Ontario is Still a Good Place for Teachers

Dear Ms Powell,

I am a 28-year-old teacher in Jamaica with a diploma and a bachelor’s degree. I want to know if I will qualify to live in Canada. I have a sister living in Ontario, so I am hoping to live and work there. What do I need to work in Ontario as a teacher? What can I do to qualify? Is Ontario a good place for teachers? Or should I apply to another province? Looking forward to hearing from you.

SE

Dear SE,

There is a high demand for teachers in Canada and based on the information you provided, you should be able to qualify to live permanently in Canada under the federal skilled worker programme and could even qualify for an Ontario Provincial Nominee.  In spite of the numerous discussions about new rules in Ontario regarding teacher qualifications and strike, there are job opportunities for teachers who are interested in moving to Ontario.

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Your first step would be to get accepted into the express entry pool of candidates for the federal government and provinces to access whether you should be granted an invitation to apply for permanent residence and be selected under the provincial nominee programme.

The express entry system manages applications from individuals who qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker Programme and other economic programmes. Under that system, individuals are given points based on their age, education, language, work experience and adaptability.

Credential Assessment

To be admitted into the pool, you will need to be able to demonstrate your language ability and provide proof that your education is acceptable in Canada. You will therefore need to obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report from one of the authorised companies listed on the government’s website. The purpose of this report is to confirm that your foreign degree, diploma, certificate is valid and equal to a Canadian certification.

You must arrange for your university to send all original sealed copies of your academic records or transcripts for your diploma, degrees and programmes directly to the organisation for assessment. You should consider ordering several copies of your transcripts for future use.

Additionally, you should note that each province has its own certification process for teachers. Since you are interested in teaching in Ontario, you should apply to the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) to assess your credentials. You will need this certification to work as a teacher in Ontario.

The application form and other information is available at the official website - https://www.oct.ca. You should complete an application form and submit all the required supporting documents for your credentials to be assessed by the college. You are required to arrange for your university/college to send to the OCT, all your academic records.

You should, also contact the Ministry of Education in your home country and any country where you have worked to request a Statement of Professional Standing. It is important that you get this from each country or state that you have completed your teacher education program and where you have been certified to teach.

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The application form and supporting documents will be used to evaluate if you satisfy the requirements to be granted an authority to teach in Ontario. Each applicant is assessed individually. However, you should not worry too much about this process as in most cases teachers from Jamaica and many other Caribbean countries have been able to meet the requirements for certification. Only in a few instances have some individuals been required to complete additional courses or coursework in order to be certified.

There are many options available for professionals such as teachers, doctors, lawyers, pharmacist and even tradesmen who have the education, training and work experience to become permanent residents and qualify to work in Canada. The government of Canada and the provinces are always selecting qualified individuals who have been able to demonstrate that they have the potential to successfully integrate and contribute to the Canadian society.

Individuals with degrees and who have siblings in Canada have a strong chance of being granted permanent residence in less than a year. I recommend that you consult with an immigration lawyer to find out how to maximise your chances.

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Deidre S. Powell is an immigration lawyer, mediator and notary public with office in Ontario, Canada. Submit your questions and comments to info@deidrepowell.com or call 613.695.8777. You can also find her on Facebook, Instagram, linkedin and twitter. Sign up on her website at www.deidrepowell.com