Hi,

We are currently thinking about moving to Canada, but have been stopped at the first hurdle reading posts and wiki's on here about becoming a teacher. Both me and my wife are teachers (Computer Science and Childhood Studies respectively).

Is it really such a long and drawn out process as it sounds? From reading the materials available is the following correct?

Go through the process of emigrating and move to Canada
Complete the local teaching qualification (1 year)
Apply to the local School District and be placed in a pool of other newly qualified teachers to do supply or temporary work (1 year)
Finally get a full time teaching position if you are lucky??

Is it possible to start the teaching qualification whilst I'm still in the UK to run along the same time as all the residency stuff?

Do my 12yrs of teaching in the UK really stand for nothing?

Are there any Computing/ICT teachers on the forum who have been through the process?

Thanks in advance for any/all advice.

Hi, and welcome to BE.

The process as you've outlined it is correct from my (limited!) understanding, but I'm sure some teachers will be along to help you out shortly if it's not, or to give you some finer detail info. But this first step is something to check on - do you definitely qualify to 'go through the process of emigrating and move to Canada' now, without a job offer? Most people don't, so thought I'd just check! If you need a job offer to get a visa, then as teachers you might find it's just not possible, but hopefully some other teachers will let you know your chances.

Best of luck with it.

HI, thanks for the response.

We do qualify for the visa, just, we score 451 and the pass is 450 although this might be dropping to 440/430 over the next year due to Canada wanting to increase its immigration figures - according to the agent we spoke to from an immigration company at the weekend.

depending on the area you move too, I year in the short term supply pool might be optimistic. My friend who qualified as a Primary school teacher several years ago is still waiting for her application to be added to the school board supply list to be processed.
This is in Ontario

That would be "my wife and I" surely Mr. Teacher ?

I deal with computers not grammar - I am worried I wont pass the English exams you now have to do during the application process.

For various reasons, we turn out far more teachers from our university education depts than supply dictates. Thus, we have a massive surplus of Canadian teachers that we need to employ before we'd consider hiring an outsider. There are many industries in Canada that need outside workers, education is not one of them.

Ignore the agent - sorry, but I've been there, and done that, and told people what they want to hear so they'll sign up with us! So take that with a pinch of salt. When will your points drop due to age? Make sure you get an application in asap if it's soon, as 451 is already on the cusp.

If you can get PR without a job offer, then you should find it easier, as long as you're prepared for only one of you to be working, or to do something else until a teaching job comes along.

Best of luck.

That's the next issue, we only have until August before I turn 35 to sort it out.

Thank you for your replies.

All you can do is try I guess. If you can get your IELTS and ECA sorted asap, then you might be able to apply in June, which would give you a couple of months to hopefully get selected from the pool before your points drop.

Best of luck!

My suggestion would be to use your knowledge and experience and consider trying to get work in the IT field.