How to get certified to teach in Canada

While the process can vary depending on the province or territory, all internationally educated teachers must meet certification requirements before they can teach. (Pexels Photo)

By CIC News

Thinking about a career as a teacher in Canada? If so, there are specific requirements you need to meet before you land your dream job.

Teaching in Canada is a regulated profession. That means that you must get certified in order to teach professionally.

Like most regulated professions in Canada, teaching is regulated at the provincial or territorial level, so you’ll need to meet different requirements to teach legally depending on which province or territory you will be teaching in.

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While the process can vary depending on the province or territory, all internationally educated teachers must meet certification requirements before they can teach.

This article will cover

• What is required to become certified to teach in Canada;
• Where to apply for each province; and
• The different types of teaching jobs available in Canada.

Teaching is an in-demand profession in many areas in Canada, making it easier to get a job than in many other fields in 2025.

The federal government has also recently added Education as a category in Express Entry, making it easier for teachers to obtain Canadian permanent residency through Express Entry if they wish to settle in Canada permanently.

A general overview of the process

Every province has its own requirements for certification. Here’s a look at what the process entails for an internationally trained educator.

Step 1: Determine eligibility based on the grade level and subject area.

In general, those who want to teach in Canada need to have the below requirements to be eligible for certification:

Qualifying education: Most provinces require applicants to have a completed post-secondary degree, most commonly a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized institution. Internationally-educated teachers will have to obtain Educational Credential Assessments (ECAs) for any foreign degrees that are necessary to qualify for licensing.

Teacher Education Program: On top of having a post-secondary degree, most jurisdictions will also require the teacher to have completed specialized training as a teacher. Specific teacher training requirements may vary, but can include length and/or the number of semesters that need to have been completed, in addition to some quantity of practical teaching experience.

Language Proficiency: Applicants will need to show proficiency in written and spoken English or French (depending on the course they wish to teach, and the province they want to teach in).

Proof of moral character: Many provinces also require candidates to prove that they are of good moral character. While the documents submitted vary from province to province, BC, for example, requires criminal record check results, academic records, confidential character references (if requested) and teacher evaluation reports (if requested).

Some provinces have additional requirements. For example, as of January 1, 2022, it is also mandatory for all teachers in Ontario to successfully complete the College’s Sexual Abuse Prevention Program (SAPP).

In British Columbia (B.C.), those who have completed their teacher education program outside Canada must do a familiarization course approved by the BC Teachers’ Council.

The requirements also vary according to teaching category. For example, those applying to teach in technological education may have additional requirements.

Step 2: Apply for certification to the provincial regulatory body of the region where you plan to teach.

Once an applicant meets the eligibility criteria, they need to apply for certification to the provincial body.

For this step, they may need to show supporting documentation such as

• Identity documents (e.g., birth certificate, passport);
• Police certificates;
• Evidence of language proficiency;
• Official transcripts ;
• Secondary school diploma or certificate;
• Evidence of name changes (if applicable).

If documents are not in English or French, the applicant will need to provide certified translations.

At the time of application, applicants will also have to pay an application fee, which differs according to the province.

Step 3: Depending on the province, there may be an additional step in the process before getting fully certified.

In most cases, teachers need to be certified before they can work in educational institutions in Canada.

However, in some provinces teachers can work before obtaining full certification.

For example, in Alberta candidates are issued an Interim Professional Certification, which allows them to teach in an Alberta-accredited school and is valid for three years. After gaining the required teaching experience (this includes two years of full-time teaching experience), they can apply for a Permanent Professional Certificate (a full certification).

Many other provinces have a similar process where a permanent or full teaching certification is only granted after meeting specific criteria, which usually involve full-time teaching experience.

Where to apply for each province

It’s also worth noting that many provinces have teamed up with Pathways to Teach Canada. This is a service launched in 2024 that provides a single-entry point for internationally educated teachers to apply for the certification and streamlines the process.

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Transferring certifications across provinces

The Canadian Free Trade Agreement facilitates teachers certified in one province to become certified teach in another.

However, a teacher may need to complete an application process to transfer the certification, which includes submitting certain forms and documents, and providing other relevant information.

Working as a teacher in Canada

In Canada, there are different types of teaching positions available, including

• Working full-time (salaried);
• Supply teachers (usually under temporary contracts);
• Long-term occasional teachers (substitute teachers who cover a full-time teacher’s absence for an extended period such as maternity leave).

Full-time teachers – permanent positions

Full-time permanent teachers in Canada generally teach for about 10 months per year, while classes are in session.

Typical breaks from classes include 2-3 weeks off at Christmas, a week off during March break, and about two months off in the summer.

These teachers are unionized in most jurisdictions, with set pay scales based on experience and certifications, along with defined benefit pension plans.

Defined benefit pension plans pay a retired teacher a fixed amount, indexed to inflation, for the rest of their life. The amount is based on previous earnings and years of service.

Supply teachers

Supply teachers are on-call substitute teachers who will take over the class from a full-time permanent teacher when that teacher is unavailable—for example, due to illness.

Supply teachers sign up on a roster for a specific school board, and are generally called in the morning and asked if they are available to teach for that day. If a supply teacher were to go to work five days in a row for a given week, generally each day would be with a different class, and often in a different school.

Supply teachers are paid by the day.

Many teachers start out as supply teachers to build experience before landing a full-time position.

Others choose to supply teach because of the additional flexibility for their lifestyle.

Long-Term Occasional Teachers (LTOs)

An LTO is a full-time contract position where a teacher will take over the class of a permanent full-time teacher for an extended period—for example, due to parental leave.

LTOs can range from several weeks to an entire academic year.

The LTO is a full-time contract position. When the contract ends, so does the job.

In some jurisdictions, supply teachers and LTO teachers may also be unionized, and their work can contribute to a defined benefit pension.

Public vs Catholic schools

In many provinces, there will be two publicly-funded school boards: a “public” or secular school board, and a Catholic school board.

Both types of schools offer similar curriculum and will lead to the same diplomas. Catholic schools offer faith-based education aligned with the Catholic tradition while public schools are secular.

Catholic school boards often require teachers to be practicing Catholics. In contrast, public school boards do not have religious requirements for employment.

Growing demand for professionals in Canada’s education sector

Teachers now have an advantage in pursuing Canadian permanent residence.

Education is a sector that has seen a growing demand for qualified teachers in Canada.

With many provinces facing labour shortages, the federal government has added education as a new category in Express Entry.

The education category now includes roles such as secondary school teachers and early childhood educators.

Occupations added in 2025:

• Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants;
• Instructors of persons with disabilities;
• Early childhood educators and assistants;
• Elementary school and kindergarten teachers; and
• Secondary school teachers.

Qualifying for a category-based draw makes it more likely for a foreign national to receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence through Express Entry.

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