seebeckett

just planning a trip to canada - however where in canada is the biggest stumbling block!!!
we're thinking quebec!

Elaine B.

Not a teacher sorry but you may want to give the good people on BE a few more details so they can help. Is this just a holiday or will you be looking for work? What do you teach? Are you fluent in French?

Good luck with your research.

(Also check out the WIKI lots of good info there)

christmasoompa

Hi and welcome!

To be honest your biggest stumbling block is not deciding on which area - the tough bit is finding a teaching job. Put simply, you'll need to go wherever you can find work and may not get much say in it!

Forget about which area you want to end up in, concentrate on finding a job as that's the only way to get to Canada at the moment (unless you're a citizen or already have PR?) - and teaching is a particularly hard job to get from what I understand.

This Wiki article may help you understand a bit more.....................http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Teaching_in_Canada

I wish you the best of luck.

seebeckett

cheers for the info and advice. it's kinda what people have been saying throughout the past six months of us looking into the prospect of a move to canada.

i'll keep looking!!

i have recently been told that as my qualifications include a masters degree - it might be better if i looked for a job in further ed!

can anybody confirm this?

cheers.

Novocastrian

What field is your Master's in? Just conceivably you might find something in a college, but I rate your chances as very very close to zero.

Sorry.

seebeckett

i'm certainly not gonna work on maggie's farm - no more!!!

Novocastrian

Me neither.

I didn't mean to be entirely negative, but the only way you can get a job with a public school board (and I'll use Ontario as an example) is to get your teaching credentials certified by the Ontario College of Teachers. This typically takes at least a year and they will not even start the process until you are a resident in Ontario.

This in turn means that the only option you have for immigration (assuming that you are alone, your partner might be better off as principal applicant) is to go the skilled workers route. Which takes several years.

That said, there is a teacher who posts here occasionally (Tom something or other) who works in the private school system in Ontario.

He (or others) might see this and comment.

You still didn't say what your Master's is in. There are colleges who hire lecturers/teachers with only a Master's and they are not regulated by the OCT.

kancell

i am very interested in this thread also.

i am an engineer and shall be the principal applicant, however my girlfriend is a primary teacher with a 4 year first class honours B.Ed degree..... but my worry is her not being able to find work. we are willing to consider a few towns/regions but there are only so many places you can visit and chat to the appropriate people. i also have to secure a suitable job in the construction industry, so its a tricky balancing act. the fact it could take up to a year to validate her credentials could be a major issue! we considered going to Quebec and checking out the possibilities of her teaching english as a foreign language, or even home/college tutoring.

just heading out, but i shall be back on at some point to see how this thread progresses and hopefully contribute some more!

the opinions of many teachers in canada would be much appreciated

seebeckett

sorry i didn't reply sooner - busy doing bits 'n' bobs!

i have a masters in multimedia arts technology; sounds a little flash, but isn't - trust me.

i teach art & design; secondary school.

my partner is a primary teaher.

cheers for the info.

(what a great resource this site is! ace.)

Tom Masters

Hi

Finding a teaching job in Canada is difficult but not impossible. I have heard it is like this in most parts of Canada although I only have experience of the London Ontario area.

I work in the public school system and finally have a full time permanent position as an elementary school teacher. I got my OCT certificate in 2005 and started working as a supply teacher at the end of 2006. I then got a long term supply position in early 2007 and have stayed in the same school since then in a permanent position. From what I have gathered, I was very fortunate to get a permanent job so quickly. New grads around here can be on the supply list for a few years before they get a job.

I think one of the most important things to consider when thinking about teaching over here, is money!! You will need a lot of savings or a steady source of income to keep you going while you wait to get your qualifications accredited and to get on to a supply list. I was fortunate in that my hubbie is not a teacher and managed to get a decent job to support us while I went through the whole process!!

I'm sorry I can't help you as far as Quebec is concerned. However if you can speak French and can teach it, it is almost like a ticket through the door in this area! Once you are in a school board, it is much easier to move within it into something you like.

Let me know if there is anything more specific you would like answers to and I'll try to help BTW, I love teaching over here, now that I have a job. I find it pays reasonably well and there isn't as much stress and paperwork as there is in the UK.

Chris

kancell

hi chris,

it is actually ottawa that we are focusing on in our reccie in summer 2009, however we want to take in montreal as well as a possible back up.

our idea was hopefully for me to land a job and be in Canada for July 2010, to catch the summer and settle before the schools come back and elizabeth starts the ball rolling. how long did it take actually take ontario teaching association to verify all your credentials and finally rubber stamp you to get on the supply list, start to finish? is there always such a gap between receiving your OCT and actually beginning teaching, circa 1 year?! did you find them particularly 'jobsworth' about the process or were they fairly helpful and understanding?

my gf can speak moderate french, however the idea for montreal was to try to teach english as i heard there may be a reasonable demand for english teachers within schools and colleges.

Novocastrian

Now I'm totally confused. Chris, I presume you and Tom are a couple? My recollection is that Tom was in the private system in London, at least for a while.

Or perhaps you were Tom all along?

<wanders off to the fridge for clarification>

Tom Masters

If you want to teach ESL in Ontario, you have to have TESL Ontario certification even if you have ESL qualifications from elsewhere. This is what I have been told anyway, but I haven't personally researched this. My mum is taking the TESL course now. I don't know if you could teach privately with out TESL Ontario though but I can't imagine it would be a huge income. Sorry I can't be more positive. It is tough at the beginning but it can be done if you have a way of managing financially to start off with.

Tom Masters

I hope the fridge was helpful

Tom is my hubbie. He is a CA and wouldn't go near a classroom of kids so has never taught in the private system unless he has another job he isn't telling me about.

Tom posted once in 2002 and I have posted since then on and off. I really should change my profile/name but haven't yet! One of these days...

Novocastrian

Tom Masters
Senior Member


Joined: Sep 2002
Location: London Ontario
Posts: 425


You could still work for a private school doing supply work in the meantime as you don't have to be OCT recognised for private schools. I worked in Mathew's Hall for a while. It is a lovely private school here in London. Surprisingly the pay isn't as good as the school board but it would be something to get you started while you waited for your quals to be recognised etc.


Chris, here is the source of my confusion. Sorry, but I have that sort of mind, it gets bovvered when it is suspected of dotage.


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