This document was updated in March 2008 in collaboration with the Labour Market Integration Unit, Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration.  Requirements may have changed by the time you apply.  Please contact the Ontario College of Teachers at www.oct.ca before completing your application.

Copyright in this career map is held jointly by the Queen's Printer for Ontario and the Ontario College of Teachers, © 2008. This career map may be used or reproduced by any third party for non-commercial, not-for-profit purposes, provided that no fee, payment or royalty of any kind shall be charged by the third party for any further use or reproduction of the career map by any person.  Any proposed commercial or for-profit use or reproduction of this career map requires a written licence from the Queen's Printer for Ontario and the Ontario College of Teachers.

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The Ontario College of Teachers (the College) regulates Ontario's teaching profession in the public interest.

The College is responsible to the public and the profession to ensure that teachers receive the training they need to provide Ontario’s students with an excellent education. It accredits teacher education programs at Ontario faculties and schools of education - and in-service teacher education programs offered by universities and other organizations in the province.

The College also sets ethical standards and standards of practice for the teaching profession, regulates teaching qualifications, and investigates complaints involving members and takes appropriate disciplinary action.

To teach in Ontario’s publicly funded elementary and secondary schools you must be a College member in good standing. Members of the College include full-time and part-time teachers, supervisory officers, principals, vice-principals, consultants, co-ordinators, continuing education and occasional teachers. Many of Ontario’s independent or private schools also require their teachers to be College members.

Ontario’s Ministry of Education sets the curriculum for publicly funded schools in the province and all schools authorized to issue the Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

There are four publicly funded school systems in Ontario:

• English-language public
• English-language Roman Catholic
• French-language public
• French-language Roman Catholic.

Registration Requirements

If you were certified to teach in another Canadian province, territory or outside of Canada, and wish to teach in Ontario’s publicly funded school system you must register with the Ontario College of Teachers. The College issues you an interim certificate of qualification – a licence to teach in Ontario – once you have satisfied the basic requirements for certification.  You will be required to provide supportive documents from your country of origin, including:

• evidence of language proficiency if your teacher education program was not completed entirely in English or French
• official teacher education program transcript
• official letter (s) verifying hours of study and focus of education program, if educated outside North America
• academic undergraduate and graduate degree transcript(s)
• if you received your undergraduate or graduate degree(s) outside North America, a letter bearing the seal and signature of registrar of the granting institution indicating the name of your degree and the date of conferral
• statement of professional standing from each jurisdiction other than Ontario where you are or have been certified/authorised to teach. This includes the jurisdiction where you completed your teacher education.

Requirements for Certification in Ontario

Note that requirements may change. Please consult the College website at www.oct.ca for the most up-to-date information.

To teach academic subjects in elementary and secondary schools you must have:

1. an acceptable postsecondary degree equivalent to three years of full-time study beyond Grade 12 (excluding the teacher education year), and
2. an acceptable teacher education program equivalent to a minimum of one year of full-time study including course work in foundations of education, teaching methodology and 40 days of supervised practice teaching.  The College will recognize a portion of your initial teacher education program completed via distance education provided the program included a face-to-face practicum or if you have had one year of teaching experience in a jurisdiction outside Ontario where you hold teacher certification.  To be eligible for certification, you will still have to satisfy requirements for two methodology courses in a face-to-face environment and meet the academic and language proficiency requirements for certification.

To teach technological subjects you must have:

1. a high school diploma that is equivalent to an Ontario Secondary School Diploma, and
2. a one-year teacher education program, and
3. five years of wage-earning experience in a technological subject covered by the teacher education program or an acceptable combination of experience and postsecondary education totalling 5 years, and
4. proof of competence in your technological area.

Eligibility to Work in Canada

To apply for membership in the Ontario College of Teachers, you must be authorized to work in Canada. The College requires your Canadian Social Insurance Number and a photocopy of one of the following: a landed immigrant form or permanent resident card, employment authorization or a Canadian citizenship card.

Statement of Professional Standing

You must arrange to have the licensing authority where you were authorised/certified to teach send a statement of professional standing directly to the College. The statement must be less than a year old by the time the College receives it and it must verify that you were authorised/certified to teach and that your certificate has never been suspended, cancelled or revoked.

REGISTRATION PROCESS

Before You Immigrate to Canada

You will find the Registration Guide for Teachers Educated Outside Ontario and the Registration Guide for Foreign Applicants Without Canadian Employment Authorization available on the College web site at www.oct.ca

Internationally educated teachers who do not yet have authorization to work in Canada may apply to have their credentials assessed to determine their qualifications meet Ontario requirements.  To be certified, you have to provide evidence of authorization to work in Canada and a Canadian Criminal Record Check Report.  The application form for international applicants without Canadian employment authorization may be found on the Ontario College of Teachers web site at the following:  www.oct.ca/become_a_teacher.  Please note: you must have a current job offer from a school board or private school in Ontario to use this guide.

Before you come to Ontario, you can contact the College by telephone, fax, mail or e-mail and request a copy of the current Registration Guide for Teachers Educated Outside Ontario. The guide describes the registration requirements and lists the documents and fees you will need to submit. Please note that you may have to arrange to have documents sent to the College directly from granting institutions before you come to Canada.

When You Arrive in Ontario

Collect all the documents that you must submit with your application. For a complete list see the College web site at www.oct.ca and/or the list included at the end of this document. Complete, sign and submit the application form for teachers educated outside Ontario along with all required documents to the College.

If you have not done so already, you should arrange to have the additional required documents sent directly to the College.  These include transcripts of the degrees or diplomas relating to your academic and teacher education programs and original statements of professional standing.  Statements of professional standing must not be older than one year from the date the College receives them and must be supplied from each jurisdiction other than Ontario where you are or have been certified or authorized to teach. This requirement applies even if you never actually taught in those jurisdictions. Please see the section on Internationally Educated Teachers on the web site for further information.

The College cannot evaluate your application until it receives all of the required documents.

Canadian Criminal Record Check Report

You must submit an original Canadian criminal record check report with your registration package no matter how long you have been in Canada. You may obtain a criminal record check report from your local, regional or provincial police service in Canada. The original signed report must not be older than six months from the date the College receives it. The report must list all names you have ever used.

Police services access the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database electronically.  Fingerprints are usually only taken if you challenge the results of the report. Costs and processing time vary; some police services will provide a report while you wait and others could take six weeks or more.

Language Proficiency Requirement

If you have been educated outside Canada and completed your teacher education program in a language other than English or French, you are required to provide proof of proficiency in English or French by completing a language proficiency test. 

Applicants who completed their teacher training in English and who meet all other requirements will be certified to teach in the English-language school system.

Applicants who completed their teacher training in French and who meet all other requirements will be certified to teach in the French-language school system.

You satisfy the requirement for English and do not have to send proof if you completed a teacher education program in English in one of these countries:

Canada	Cameroon	St.Vincent
Anguilla	Dominica	Seychelles
Antigua and Barbuda	Ghana	Sierra Leone
Australia	Grenada	Trinidad and Tobago
Bahamas	Guyana	Turks and Caicos Islands
Barbados	Jamaica	United Kingdom
Belize	Montserrat	United States
Benin	Nigeria	Uganda
Bermuda	New Zealand	US Virgin Islands
Botswana	Republic of Ireland	Zambia
British Virgin Islands	Saint Kitts-Nevis	Zimbabwe
Cayman Islands	St. Lucia

You satisfy the requirement for French and do not have to send proof if you completed a teacher education program in French in one of these countries:

Benin	Haiti
Canada	Ivory Coast
Cameroon	Luxembourg
Congo - Democratic Republic and Republic	Mali
France	Monaco
French Guyana	Seychelles
Guadeloupe	Senegal
Guinea

If your teacher education program was conducted in another country in either English or French, you need to arrange to have a letter sent directly to the College from the head of the university that you attended.

The letter needs to confirm that the language of instruction at the time you took the program was either English or French.

If your primary or secondary and postsecondary education were conducted in English or French, but your teacher education program was not conducted in English or French, you must arrange to have letters sent to the College from your postsecondary institution and your elementary or secondary school.

The letter must confirm that the language of instruction at the time you attended the institutions was in English or French.

We may need to arrange an interview with you to discuss the issue.

If you cannot meet the requirements set out in 1, 2, 3 or 4 above, you must provide proof of proficiency in English or French by passing a language proficiency test.

Please arrange to have the test provider send the successful results of your language proficiency test directly to the College. The College cannot accept test results older than two years.

The College accepts results from the following tests:

English

Test of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT)
The Ontario College of Teachers has set the following minimum acceptable scores for TOEFL tests to determine proficiency in English.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (academic test only)

The College requires proof of an overall score of at least 7 on the IELTS (academic test only), with scores of at least 6.5 in reading and listening and scores of at least 7 in writing and speaking.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) computer-based and Test of Spoken English (TSE) completed before Oct. 15, 2005

The College requires proof of a score of at least 250 on the computer-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) test and Test of Spoken English (TSE), with scores of at least 5.5 in writing, 24 in listening, 24 in reading and 60 on the TSE.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) paper-based and Test of Spoken English (TSE) completed before Oct. 15, 2005

On the paper-based test and TSE, the College requires a score of at least 600 on the paper test and scores of at least 58 in listening, 58 in reading, 5.5 on the Test of Written English and a score of 60 on the TSE.

French

Test pour étudiants et stagiaires au Canada (TEStCan)

The College requires proof of a minimum score of 5 in each of the following skills: writing, reading and listening, and evidence of a minimum score of 4.5 on speaking.

You must achieve minimum scores on each component.

You are responsible for the cost of the language proficiency test. Test costs may vary.

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For more information on language proficiency tests, costs and test locations in Ontario and internationally, contact:

IELTS Test Centre Canada Conestoga College of Applied Arts and Technology

IELTS Administrator
299 Doon Valley Drive
Kitchener ON
Canada
N2G 4M4
Telephone: 519-748-3516; Fax: 519-748-3505
E-mail: ielts@conestogac.on.ca
Website: www.conestogac.on.ca

IELTS International (includes information on testing overseas. The University of Cambridge's local examination is not acceptable.)

IELTS Subject Officer
Cambridge International Examinations
1 Hills Road Cambridge
United Kingdom
CB1 2EU
Telephone: 1223 553558; Fax: 1223 553554
E-mail: international@ucles.org.uk
Website: www.ielts.org

TOEFL and TSE (includes information on testing overseas)

P.O. Box 6151
Princeton, NJ
USA
08541
Telephone: 609-771-7100 (for general information on the TOEFL and TSE) or 1-800-468-6335 (to schedule a test appointment on the phone for the TOEFL only); Fax: 609-771-7500; TTY: 609-771-7714
E-mail: toefl@ets.org
Website: www.toefl.org

TEStCan (French) Second Language Institute/Institut des langues secondes

University of Ottawa
600 King Edward Avenue
Ottawa ON
Canada

K1N 6N5
Telephone: 613-562-5743 Fax: 613-562-5126
E-mail: cantest@uottawa.ca
Website: www.uottawa.ca/academic/arts/ils/

Entry-to-Practice Support and Assessment

The Minister of Education has announced a New Teacher Induction Program that will provide support including mentoring for newly certified teachers in full-time positions. Please contact the Ministry of Education for further information.

Translation of documents

The College must receive original documents directly from the granting institution or licensing body.

Documents in languages other than French or English must be accompanied by a covering letter in English or French that includes your name. The College will send you copies of any official documents it receives from the granting institution.  It is your responsibility to arrange for an official translation the College can use to assess your documents.

Original translations will be accepted only from:

• the consulate, high commission or embassy to Canada of the country that issued the documents
• a  Canadian embassy, consulate, or high commission in the country from which you emigrated
• a translator accredited by a professional association of translators in Canada. To obtain the name of an accredited translator, contact the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO) at 1-800-234-5030 or 613-241-2846
• a translator who has received accreditation through a federal, provincial or municipal government in Canada.

All acceptable translations must be accompanied by an original statement indicating:

• the translator’s number and/or seal, name, address and telephone number
• that the translator belongs to one of the categories listed above
• printed name and signature of the translator
• that the translation is accurate and authentic

Evaluation of Credentials

Once you submit your complete application package and all the required documents are received, the College will evaluate your courses of study to determine if your credentials meet Ontario standards for teachers.  This may take four to six weeks or longer if further clarification of your studies is required.

Academic and Professional Education Required to Teach in Ontario

• you must have at least 16 years of study (including elementary and secondary education).
• if you are an elementary or secondary school teacher you must have a postsecondary degree unless you are a technological studies teacher. The degree must be from an institution acceptable to the Registrar of the College.  Your postsecondary education must extend at least three years beyond 12 years of elementary and secondary education.
• You must have one year of teacher education study completed at a postsecondary institution. This year of study must be equivalent to a year of full-time study in the original country of certification.

  If your postsecondary education included an undergraduate degree and teacher education in one program, the program must extend a minimum of four years beyond 12 years of elementary and secondary education. At least one year of full-time study in your degree must have been dedicated to teacher education course work.  For example, if you have a four-year degree that includes teacher education, at least 25 per cent of the course work in that degree must be specific to teacher education.  The College recognizes that many degree programs combine academic training and teacher education.

• your education as a teacher must have been completed at the postsecondary level.  The program must certify/authorise you to teach in schools operated for the public in the country, province or state where you completed it.  The year of study must contain:
  
  • course work in teaching methods - training in how to teach students in particular grades or subject areas
  • course work in education foundations - history, philosophy and psychology of education, and
  • a minimum of 40 days of practice teaching supervised by the program provider. (The College may supplement a deficient practicum with evidence of experience working as a certified teacher.)
  • course work in methodology appropriate for teaching the equivalent of two consecutive divisions of the Ontario school system: Primary and Junior divisions (Kindergarten to Grade 6), Junior and Intermediate divisions (Grades 4 - 10) or Intermediate and Senior divisions (Grades 7 - 12).
  • teacher education for the Primary and Junior divisions require training in every subject area taught in Ontario elementary schools.
  • teacher education for the Intermediate and Senior divisions must prepare teachers to deliver the curriculum of specific subjects taught in Ontario schools.
  • The College will recognize a portion of your initial teacher education program completed via distance education provided the program included a face-to-face practicum or if you have had one year of teaching experience in a jurisdiction outside Ontario where you hold teacher certification.  To be eligible for certification, you will have to satisfy requirements for two methodology courses in a  face-to-face environment and meet the academic and language proficiency requirements for certification.

Technological Studies Teachers

• Technological studies teachers are not required to have a degree.  You need proof that you completed secondary school, that you were paid to work and that you are competent in the technological studies area you were trained to teach. The subject areas include: Communication, Construction, Health and Personal Services, Hospitality and Tourism, Manufacturing, Technological Design and Transportation.
  
• 5 Years of Wage-earning experience in the trade that can be supported in a number of ways: letters of reference, statements from accountants and proof of income statements.
• A certificate of qualification from a licensed trade or letters of reference from employers will be considered as proof of competence in the trade. 
• Teaching experience is not considered “trade” experience.

Requirements for Certification in Ontario

Requirements for academic and teacher education differ around the world.  You may have taught in another country, province or state, but do not currently meet the academic, professional and/or language proficiency requirements for certification in Ontario. Certification as a teacher in another jurisdiction does not guarantee certification in Ontario.

Why are some applicants not eligible for certification?

Applicants for membership in the Ontario College of Teachers may not be accepted because:

• they do not have the required minimum years of schooling (16 years)
• they do not meet the language proficiency requirement
• their degree is not from an acceptable postsecondary institution
• their degree is not considered equivalent to an acceptable 3 year degree
• their teacher education program did not meet Ontario requirements. 

A teacher education program may not satisfy Ontario’s requirements because it:

• was conducted at the secondary school level
• was not equivalent to one full year of study in the country of initial certification
• was completed entirely by correspondence or through distance education
• did not focus on the equivalent of two consecutive divisions of the Ontario school system (Primary and Junior, Junior and Intermediate, Intermediate and Senior)
• included transfer credits from previously completed academic course work.

Applicants are always advised in writing how they can meet certification requirements. The assessment of qualifications is valid for two years. After two years, you have to reapply to the College and meet all requirements in place at that time.

Interim Certificate of Qualification

If your application satisfies the evaluation requirements, the College will grant you an Interim Certificate of Qualification, which is your licence to teach in Ontario’s publicly funded schools.  This certificate is a temporary document that lists your degrees, programs of teacher education and qualifications.  It is valid for up to six years, if you maintain it by paying your annual membership fee. There may be conditions placed on your certificate which you must satisfy before you can request a conversion to a permanent certificate.

This interim certificate allows you to work and accumulate the equivalent of 194 days of successful teaching experience, which is required for permanent certification in Ontario.

A New Teacher Induction Program created by the Ministry of Education and delivered by school boards provides support including mentoring for newly certified teachers in full-time positions.

Once you have successfully completed the New Teacher Induction Program, a notation will be added to your teaching certificate.  This designation will not be required for full certification. 

When you have accumulated 194 days of successful teaching experience in Ontario, and complied with any other conditions on your interim certificate, you may apply to convert your Interim Certificate of Qualification to a Certificate of Qualification. Like the Interim Certificate of Qualification, the Certificate of Qualification is issued annually as a licence to teach in Ontario and is your proof of membership in good standing with the College.

Labour Market Information

Employment opportunities for teachers in Ontario are excellent in the high needs subject areas of French, mathematics, science, technological studies and special education. Membership in the Ontario College of Teachers is not a guarantee of employment. The College does not provide employment services, and there is no central job placement service for teachers in Ontario.

Many job postings for teachers in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada can be found on the College web site at www.oct.ca → Become A Teacher→ Jobs in Education.

Fees and Costs for Applicants Educated Outside of Ontario for 2006-2007 (in Canadian dollars – includes all applicable taxes)

Fees are subject to change. Please check the College website for the most up to date information.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more information on application requirements in Ontario, contact: Ontario College of Teachers 121 Bloor Street East Toronto ON Canada M4W 3M5 Telephone: 416-961-8800 Toll-free in Ontario: 1-888-534-2222 Fax: 416-961-8822 E-mail:  info@oct.ca Website: www.oct.ca	For information about accessing professions and trades in Ontario, contact: Government of Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration Global Experience Ontario 285 Victoria St., 7th  Flr. Toronto, ON Canada M7A 2H6 Tel:  (416)327-9694 or 1-866-670-4094 Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (416)327-9710 or 1-866-388-2262 Fax: (416)327-9711 Email: GEO@ontario.ca  Website:  www.ontarioimmigration.ca
For information on where and how to get help with settlement in Ontario, visit : www.settlement.org or contact: Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI) 110 Eglinton Avenue West, Suite 200 Toronto ON Canada M4R 1A3 Telephone: 416-322-4950 Fax: 416-322-8084 E-mail: ocasi@web.net Website: www.ocasi.org
For information on what is done to improve access to Ontario professions, contact:Ontario Regulators for Access Website: www.regulators4access.ca

CONTACTS

The Ontario College of Teachers offices and switchboard are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday. We are closed on statutory holidays.

Website

www.oct.ca (English)
www.oeeo.ca (French)

You can find information included in this document on the College’s web site. Requirements may change without notification. To know about the latest information, please contact the Ontario College of Teachers or e-mail us at info@oct.ca.

Phone

To reach us by telephone, call 416-961-8800 or toll free in Ontario 1888-534-2222 and select Client Services from the main menu.

The College call centre has knowledgeable staff who can provide information on a wide range of issues relevant to College membership, including qualifications and certification.

Fax

416-961-8822

E-Mail

For general information info@oct.ca

For library inquiries library@oct.ca

Mail

Ontario College of Teachers
121 Bloor Street East
Toronto ON  M4W 3M5

In person

The College’s offices are located in downtown Toronto at 121 Bloor Street East, Toronto. Our Membership Services Department has a walk-in counter on the 6th floor .

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

Original Documents Required

Only originals of the following documents will be accepted:

• Registration Form
• Applicants’ Declaration (signed)
• Original Canadian criminal record check report, not older than six months from the date the College receives it.

Official Documents Required

The College will only accept the following documents directly from granting institutions. Transcripts and letters verifying degrees must bear the seal and signature of the registrar of the granting institution. Photocopies are not acceptable. 

• Official transcript(s) of your academic degree(s) or diploma(s)
• Official transcript(s) of your teacher education program(s)
• Statement of professional standing, not older than one year from the date the College receives the statement
• Report of language proficiency results.

Photocopies Acceptable

• Photocopy of your teaching certificate
• Photocopy of document showing surname and name(s) at birth, date and place of birth (birth certificate or passport)
• Photocopy of landed immigrant visa, employment authorization, permanent residence card or Canadian citizenship card showing authorization to work in Canada
• Photocopy of proof of name change, if applicable
• Proof of wage earning experience for teachers of technological studies.

Registration forms that are incomplete or do not include correct fee payments will be returned to you. The College only accepts original transcripts that come directly from the university or institution where the degree or diploma was earned. The College is aware that some institutions provide transcripts on a one-time only basis. Contact the College if this practice affects you.

The College keeps applications open for two years.  If two years pass and you have not completed your registration requirements, you will have to re-apply with appropriate fees and be subject to any other requirements in place at the time of application.

Copyright in this career map is held jointly by the Queen's Printer for Ontario and the Ontario College of Teachers, © 2008.

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