Teaching in Canada

Teaching in Canada is very popular!

Teaching in Canada is a profession which many people have looked to pursue over the last few years as the profile of Canada continues to grow and its attractions to expats continues to blossom. There is no doubt that the country is now one of the more popular expat destinations but for those with a teaching background looking to relocate to Canada the situation is a little more complicated than it may seem on the surface.

The Canadian economy

There is no doubt that Canada is a country with massive natural resources which have been used expertly by the Canadian authorities to improve the income of the country and its appeal to the wider business arena. As a consequence, we are seeing more and more companies opening offices in Canada which is bringing more and more immigrants to the country, expanding the economy and diversifying the population as a whole.

The economy has performed very well during the recent economic downturn and indeed could emerge as one of the stronger worldwide economies in the short to medium term. Against this background you could be forgiven for thinking there should be a number of teaching opportunities in the country but unfortunately the situation varies widely across Canada.

Becoming a teacher in Canada

Unfortunately, gaining entry to Canada as a teacher can be a time-consuming process because initially you may find it very difficult to find a permanent position and may be forced to take on other employment opportunities in the short to medium term. At this moment in time there is no shortage of teachers in Canada, in general, although as you mentioned above situation does vary widely in some of the more remote areas of the country. Teaching in Canada would appear to be a very popular profession!

Fast-track immigration

Despite some of the popular press in the UK and around the world suggesting that there is a shortage of teachers in Canada, this is not the case and at this moment in time the teaching profession is not listed on the summary of skilled workers required although this could change in time. As a consequence, in order to apply for residency in Canada you need to have a teaching position available to you on entering the country, something which is very rare for expat teachers.

Applying to work in Canada

Unfortunately, those looking to teach in Canada will need to apply via the more traditional route which can take some time to process and complete. However, if you are successful in your application to move to Canada then there is still the opportunity to attempt to break into the teaching profession when living in the country.

Applying to your local teachers association

If you are successful with your application to move to Canada as a permanent resident it is highly advisable that you apply to your local teachers association, in whichever province you are living, and attempt to gain accreditation as a teacher in Canada. If you have the relevant qualifications and experience it should be fairly straightforward when applying for your accredited teacher position then comes the difficult part of finding a teaching opportunity in Canada.

How long can you wait for a teaching role?

While it will vary from province to province there are some who believe you should bank on three years teaching in Canada before you will eventually gain that permanent position you have been looking for. In the first year you can expect to get a number of short-term assignments as a substitute teacher, with year two offering potentially longer temporary roles such as cover for maternity leave etc.

Those with experience of the Canadian teaching profession believe that years three and four should see you gain a permanent role in the teaching profession, assuming you are well-qualified, although it could take up to 4 years to find a position close to your chosen living area.

Other options available

While in general it is difficult to find teaching roles for those who have just moved to a Canada, if you are willing to move to one of the more remote areas of Canada this may well speed up your entry to the teaching profession and could bring about a permanent position in the short term. However, even this is not guaranteed and you will need to look long and hard for positions which may be away from the “beaten track”.

There is also the opportunity to apply to the various private schools in Canada and attempt to obtain a job offer before moving to Canada. However, unlike countries such as the UK, the number of private schools in relation to the number of state schools is very low although with the expat community continuing to grow on an annual basis we could and should see an increase in the number of private schools in Canada.

Additional information about the Canadian education sector

While there is no doubt that English is a very popular language in Canada you also need to appreciate that there is also a very strong relationship with France and the French language is also very popular in the country. In some ways this may open new avenues for those with French and English experience in the teaching profession as in effect this would allow you to overlap the English teaching sector and the French teaching sector.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that Canada is becoming one of the more popular expat destinations of recent times and while teaching is a profession which will always be in demand there are many teachers in Canada who are unable to find permanent employment. Unfortunately the situation is more difficult for expats looking at a teaching role in Canada and it could take some time before you are able to gain entry and then find a permanent position. There will also be the need to assure the Canadian authorities that you are able to support yourself from a financial point of view until permanent work is available.

As the expat community in Canada continues to grow there may be teaching opportunities in the future but at this moment in time it may be difficult, and time-consuming, for an overseas teacher to break into the Canadian teaching profession in the short to medium term.

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