Jobs In The Canadian Education Industry. Qualified teachers and educators who have trained overseas but who want to emigrate may find that Canada is a perfect choice for them.
Welcoming to candidates for teaching posts from overseas, all kinds of educational roles from secondary school teachers to kindergarten staff and college lecturers are in demand in Canada, so there is sure to be a job to suit your particular skillset somewhere in the country. If you are looking for jobs in the Canadian education industry, this article will help you to find out everything that you need to know.
Where to Work
There are 250 different school boards in Canada, and every province has its own rules and regulation regarding the assessment and qualification of teachers in their area.
While there are opportunities for educators all over the country, there are some areas where it is more difficult to find work, especially as an overseas candidate. Nova Scotia and Ontario both have more supply than demand at present, so are probably best avoided, but some of the fastest growing cities are much more likely to require staff, often in the provinces of Alberta and in the Western Canada region. The North of Canada is also an area of shortage staffing, so could be another good bet for overseas teachers.
Teaching Salaries
Teachers in Canada can command an excellent salary which varies depending on level, employer and location. In general, a salary of between $41,000 and $61,000 can be expected, but annual salaries can even rise as high as $95,000 in some cases.
Requirements to Be a Teacher in Canada
If you wish to teach in Canada, every province has different requirements, however you will need to obtain the correct location certification as well as having a teaching qualification from your home country. If you trained as a teacher outside of Canada, you will usually need to apply for a teaching certificate from the province in which you intend to teach.
They will take into account your academic record and previous teaching experience as well as your moral character to ensure that you are a suitable person to work with children if you wish to teach children from kindergarten age up to grade 12 in the public sector. Private schools and international schools may have their own criteria that you have to meet.
As well as obtaining the necessary teaching certificate, you will have to demonstrate that you have had an adequate amount of recent teaching experience within the last 10 years, or be willing to undertake courses in your new province to update your skills.
Language Skills
One major criteria of obtaining an educational job in Canada is the language requirement. You must be fluent in the English language, with reading, writing and speaking skills at an advanced level. Alternatively, if you will be teaching in a French speaking province, fluent French language skills are required.
Ideally, you will have ability with both languages as this can open more doors for you. If you were educated in a non-English speaking country, you will be required to undertake a suitable language proficiency test and pass before being issued with a teaching certificate.
Familiarization Programs
Some provinces in Canada require overseas candidates to undertake a familiarization program to find out more about the Canadian education system before granting them a teaching certificate.
This is applicable to candidates who were educated and trained in a country with a very different education system. These programs require the applicant to undertake several courses which are accredited by a local university and can take around a year to complete.
Moral Character
To assess whether or not you are considered a suitable person to teach children, Canadian provinces require certain documentation to prove your moral character. This paperwork includes confidential character references, teacher evaluation reports, criminal record checks and sometimes you may be required to undergo a fingerprint cross-referencing check.
Teaching English as a Second Language in Canada
An alternative to teaching in a traditional school in Canada is to work as a TESL teacher, teaching English as a foreign language to other immigrants. If you have at least two years of experience in education, you will find it easier to find this type of work in Canada and there is a lot of demand as there are plenty of language schools, especially in major cities.
You may, however, have to undertake Canadian evaluation to enable you to obtain the necessary certification to work in this sector. You will probably need a TESOL diploma in order to obtain one of the better paying TESL jobs in Canada that have good pay and conditions or apply for TASE which will evaluate the skills and experience that you already have and upgrade your qualifications to allow you to teach English as a second language throughout Canada.
Where to Find Education Jobs in Canada
There are many agencies which specialize in finding teaching posts for overseas candidates and if you register with one of these, you will find that they can match you with positions that are suited to your experience and qualifications and put you in touch with suitable employers.
Alternatively, you could check educational publications in your country which list overseas positions and apply directly to the institutions that you are interested in. The internet is a rich source of job adverts for teaching and education posts throughout Canada and is probably the best place to begin your search for education jobs.
Last Updated 27 October 2023
