Understand how to

become certified to work as a

skilled professional in Canada

A SIX
STEP
GUIDE
www.prepareforcanada.com

Contents
Chapter One: Pre-Arrival
Chapter Two: Skills Development
Chapter Three: Understanding
Canadian Workplaces
Chapter Four: Job Finding
Techniques
Chapter Five: Associations
Chapter Six: Employment:

Career Pathways > Teaching

4
6
9
12
16
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Career Pathways

Career Pathways is a 6-step guide that helps you understand how to become
certified to work as a skilled professional in Canada; all the skills upgrading and
job searching strategies that you need to succeed in the Canadian workplace.
It offers resources about major employers and best locations for your
profession. It even shows through success stories how other immigrants
before you have walked on the path to professional success in Canada. You will
find information that is specific and tailored to your occupation. All in one place!
Career Pathways is divided into six sections and each has a few sub-sections
of their own. Take some time to navigate the various sections and pathways.
1) Pre-Arrival (If you are about to immigrate, it is advisable to start with this one)
Working in Canada Tool
2) Skills Development
Skills Upgrading; Bridging Programs; Universities and Colleges
3) Understanding Canadian Workplaces
Volunteering; Internship; Mentoring; Job Shadowing
4) Job Finding Techniques
Immigrant Settlement Agencies; Resume Writing; Interview Techniques; Information
Interviews; Networking
5) Associations
National; Provincial; Regulatory Bodies; Immigrant Networks
6) Employment
Occupations; Credentials Recognition; Best Locations; Major Employers; Sector
Reports; Resume Database; Job Board

Career Pathways > Teaching

Chapter One

Pre-Arrival
Elementary and secondary teaching professions are regulated in
Canada. The regulatory body in each province or territory sets the
requirements to practice the profession. Though these
requirements vary by jurisdiction, they usually include a bachelors
degree in education and a provincial teaching certificate.
If you intend to specialize in special education or instruction of English or French as a
second language, you may be required to take additional training and certification.
Unlike elementary and secondary teaching, teaching at university or college-level is
not regulated and generally up to the hiring department or institution to recognize your
academic credentials obtained outside Canada. University teaching positions are
competitive and normally require the possession of at least one graduate degree and
a proven record in teaching or academic publishing.
It is important for you to have a general overview of how your international
qualifications may be viewed in Canada and a general sense of the Canadian labour
market and workplace
culture. There are many steps that you
can take before immigrating to Canada to
improve your chances in successfully
practicing your profession in your future
country.
Contact the Canadian diplomatic mission
nearest you to find out about the
employment requirements for the
teaching occupation in Canada.
Contact the regulatory association
mandated with regulating teachers in the
province where you intend to settle in
Canada to enquire about the specific
procedure and steps in the licensing
process that you can take prior to
immigrating.
You must prove your language skills in English or French (depending on your
destination province) language competency or be tested. Even if youre a fluent
speaker of English or French, its helpful to improve your language skills and
enroll in language classes while you are in your home country and continue after
moving to Canada. You can assess your language skills by taking an online selfassessment test on the Canadian Language Benchmarks website.
It is easier for you to gather and organize your official education, work and
identity documents while still in your native country. Check with your provincial or
Career Pathways > Teaching

Teaching Portfolio
Canadian schools need
educators who will
effectively teach subjects
to students of various
cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds
with different skill levels
and learning styles.
territorial regulatory body to enquire about the
documents you need to bring and verifying the
translation of these documents. You might need to use
a professional translation service in Canada.
Understand how your profession is practiced in
Canada and familiarize yourself with the laws and
legislation that governs your profession in the province
where you will settle.
Know the name of your job in Canada and make a list
of potential employers. Check with the professional
association governing your occupation in your native
country to find out if they have any links with similar
associations in Canada.
Enquire about the procedure to get a drivers license
in Canada and apply for it after you land, as it would be
very useful when you get a job or even to get a job.
Another helpful thing you can do is to attend
a Canadian Immigrant Integration Program (CIIP)
seminar which organizes pre-departure orientation
and a Know Before You Go webinar to know more
about life in Canada.

Success Story: On the surface, it looks like Cristina

Popescu and her husband had an easy transition to life
in Canada. Only a few years after immigrating from
Romania, they both have jobs in their field of choice
shes a teacher and hes in the IT industry and they
appear to be living happily ever after. Read More.
Career Pathways >>Teaching

The first step in your job

search strategy a step
you can do while you are
still in your native country
is to create your
portfolio. It should
demonstrate to employers
what you can bring to the
job. Your ability to teach
effectively relies on your
ability to create, and your
portfolio should showcase
those skills and abilities.
You should include your
resume, letters of
recommendation, sample
syllabi, samples of student
work, lesson plans,
samples of tests, activities
and materials used for
teaching and an
introduction to your
teaching philosophy. Dont
forget to keep things
concise and share only
things that are beneficial
to your candidacy.

Chapter Two

Skills Development

In addition to accreditation, upgrading your skills through a bridging program or

other courses and workshops is an important part of your journey to become a
teacher in Canada.

Skills Upgrading
You may have strong teaching skills, but often that is not enough to get a job or
maintain it afterward. You may need more training or skills upgrading, especially
regarding your soft skills. Employers in Canada expect you to be a good
communicator, organized, know how to train a child, listen strategically, how to
motivate students, how to praise a student so that they respond, how to give good
feedback for others work, how to win peoples cooperation, etc.
Possessing strong skills in one or both of Canadas official languages English or
French is extremely important for your future in Canada. Whether you choose to
focus on learning or improving English or French will depend on which of the two
languages most people speak in the area where you live. You may be eligible
for Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program. Otherwise,
you can find other free or affordable classes in English as a Second Language
(ESL) or French as a Second Language (FSL) classes through the school boards or
settlement agencies. There are even language courses to teach you professional
terminology, such asEnhanced Language Training (ELT) and Occupation Specific
Language Training (OSLT). And if you already speak one of Canadas two official
languages at a fluent level, learning the other one is a good option, as it may offer
you better employment opportunities.
Career Pathways > Teaching

Education
Many immigrants continue their education after coming to Canada. Some even want
to change careers or enhance their careers with a Ph.D or MBA.

Click here for links to Universities and Colleges throughout Canada where you can
find courses and subjects that interest you.
Bridging Programs
Bridging programs are a good way to transition from your international experience
and training to the Canadian workplace. Many colleges, universities and immigrantserving agencies offer teaching related bridging programs. You may be eligible for
one. Conduct some research to find a program suitable for you.
Alberta
University of Calgary
Bridge to Teaching
The Bridge to Teaching (Bridge) program is an intensive and accelerated teacher
education program that prepares passionate, caring, and experienced foreign-trained
teachers to teach in Alberta Schools. During the Bridge Program, participants focus
on how to teach the Alberta Program of Studies in ways that engage students and
how to assess students learning in fair, formative and summative ways. Participants
examine various educational policies and pedagogies that affect teaching and
learning in Alberta and explore how the expectations for teachers and students
compare to those in their previous country.
Manitoba
University of Manitoba
Internationally Educated Teachers Pilot Program
Individuals who complete this program are eligible to seek employment as teachers in
Manitoba. The program provides the following supports: university coursework
needed for Manitoba certification adapted to the needs of IET participants; orientation
to Manitoba curricula; in-school placements; mentoring by experienced teachers; job
search skill development, language development.
Ontario
Mothercraft College
Early Childhood Educator
This program is for internationally educated early childhood educators, as well as
preschool and primary school teachers. It provides academic course work,
occupation-specific language training, workplace culture and communications
training, workplace internship placements and employment supports. Upon successful
completion, participants will be granted with an Ontario-approved diploma in Early
Childhood Education which will be recognized for registration by the College of Early
Childhood Educators (CECE). Graduates will register with the CECE, required for
employment as Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs).
Career Pathways > Teaching

George Brown College

College Teacher Training (Graduate Certificate)
The College Teacher Training Program is uniquely designed to provide occupationspecific communication and employment skills and training and experience in the
Canadian classroom, to help prepare internationally educated teachers to teach in the
Canadian college environment. The program offers opportunities to network with
college teachers and potential employers and provides mechanisms to gain
experience in the Canadian classroom.

Career Pathways > Teaching

Chapter Three

Understanding Canadian
Workplaces
Canadian employers, who often do not know how to
assess education and work experience from other
countries, may require or prefer you to have
experience working in Canada. Lack of local market
experience can pose a challenge for newcomers, but
there are ways to overcome some of them.
When an employer tells you that you have no
Canadian experience they often mean that theyre
not sure if youre going to fit into their workplace.
They are unsure that you are familiar with Canadian
codes and standards of practice or that you have the
communication skills, etiquette or inter-personal
savvy to be an asset to their firm. Employers want
friendly, assertive professionals with excellent
communication skills who will fit in and become
natural leaders.
You can overcome this barrier and acquire a good
understanding of how a Canadian workplace
operates by volunteering, meeting people, having a
mentor, getting an internship or job shadowing.

Volunteering
Volunteering is an important
part of Canadian society and
lifestyle. It helps you settle in
faster and make friends and
even it might lead to a job at
the organization where you
are volunteering or
somewhere else. Volunteering
experience is also an
important factor when
considering a candidate for a
position. When a potential
employer sees your
volunteering record, they will
immediately know that you are
willing to put time into
something you consider
worthy and that you are
socially inclined. These are
important attributes of
teachers.
What will help you most is
volunteering at a local school.
If you have family or friends
with children in school, their
principals may be more open
to your participation. Some
private schools may hire

Career Pathways > Teaching

you as a casual teacher or for a substitute position, though most probably they will
require certification. If you volunteer, you need to work with teachers by helping
them in the classroom and with their daily routine (they could also provide you with
reference letters).
If the school allows you to teach a little, this will help build your experience, but
keep in mind that some schools have strict policies about this and you may only be
able to volunteer. Use your volunteer time to familiarize yourself with the Canadian
educational system and work with students in the age group which you would like
to teach. Even one afternoon of volunteering a week would be helpful.

Internship
Internships are an excellent way to gain Canadian experience. You can find different
internship programs in Canada that can help you or you can find your own through
networking.
One of the most well-known internship programs is Career Bridge. It is an innovative
program that allows you to apply for paid internships at Canadas leading private,
public or non-profit sector employers. The program offers paid internships of four, six,
nine or twelve months for recent immigrants:
with fluency in English
with at least a Bachelors level education
with a minimum of three years international work experience
The program is run by Career Edge Organization, a not-for-profit social enterprise
that has managed over 9,200 paid internships across Canada since 1996.

Mentoring
Its important to find someone who can coach or mentor you and share information
about the teaching profession in Canada. Many professional associations and some
companies offer this type of buddy program, where a seasoned member guides a
junior member.
Many immigrant-serving organizations also have mentorship programs where they
team up a newcomer with someone in their professional field.
The Mentoring Partnership brings together recent skilled immigrants and established
professionals in the GTA in occupation-specific mentoring relationships. The program
is managed by the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council. For similar
programs in other Canadian cities, check the immigrant employment council in your
area.
You can also look for mentoring opportunities online, by registering for sites such
as MentorCity.
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10

Job Shadowing
Not exactly a mentorship or a volunteer
opportunity, job shadowing is an
interesting way to get some inside
information on the profession of teaching
in Canada, know about how Canadian
schools operate and possibly gain some
good networking contacts. In job
shadowing, you accompany a teacher
while they do their job. This can last
anywhere from an hour to an entire day.

Video
How can
newcomers
benefit from
mentoring?

Toward the end of an informational

interview ask if its possible for you to job
shadow the person, of course only if you
feel that the interview has gone well. Job
shadowing is a great way to find out what
an hour or a day on that job is like. Job
shadowing is especially good for jobs
that are highly active, such as teaching,
nursing or research.

Career Pathways > Teaching

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Chapter Four

Job Finding Techniques

The Canadian job market is competitive and jobs are
not easy to find. As well, finding a job in Canada may
be very different from your native country. There are
many ways which you can search for jobs in the
education sector:
Broaden your search and include alternative
careers.
Seek out a mentor in the teaching sector for
example, a retired teacher who would give you
valuable insight and advice and probably introduce
you to their professional network.
Join teaching related job-finding or networking clubs
through immigrant-serving agencies.
Attend teaching related career/job fairs and regularly
the employment sections of your local newspapers.

Resume Writing
You can improve your chances of finding employment
and attracting better opportunities by polishing your
resume using these career specific tips:
Certification List your certification and any other
endorsements. Include dates and expected dates.
Experience You may break this section into
separate subheadings such as teaching, related and
work experience. Experience can be paid or unpaid;
include internships, observation experience,
classroom management skills/strategies, teaching
methods used, experience with special needs
students and interactions with parents. Individual
experiences are usually listed in reverse
chronological order. Use action verbs and use
specific details such as grade levels taught, class
size and any other information that will help a reader
visualize you in that experience. Include job title,
name of school and dates for each position.

Settlement
Agencies
Most settlement agencies and
other immigrant-serving
organizations offer help with
finding job vacancies,
updating your resume, writing
cover letters, preparing for
interviews, and understanding
what Canadian employers are
looking for.
Click here to find immigrant
services in your area.

The following are strengths and experiences you

might consider including in your resume if they apply
to you: experience with kids, coaching, babysitting,

12

Career Pathways > Teaching

12

teaching swimming lessons, skiing or

any subject or area of interest,
management roles as they pertain to
training, training in any area or subject,
public speaking, acting experience as it
applies to teaching, art experience as it
applies to teaching, music experience
as it applies to teaching.
Passion Make sure you demonstrate
your passion for teaching by
incorporating your teaching philosophy
in your resume. It should also
communicate your commitment to
student success, teaching and learning.
Credentials You are in the education
business, so use a resume strategy that
highlights your academic credentials.
Include your credentials, certifications
and degrees on the first page under
your opening resume profile. You can
mention your most important teaching
credentials in your qualifications
summary, which can be part of your
Objective field.
Accomplishments A teachers
resume must have strong
accomplishments.Especially as a
newcomer, you can include
accomplishments from back home or in
Canada. You can include your
practicum/intern/volunteer experience,
and treat it like a job on your resume.
Other things you can list within your
accomplishments are in-service training
workshops for teacher colleagues,

developing any after-school programs or

extracurricular activities, specialty expertise
in particular teaching methods or
approaches, increasing parental
involvement or strengthening schoolcommunity ties, teaching special-needs
students, at-risk youth or some other
distinct population.
Specific Resume Keywords Teaching
and learning, curriculum development,
curriculum planning, curriculum design,
creative lesson planning, in-service
leadership, peer tutoring, peer mentoring,
lead teacher, teacher-parent relations,
special needs students, gifted/talented
students, ESL/ESOL students, student
success, testing, learner assessment,
technology integration, classroom
management, classroom monitoring,
discipline strategies, student involvement,
parental involvement, instruction, teaching
across the curriculum, interdisciplinary
teaching approaches, K-12, mainstream,
inclusion, brain-based learning.

Interview Techniques
Once you have been invited for an interview, you must focus on preparing for the interview.
Use your self-inventory and your research about the employer to describe how you are a
perfect fit.
You need to be confident and calm in the interview as you provide answers, so practicing is
very important! You may be interviewed by a school team consisting of the principal, viceprincipal and one or two staff members, or you may be interviewed at the board level by a
panel of interviewers.
You should answer these questions the same way like you lead a classroom clear and
prepared with your responses. If you show any shyness, hesitancy or stuttering, that will
convey doubts about your ability to teach a classroom of students. It is very important that
your answers reflect your interest in students and their needs and that you hold yourself

Career Pathways > Teaching

13

responsible to provide opportunities designed to improve their social and academic

achievement. The interviewer will be listening for the consistency between what you are
saying and what you submitted in your cover letter and resume.

Below are sample questions that you may be asked during teaching job interviews:
Give me an example of a performance assessment.
Do you ever feel angry toward your students?
What is the ideal relationship between a teacher and student?
What is your educational philosophy?
How would you handle difficult parents?
If a student comes into school with a bruise on their face that you did not notice the day
before, and that student comes up to you and says, I need to tell you something but you
have to promise not to tell anyone. What do you do?
How do you feel about noise in the classroom? How do you handle noise in the classroom?
Describe the first five minutes of your class.
How do you handle a child who seems gifted, but is a discipline problem?
You witness a student bullying another student in the hallway. How would you respond?
How would you handle making a difficult phone call to a parent?
Describe a teaching strategy you used to maximize the learning potential of all students
Describe any multicultural, gender-fair classroom practices you have used in the past and
how you would ensure equality among your students.
How would you take advantage of resources within the community to enhance your
teaching?
How do you use technology to enhance student learning?
How do you evaluate your own teaching?
How have you divided large amounts of material to be covered? (Hint: Show a sample
curriculum or discuss how you would use a curriculum map that includes learning objectives,
assessments, activities, and standards)
Describe a grading system that has worked well for you in the past.
What are educational issues or trends affecting elementary teaching? (for elementary
teachers)
What are the most desired skills employers want to see in their new hires? How do you as a
teacher address this? (for secondary teachers)
Of course there are many other questions that you need to prepare for. Consider as well
familiarizing yourself with recent news or research about the student population of the school
you are applying to. If you are applying for a position as a 3rd grade math teacher, for
example, there may be recent developments in teaching math to this age group that will be
relevant to your own teaching philosophy. Learning about these developments and
integrating them into the conversation will demonstrate your knowledge of relevant teaching
methods, and your commitment to teaching that distinguishes you from the other candidates.

Informational Interviews
An informational interview is a brief (2030-minute) meeting that you schedule with a person
who is currently working in your target field and geographic location to learn more about that
particular sector.
You should not try to get a job during an informational interview, but rather find out whether
or not a particular position or industry might be a good fit for your interests and your
personality. An informational interview with a contact from your network can be an excellent

Career Pathways > Teaching

14

source of career information because, in addition to basic information about a particular type of
industry (such as you might find on an organizations website), it also offers you the benefit of a
professionals first-hand experiences and impressions.

Networking
Networking is an essential tool that may provide job leads, offer you advice and information
about a particular school or university that can strengthen your resume, cover letter, and
interview skills. It can also introduce you to others so that you can expand your network. As
many job vacancies are not advertised, you must make connections with practicing teachers
and others within your field.
Good places to network are gatherings such as conferences, association luncheons, and
chamber mixers for their convenience in meeting people, building relationships, and sharing
information.
LinkedIn is another important professional tool for networking. It is great for reconnecting
with your ex-colleagues and employers, search for jobs, and get introductions and
recommendations.
You can also mingle with people in the teaching sector and join some related professional
groups.
Note that its not appropriate to ask a networking contact for a job, but if they know of any job
leads, they may share them.
Remember that you have to allow time to cultivate and grow the ties you establish through
networking. Nothing will happen overnight and must be patient.

Career Pathways > Teaching

15

Chapter Five

Associations
The associations listed below provide additional information about
licensure and certification and offer a variety of professional
development, education and networking opportunities.
National

Manitoba

Canadian Teachers Federation

Association des universits de la
francophonie canadienne (AUFC)
Association of Canadian Community Colleges
(ACCC)
Association of Canadian Universities for
Northern Studies (ACUNS)
Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and
Technology of Ontario (ACAATO)
Association of Universities and Colleges of
Canada (AUCC)
Canadian Association of University Teachers
Canadian Education Association
National Association of Career Colleges
(NACC)

Department of Education and Literacy, Teacher

Certification Unit
Box 700
402 Main Street
Russell MB R0J 1W0 Canada
Phone: +1-204-773-2998

Provincial/Territorial Regulatory
Bodies

Department of Education, Registrar of Teacher

Certification
Confederation Building, PO Box 8700
St. Johns NL A1B 4J6 Canada
Phone: +1-709-729-3020

Alberta
Alberta Education, Professional Standards
10044 108 Street, 2nd Floor
Edmonton, AB T5J 5E6 Canada
Phone: +1-780-427-2045
British Columbia
Ministry of Education, Teacher Regulation
Branch
400-2025 West Broadway
Vancouver BC V6J 1Z6 Canada
Phone: +1-604-731-8170

Career Pathways > Teaching

New Brunswick
Department of Education, Teacher Certification
PO Box 6000
Fredericton NB E3B 5H1 Canada
Phone: +1-506-453-3678
Newfoundland and Labrador

Northwest Territories
Department of Education, Culture and
Employment, Teacher Certification
PO Box 1320
Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9 Canada
Phone: +1-867-873-7392
Nova Scotia
Department of Education, Registrar of Teacher
Certification
2021 Brunswick Street, PO Box 578
Halifax NS B3J 2S9 Canada
Phone: +1-902-424-6620

16

Nunavut

Other Provincial Associations

Nunavut Educators Certification Service,

Department of Education
PO Box 390
Arviat NU X0C 0E0 Canada
Phone: +1-867-857-3081

Alberta Teachers Association

Association des enseignant(e)s francophones
du Nouveau-Brunswick
British Columbia Teachers Federation
Manitoba Teachers Society
Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers
Association
New Brunswick Teachers Association
Northwest Territories Teachers Association
Nova Scotia Teachers Union
Federation of Nunavut Teachers
Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association
Ontario Secondary School Teachers
Federation
Ontario Teachers Federation
Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario
Association des enseignant(e)s francoontariens
Prince Edward Island Teachers Federation
Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers
Retired Teachers of Ontario
Retired Women Teachers of Ontario
Saskatchewan Teachers Federation
Yukon Teachers Association

Ontario
Ontario College of Teachers (OCT)
101 Bloor Street West
Toronto ON M5S 0A1 Canada
Phone: +1-416-961-8800
Prince Edward Island
Department of Education and Early Childhood
Development, Registrars Office
Holman Centre
250 Water St., Suite 101
Summerside PE C1N 1B6 Canada
Phone: +1-902-438-4130
Quebec

Qubec Ministre de lducation, du Loisir

et du Sport, Direction de la formation et de la
titularisation du personnel scolaire
1035, rue De La Chevrotire, 28e tage
Qubec QC G1R 5A5 Canada
Phone : +1-418-646-6581
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan Department of Education,
Teacher Services
1840 Lorne St.
Regina SK S4P 2L7 Canada
Phone: +1-306-787-6086
Yukon
Yukon Education. Teacher Certification
P.O. Box 2703, 1000 Lewes Boulevard
Whitehorse YT Y1A 2C6 Canada
Phone: +1-867-667-8658

Immigrant Networks
Professional immigrant networks are
organized, volunteer-run member-based
associations or networks created by and for
immigrant professionals that seek to:
create a forum to contribute to and enrich their
respective communities; and
provide opportunities for their members to find
meaningful employment and achieve their
professional goals.
These networks organize networking events,
mentoring, information sessions, and also
provide professional development
opportunities such as workshops, training and
connections to employment opportunities.
British Columbia
BCITP Net BC Internationally Trained
Professionals Network
BCITP Net is a partnership of internationally

Career Pathways > Teaching

17

trained professionals from around the province, working cooperatively, to improve access to
meaningful employment for all immigrant professionals in BC.
Nova Scotia
IETP-NS: Association of Internationally Educated and Trained Professionals of Nova Scotia
IETP-NS helps newcomer professionals with their full economic and social integration in the
province of Nova Scotia.
Ontario
Philippine Teachers Association Canada
PTAC is a volunteer-run, non-profit professional organization of Ontario residents who are
former teachers and educators in the Philippines. PTAC is working towards professional
certification and members include Ontario-licensed teachers in career transition or practicing
in the Ontario.

Career Pathways > Teaching

18

Chapter Six

Employment
Finding a job in Canada may be different from your native country
and you may need help finding job vacancies, updating your
resume, writing cover letters, preparing for interviews, and
understanding what Canadian employers are looking for.
The National Occupational Classification (NOC) is Canadas reference on
occupations. It provides job descriptions, occupational statistics and labour market
information.
The NOC classifies the following teaching occupations in Canada:
University Professors and Assistants:
University Professors
Post-Secondary Teaching and Research Assistants
College and Other Vocational Instructors:
College and Other Vocational Instructors
Secondary and Elementary School Teachers and Educational Counselors:
Secondary School Teachers
Elementary School and Kindergarten
Teachers Educational Counselors

Credentials Recognition
One of the first things you must do is find
out the requirements to work as a teacher
in Canada. Therefore, after you obtain
your immigration visa, contact the
regulatory body that governs the teaching
profession in the province or territory
where you intend to settle in Canada.
They will advise you about the required
documentation and the assessment fees.
It is highly recommended that you
complete this step before you arrive in Canada. Its also important not to rush your
application and complete it only once you are fully aware of the licensure procedure
and the regulatory bodys expectations from you.
Credentials Assessment Services
If you are planning to enroll in a college or university program to upgrade your skills
Career Pathways > Teaching

19

contact the institution in which you plan to study and find out the steps you should
take and the credential assessment agency you should use.
World Education Services (WES) Ontario
International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) Alberta
The International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES) British Columbia
The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC)
The Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada
To find more organizations and agencies providing credential evaluation, assessment
and qualification recognition services, click here. You can also visit the Foreign
Credentials Referral Office for information, path-finding and referral services on
foreign credential recognition to help internationally trained professionals like you
succeed and put their skills to work in Canada more quickly.

Best Locations
There are hundreds of schools, colleges, universities and teaching centres across
Canada and you may find job opportunities in every city or town. However, finding a
job today may be a challenge if you want to work in the provinces of Ontario, BC and
Nova Scotia, where supply exceeds demand. It will be helpful for you to focus on the
cities and provinces that are experiencing the most population growth in the country
or are open to newcomers. Demand for the expansion of academic institutions in
these areas will in turn create a demand for more teachers.
The figures from the last census in 2011 show that of the 10 fastest-growing census
metropolitan areas in the Canada, seven are in Alberta, and all the rest are in Western
Canada one each in the provinces of British Columbia, Manitoba and
Saskatchewan. Other areas to focus on and where the shortage of teachers will likely
be more severe are the historically under-served northern and rural areas of the
country. With the boom in skilled trades, theres also a need for instructors at
community colleges, technical institutes and vocational schools.

Major Employers
You can view a list of provincial school boards associations that represent over
250 school boards in Canada by visiting the Canadian School Boards Association
(CSBA) website.
You can also visit the Best Employers for New Canadians website. This special
designation recognizes Canadas best employers for recent immigrants. These
employers offer interesting programs to assist new Canadians in making the transition
to a new workplace and a new life in Canada.
Another website to check is TRIECs Immigrant Success Awards, which recognizes
employer leadership and innovation in recruiting and retaining skilled immigrants in
the Greater Toronto Area.

The starting salary for teachers averages between about $41,000 and $61,000
depending on the province, up to a maximum of about $95,000.
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