How to Relocate to Canada as an Internationally Trained Teacher

If you’re interested in moving to Canada, I have good news for you. Teaching is one of the most in-demand jobs in Canada.

Besides, teaching is considered a skilled job in Canada (falls under NOC skill level 0, A, and B) hence qualified for the Express Entry system.

If you’re applying to relocated to Canada as a teacher, you can also move to Canada as a teacher under any one of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs).

Unlike most other countries, provinces and territories operate their own schooling systems and therefore hold authority for teacher jobs in Canada.

Generally though, the minimum requirements to teach in Canada are almost similar among the various provinces and territories with very minor differences.

Education requirements to teach in Canada

• Every teacher in Canada must have a Bachelor’s  degree in education from an accredited institution.
• a two year teacher’s college course in a related field such as psychology, children’s studies.

Salary of teachers in Canada

The average salary of a teacher in Canada depends on the province and your field of specialization.

Due to the high cost of living in, remoteness of, as well as the high demand for teachers, as a teacher in Nunavut is not you will earn the highest salary as an experienced teacher in Canada.

On average, you will earn $122,360 CAD per year plus a Government living allowance of about $15,016 to $34,455 per year according to the Nunavut government website!

Along with a competitive salary, the Government of Nunavut provides a northern living allowance, ranging from $15,016 to $34,455 per year (depending on your community), to offset the higher cost of living in a remote location.

Benefits may include relocation assistance, subsidized staff housing as well as many professional development opportunities.

According to Alis Alberta, professors and university professors and lecturers in Alberta can expect to earn an average salary of $84,845 per year.

According to erieri.com, a post secondary teacher in Saskatchewan can earn around $87,190 per year.

In Ontario, the hourly salary of a teacher in Ontario is CAS $324 – 29/hour for a temporary contract. In Alberta, it is about $26 – $29 per hour.

How to become a teacher in Canada as an Internationally Trained Teacher

As teaching is a regulated profession in Canada, no matter how qualified and experienced you are in your home country, you must first be certified in the province or territory you intend to teach in before you can actually teach in any public school in Canada.

If you have already completed a teacher education program in your home country, you will just need to get certified in your province.

Most of the provinces allow you to apply and get certified as a teacher in Canada from your home country even outside of Canada.

Eligibility for provincial teaching certification in Canada

• At least a bachelor’s degree in education
• Student teaching course (through your department of education or teacher’s college in your province).
• Teaching education transcripts evaluation (ECA) from your target Canadian province
• IELTS academic tests score (min, CLB 7) for some provinces
• Mathematic proficiency test (for some provinces) which can be done online
• Teaching course in your province designed to provide the pedagogical foundations, intercultural and professional communication skills, and Canadian experience to help prepare internationally educated post-secondary teachers for teaching in a Canadian community college or other adult education settings.

Top 7 provinces in Canada for teachers to get permanent residency in Canada

1. Nunavut

Nunavut currently has 44 public schools with over 9,000 students and has demand for elementary, middle, and high school teachers.

To become a teacher in Nunavut, you must:

• have a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.),
• be Eligible for Teacher Certification in Nunavut
• meet the requirements for the Nunavut Professional Teaching Certificate and
• be eligible to work in Canada at the time of application.

For a list of available teaching positions in Nunavut, visit Education Canada.

How to Immigrate to Nunavut as a teacher

As Nunavut does not have a Provincial Nominee Program, you will have to apply directly to the territory to immigrate to Canada as a teacher.

2. Alberta

According to Job Bank, the employment outlook will be fair for Secondary school teachers (NOC 4031) in Alberta for the 2021-2023 period.

At the moment the most in-demand level of teaching jobs in Alberta are university professors and lecturers.

Eligibility requirements to teach in Alberta

To teach in Alberta, you are required at minimum to:

1. hold a valid Alberta teaching certificate
2. 16 years of formal education, which includes a 4 year university degree with a pre-service teacher preparation program from an approved institution. The teacher preparation program must lead to teacher certification in the jurisdiction where the program was completed. It must also include:

• • 48 semester hour credits of coursework in professional teacher education courses within a structured teacher preparation program
  • 10 weeks of supervised student teaching (practicum) at the elementary or secondary level

How to apply for your teaching certification in Alberta

1. Apply for Interim Professional Certification (IPC) so that Alberta Education can assess your educational and professional qualifications.
2. If you meet the requirements, the IPC allows you to teach anywhere within the province’s K to 12 system and is valid for 3 years.
3. When you meet all the requirements for Permanent Professional Certification (PPC), your school authority will recommend you for a permanent certificate.

A PPC does not expire, even if you leave the profession.

Fees for teaching certification in Alberta

Application fees are non-refundable and must be paid at the time you submit your application for teacher certification. The application fees noted below depend on where you completed your teacher preparation program:

• Alberta: $200.00
• United States and Canada (outside Alberta): $225.00
• Other Countries: $250.00

To get a job at a university in Alberta you will need:

• at least 8+ years of post-secondary qualification.
• Membership in a provincial or territorial teachers’ association or federation
• Provincial or Territorial Teaching Certificate

Secondary school teachers earn $78,700 per year.

To get a job at a secondary school in Alberta you will need:

• at least 4 years post-secondary education qualification.
• Membership in a provincial or territorial teachers’ association or federation
• Hold a valid a valid Alberta teaching certificate.

Best Ways to Immigrate to Alberta as a Teacher

• Express Entry; or
• Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP).

Qualified candidates with an Express Entry profile may be invited by AINP to apply for nomination for permanent residence.

3. Saskatchewan

Post-secondary educators fall in the list of in-demand occupations in Saskatchewan.

If you would like to teach in Saskatchewan’s pre-kindergarten to Grade 12 education system, you must hold a Saskatchewan teacher’s certificate issued by the Saskatchewan Professional Teachers Regulatory Board.

The requirements for a teacher’s certificate in Saskatchewan include:

If you would like to apply for a Saskatchewan Teacher’s Certificate, begin by reading the Guide for Completing the Certification Application if you are an internationally educated teacher.

Take this free online assessment before applying to determine if you’ll meet the requirements.

Best Ways to Immigrate to Saskatchewan as a Teacher

• Express Entry; or
• Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP).

4. British Columbia (BC)

Currently, teaching jobs that are most in demand in British Columbia are elementary and secondary teachers’ assistants.

The average salary of an elementary and secondary school teacher’s assistant in BC is $50,638 a per annum.

To work as a teacher in British Columbia province you must:

• have completed an approved teacher education program through a B.C. post-secondary institution
• A Certificate of Qualification is required for educators who work at:

Best Ways to Immigrate to British Columbia as a Teacher

• Express Entry; or
• British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP).

5. Ontario

To teach in Ontario’s publicly funded schools, a teacher must be certified by the Ontario College of Teachers. Certified teachers pay an annual membership fee to maintain their membership and certification.

To be certified, teachers must:

• have completed a minimum three-year postsecondary degree from an acceptable postsecondary institution
• have successfully completed a four semester teacher education program
• apply to the College for certification and pay the annual membership and registration fees
• have successfully completed the sexual abuse prevention program.

The College welcomes applications from teachers educated outside Canada. Even if you currently live outside the country, you can still apply to the College.

Take this free online assessment before applying to determine if you’ll meet the requirements.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS BY TEACHING CATEGORY

You can find out more about the specific requirements for your teaching category in the appropriate registration guide:

• Requirements for Becoming a Teacher of General Education (K-12)
• Requirements for Becoming a Teacher of Technological Education
• Requirements for Becoming a Primary-Junior Teacher if you are of Indigenous Ancestry
• Requirements for Becoming a Teacher of a Native Language.

Best Way to Immigrate to Ontario as a Teacher

• Express Entry: Human Capital Priorities Stream

6. Newfoundland & Labrador

Every teacher employed in the primary/elementary/secondary schools of Newfoundland & Labrador province is required by law to hold a valid Newfoundland and Labrador teaching certificate.

Internationally Educated Teachers can apply for certification in Newfoundland and Labrador but they must hold a Canadian Work Permit.

All information the applicant is responsible for providing MUST be sent via mail.  Digital documents from individual applicants will not be accepted unless advised by the Registrar.

Minimum Requirements for Initial Newfoundland & Labrador Teacher Certification

1. An applicant requesting certification must hold an approved education degree from Memorial University or the equivalent as determined by the Registrar of Teacher Certification.
2. Generally, the minimum academic/professional requirements for a teacher certificate include a four-year academic degree (beyond Newfoundland and Labrador Grade 12) with a major in a teachable subject area, plus a one-year or two-year education degree. However, a four or five-year education degree with a concentration in primary, elementary, or secondary education may also be accepted.