Canada’s world-class education system makes teaching a reputed career option offering a high salary and several benefits. Most Canadian provinces and territories don’t have the right people with the right skills to fill the teacher vacancies. Therefore, teaching is in-demand and requires appropriate candidates to fill the positions.
Suppose you have had considerable working experience being a teacher in your home country, or you recently completed your qualification for teaching jobs; immigrating to Canada can provide you with endless opportunities.
Let’s explore immigration programs for Canadian immigration as a teacher, the in-demand teaching jobs, and the certification process for teaching in provinces.
Why choose to immigrate to Canada as a teacher?
Canada is one of the best alternatives for several newcomers who wish to immigrate to the country for more career opportunities and rich life. If you have acquired training in international teaching, you will get infinite reasons to settle in the country.
Requirement of skilled teachers for all education levels
Whether you have teaching experience at the kindergarten or university levels, you will easily find jobs in the teaching industry at all levels. The lack of teaching staff is most prominent in provinces such as Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia (B.C).
The teaching profession is in-demand in most of the provinces in Canada
Irrespective of the Canadian province or territory you will be residing in, teachers with the right skills and qualifications will remain in demand. Several provinces in Canada don’t have the required trained teachers on a domestic level; therefore, they hire teachers trained internationally as permanent residents to fill the huge gap in the labor market. If you are a qualified teacher in search of a job in Canada, chances are that you will get the job as a teacher sooner than you think once you arrive in Canada. This is because teachers are in high demand.
Canada provides higher salaries to Teachers compared to other countries
Qualified and experienced teachers at all levels, such as primary and secondary, are paid the third highest salary in the world. Luxembourg and Germany are the countries with first and second highest.
The average salary for teaching in each province will depend upon the province, teaching level, and work experience. However, the teachers tend to earn more in Canada and its provinces compared to their native countries.
Immigration pathways for internationally qualified teachers
Having the right education and professional skills to fill the huge labor market gap can fetch you a job in Canada as a newcomer, with an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residency.
You will have plenty of immigration alternatives for moving to Canada permanently as a teacher.
Federal Skilled Worker Program
Skilled professionals have the best alternative in the form of Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Worker Program. The Express Entry chooses the candidates for permanent residency based on the Comprehensive Ranking System’s score and not based on their occupation.
The CRS score will be calculated based on different factors, including work experience, age, education, and language skills. You are liable to obtain extra points if you possess previous Canadian work experience, Canadian education, a valid employment offer in Canada, and a provincial nomination.
The Federal Skilled Worker Program won’t give you any bonus points for being a teacher, but if you are invited under this program, you will have the chance to live in the province or territory you wish to.
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP)
Several Canadian provinces function through their PNP programs, allowing them to nominate those candidates who fit best for their labor market requirements. The federal Express Entry program lets you apply to the provinces directly based on the province you wish to immigrate to. You will be able to qualify for permanent residency if the province seeks teachers of your education or experience level.
You must be aware that the labor requirements of provinces continue to change gradually. Therefore, you must stay updated with the PNP streams and keep track of the following draws:
| Canadian Provinces | Provincial Nominee Program streams – Teachers |
| Alberta | Alberta Express Entry Stream: Applies to qualified candidates under Express Entry’s pool. |
| British Columbia | Skilled Worker: Applies to skilled workers in the professional, management, technical, or trade industry. |
| Manitoba | Skilled Workers Overseas: This applies to foreign workers having considerable experience with the right skills apt for the local labor market. |
| Nova Scotia | Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities: Applies to foreign workers in the Express Entry system, meeting Nova Scotia’s labor market requirements. |
| New Brunswick | NB Express Entry: Applies to qualified Express Entry candidates. NB Strategic Initiative Stream: Applies to foreign workers with French proficiency with the right skills, education, and work experience to mark the contribution to the provincial economy. |
| Ontario | Human Capital Priorities stream: Applies to skilled workers possessing relevant work experience, education, and language skills in French or English. French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream: Applies to skilled workers with French-speaking proficiency with relevant work experience, education, and language ability in both French and English. |
| Saskatchewan | Occupation In-demand: Applies to skilled foreign workers in an in-demand occupation, without an employment offer in the province of Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan Express Entry: Applies to qualified Express Entry candidates. |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | NL Express Entry Skilled Worker: Applies to skilled workers having a valid employment offer along with an Express Entry profile. |
| Prince Edward Island | Skilled Workers Outside Canada: Applies to foreign workers with relevant skills for the local labor market and a valid employment offer. PEI Express Entry: Applies to Express Entry’s skilled workers. |
Atlantic Immigration Program
The Atlantic Immigration Program helps skilled foreign nationals and international students with Canadian education to permanently reside in the Atlantic provinces of Canada, such as New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, or Newfoundland and Labrador.
This program doesn’t give priority to teachers, yet if you have worked for 1,560 hours in the paid employment sector within the previous five years, with the essential language proficiency, you will be considered eligible for AIP.
The primary qualification requirement for AIP will be to receive an employment offer from a Canadian Atlantic employer. You will also need a provincial license to become eligible for a teaching job. If you are planning to apply for permanent residence through the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), you must present a teaching certificate from the province.
Canada’s working process for a teacher with foreign training
Most provinces and territories in Canada have a separate list of requirements that make you eligible to begin a job as a teacher in the country; they are as follows:
Acquisition of an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)
Suppose you acquired education somewhere other than Canada; you will have to present an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA), which will verify the validity of your foreign diploma and degrees and their credibility as per the Canadian education standard.
The Kindergarten and Elementary school level teachers will have to present education equivalent to an undergraduate or Bachelor’s degree in child development. If you want to progress at the secondary school level as a teacher, ensure an undergraduate or a Bachelor’s degree in education and in the specific subject you are teaching. For teaching at a senior level, such as a university professor, you will need a high-level qualification equivalent to a master’s degree or doctoral degree in the relevant field.
Mandatory provincial license and teaching certificate
The Teaching profession falls under the regulated occupation category, with a license required from the province or territory to start working as a teacher.
Fortunately, much before you migrate to Canada, you can start with your teaching certification process. Once you decide and finalize where you’d like to reside in Canada, ensure to apply to a regulatory body of teachers or a college of teachers in that specific province or territory.
Most of the Canadian provinces demand you to provide your academic transcripts, a teaching experience certificate from your native country, and a statement demonstrating your professional status as a crucial step in your application for certification. You will receive the teaching certificate or a certificate of qualification after your application is approved.
There are a few jobs relevant to the teaching industry that will not need a teaching certificate. Canadian provinces and territories function with their own set of criteria, and there could be a few exceptions. It is possible to teach in Canada without presenting a Certification of Qualification, only if you fall under categories such as Adult continuing education teacher, Music teachers, international language teacher, Tutors, Montessori teachers, Tutors, Daycare, or Early childhood Teachers, and a French or English teacher (TESL or TFSL certification).
Demonstrate that you’re appropriate for the teaching profession
Canadian provinces and territories need proof of your moral character before issuing a teaching certificate to you. You will also demonstrate the records verifying your criminal background and references determining your character from your previous workplaces in your native country.
You will also need to present positive feedback from your existing or former employees related to the education field. The province of Ontario also requires individuals to undergo a sexual abuse prevention program to become eligible to receive the certification.
Language skills- French and English
Usually, Canadian provinces or territories have English as their primary medium of language for their curriculum, with Quebec as an exception. You need to present IELTS or CELPIP test results to show that you’re skilled in the English language. Depending on each province or territory, your CLB score shall be determined. Suppose you wish to pursue teaching as a career in Quebec or any Francophone school in some other province, you will have to prove your language skills in both French and English.
Experience in teaching and awareness of the Canadian curriculum
Your most recent teaching experience will not be needed while applying for a teaching certificate, but it will be beneficial when you start your job search for the teaching profession in Canada.
The next essential factor that most of the provinces and territories count is how well acquainted you are with the Canadian curriculum and culture. Suppose your native country had a completely different education structure, then you will have to acquire training for the specific region you wish to apply for. The training program will typically include some relevant courses of education and a practicum under supervision. The duration of the training program will be up to one year.
Teachers can access in-demand jobs in Canada
Qualified teachers are highly in demand because provinces and territories have an urgent need to meet the labor market requirements.
The latest data from the provinces and territories reveals the following in-demand jobs for teachers in Canada:
| Canadian Provinces | In-demand jobs- teaching |
| British Columbia (B.C.) | University Lecturers and Professors Colleges and Vocational Teachers; Early Childhood Educators |
| University Lecturers & Professors College and Vocational Teachers Post-Graduate Assistants in teaching High School or Secondary School Teachers Elementary and Kindergarten teachers | |
| Alberta | University Lecturers & Professors |
| Nova Scotia | Early childhood educators and assistants |
| New Brunswick | University Lecturers & Professors |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | University Lecturers & Professors Teachers-High School or Secondary School |
| Prince Edward Island | University Lecturers & Professors |
| Canada’s territories | Early Childhood Educators School Principals and Administrators |
What is the scope of earning for teachers in Canada?
Teaching is considered to be a high-paying profession and the average salary for this profession will differ based on three factors, such as the province type, level of teaching, and work experience in the same field.
Canada Job Bank’s government claims that Elementary and Kindergarten level teachers earn between a salary range of $24.04 and $52.75 on an hourly basis. The same teaching level has a median salary range of $43.75 in Ontario. British Columbia has $36.20 and Nunavut has $55.48.
High School and Secondary Teachers- $26.92 and $53.85 on an hourly basis.
The median salary (Hourly basis) for the same teaching level- is $47.12- in Ontario, $38.46 (B.C), and $55.43 (Nunavut).
College or Vocational Teachers- $18.19 and $58.53 (hourly basis)
College Teacher Median Salaries (hourly basis)- $36.54 (Ontario), $42.31 (B.C), and $6205 (Nunavut)
University Lecturers and Professors- Between $24.62 and $72.92 (hourly basis)
Median Salary (hourly basis)- $56.6 (Ontario), $43.27 (B.C)
School Principal and Administrators (hourly basis)- Between $33.46 and $64.84
Median hourly wage- $51.92 (Ontario), $48.08 (B.C), and $54.09 (Alberta)
Will it be a good option to immigrate to Canada as an internationally qualified teacher?
Several Canadian provinces seek to hire qualified teachers because of a lack of educators and their inability to find appropriate and sufficient teachers to further meet the labor market requirements.
Canadian immigration programs provide the opportunity to teachers who have had international training to permanently settle in Canada. You don’t have to wait for the arrival of your PR to begin the certification process.
