require them to provide other relevant information, e.g., evidence of language proficiency.