Certified teachers from other countries

How to be certified to teach in Canada

Are you an internationally trained and certified teacher? If you are an internationally trained and certified teacher from a country outside of Canada, you can become certified to teach in Canada.

Follow these steps to gain your Certificate of Qualification:

1. Register for and attend a Teacher Regulation Branch information session about teacher certification (if available) or watch a previously recorded session online (on the same webpage). 
   
   
2. If you hold teaching credentials from another country, submit an application form and all required documents to the BC Ministry of Education and Child Care Teacher Regulation Branch to evaluate them. This conditional certificate will provide you with a valid teaching certificate number that you will need for Step 3. 
   
   
3. If you completed your teacher education program outside of Canada and you plan to apply for a BC teaching certificate on or after November 1, 2024, you may need to have your credentials assessed by Pathways to Teach Canada. After you submit your application form. The Teacher Regulation Branch will inform you if this step applies to you.
   • • See Pathways to Teach Canada for more information and watch a previously recorded Pathways to Teach Canada: Credential Assessment for Internationally Trained Teachers session online.  
       
4. Once you have your Conditional Certificate of Qualification, you need to complete the Introduction to the BC K-12 School System & Professional Standards for Educators course. This non-credit online course is completed over 11 weeks. Through synchronous and asynchronous engagement, you will explore the educational landscape in BC, including the professional standards for BC educators and the BC curriculum. This course is graded as complete/incomplete. 
   
   • • See when and where the next intake will take place on the ABCDE website.
       
       
5. Once you complete this course you may need to complete a certain number of hours teaching in BC schools under the supervision of a principal. See Letter of Permission for more information. 

If you have been internationally trained and do not hold any teacher certification from your home country, despite having gained some experience, you will be required to take your professional teacher education program in the province in which you wish to teach.

For questions, contact the Teacher Regulation Branch.