Relocation services for British Columbia, Canada

Teaching jobs

If you want to work as a teacher, administrator or superintendent in a public school in BC then you must be certified by The British Columbia College of Teachers. This is the only way that you can work in the public school system in BC (Kindergarten to Grade 12). [Note the public school system means it is run by the province and is not a private school!]

If you are certified by the College of Teachers you can also be employed in the independent school system, though you can also get certified for independent schools only via the Office of the Inspector of Independent Schools. See their web site for more details.

Requirements for certification

Note this information is current at time of writing. We strongly urge you to contact the College of Teachers directly.

Here is a summary of the requirements for you to be certified by the College of Teachers:

• Completion of a minimum of four years of post-secondary study beyond BC Grade 12. (A levels)
  Essentially you must have completed a teacher training course that meets their standards.
• Teaching experience
  you need a minimum of either 75 days of teaching experience in one academic year or 100 days of teaching experience in two consecutive academic years. Alternatively at least nine weeks of student teaching experience within your initial teacher’s training
• Familiarity with the BC education system
  This will probably involve familiarizing yourself with Canada’s education system via course work or practical experience.
• Fit and proper person
  You must be a person of good moral character and be fit to teach. They will look do a criminal record check.
• Fluency in the English language
  If you don’t have English as your first language or come from a non-English speaking country you may have to take an exam.
• Documentation required includes:
  • birth or baptismal certificate
  • immigration documentation
  • final secondary school certificate or diploma
  • diplomas for any degrees or qualifications
  • official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions
  • Statement of Professional Standing from government teacher licensing agency
  • recent teacher evaluation report
  • two confidential reference forms
  • proof of all your teaching experience

Timescale

As a guideline, your cerfication can take between 2 and 3 months. The timescale will depend in part on how quickly you can provide the necessary documentation.

Related links

• The British Columbia College of Teachers
• Office of the Inspector of Independent Schools
• Fact sheet for Internationally educated teachers