Canada is short of teachers and as a nation that values quality education finding good quality teachers is a priority of all Canadian provinces and the Canadian government as a whole.

To address the problem of a shortage of good teachers most Canadian provinces allow eligible teachers to apply to immigrate to that province through their Provincial Nomination Program.   This means that teachers who meet the requirements could apply for Canadian residency which will give them work rights before even getting a job offer.

To be eligible to immigrate to Canada using this program applicants must meet a number of criteria.  Typically qualified South African teachers will have to provide:

Academic Records

The applicant must arrange for their university to send to the teachers’ college in the province they will be teaching.  The teachers’ will then assess the quality of the applicant’s training based on their academic records.

It is important to note that Canada, unlike South Africa, does not have a national educational department.  Each province is responsible for their own educational system.

Education is a provincial responsibility under the Canadian constitution, which means there are significant differences between the education systems of the different provinces. However, education is important to Canadians, and standards across the country are uniformly high.

Statement of Professional standing

A Statement of Professional Standing is required from the country, province or state where the applicant completed their teacher education program or degree.

Teaching certificate

Applicants must send a photocopy of their teaching certificate from all jurisdictions where you are or have been authorized to teach.

If an applicant was issued a “Certificate of Registration” by the South African Council for Education, please provide a photocopy of this certificate. The College understands that teachers who were certified in South Africa prior to 2000 may not have been issued a Certificate of Registration.

If the applicant was not issued a Certificate of Registration, a photocopy of your teacher education diploma will be accepted.

Curriculum Vitae with references

Applicants may be asked to submit a curriculum vitae detailing all training, education and experience the applicant might have.    The CV might also include contactable references or reference letters.

Meet Express Entry Requirements

All visa or residency applicants must meet Canada’s Express Entry requirements.

Through the system candidates are awarded points for certain personal details such as age, language abilities, qualifications and experience.  These points are then added up to determine a final score.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) decides on a minimum score threshold at every draw and all profiles above that score are then included in a lottery-style draw.  In short; profiles selected in the draw then receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for a visa / permanent residence under three economic immigration programs:

•             the Federal Skilled Worker Program,

•             the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and

•             the Canadian Experience Class.

Interestingly Canada allows their provinces and territories to recruit candidates from the Express Entry system through their Provincial Nominee Programs to meet local labour market needs.  This then increases an applicant’s chances of being granted a visa.

The Express Entry Process

1. Candidates create an online Express Entry profile which details skills, work experience, language ability, education and other details.  This will indicate to IRCC if you meet the minimum immigration criteria.  You will be given a score to determine your place in the Express Entry pool using a Comprehensive Ranking System. This system includes factors known to contribute to economic success (such as language, education and work experience).

1. Take a language test in English and/or French. If the applicant was educated outside of Canada, they may also need to have their education assessed against Canadian standards. Learn more about language and education assessments.

1. The applicant’s profile is placed in a pool of pre-screened candidates from where they are picked by prospective employees or if they meet the minimum point requirement will be invited to apply for a visa

Source: Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship Canada and www.oct.ca