• Overview
• Certificates Issued
• BC Graduates
  • Application Process
  • Videos - How to Apply
  • Application Documents
  • Fee Information
  • Leaving BC?
  • Teaching Offshore
• Canadian Graduates
  • Application Process
  • Videos - How to Apply
  • Application Documents
  • Fee Information
  • Language Proficiency
  • Labour Mobility
• International Graduates
  • Application Process
  • Videos - How to Apply
  • Country-Specific Information
  • Fee Information
  • Language Proficiency
  • Translation Policy
  • Familiarization
• First Nations Language
  • Application Documents
  • Fee Information
• Independent School Certificate
  • Application Process
  • Application Documents
  • Fee Information
  • Language Proficiency
  • Translation Policy
• Letters of Permission
  • Application Process
  • Application Documents
• BC Offshore Schools
• Previously Certified Teachers

Types of Certificates Issued by the Teacher Regulation Branch of the Ministry of Education

All educators working in BC’s kindergarten to grade 12 public education sector must hold a certificate of qualification from the BC Ministry of Education. This certificate also enables educators to work in all independent schools and First Nations schools in the province. All educators working in BC’s independent school system must hold an independent school teaching certificate or the certificate of qualification.

The Teacher Regulation Branch currently issues the following types of certificates:

Certificates of Qualification:

Professional Certificate

This is a non-expiring certificate issued to applicants who have met all of the requirements for teacher certification specific to BC. The Professional Certificate is not restricted to any subject area or grade level, and is valid for BC’s kindergarten to grade 12 education system.

Basic Certificate

To assure alignment with the Canadian Free Trade Agreement that came into effect on July 1, 2017, the Director of Certification is no longer issuing Basic Certificates. Certificate holders currently holding a Basic Certificate of Qualification issued under the Agreement on Internal Trade are now recognized as meeting the requirements for the BC Professional Certificate of Qualification. Read more

Trades Certificate

This is a non-expiring certificate that restricts the holder to teaching in a specific trade area. Teachers who qualify for a Trades Certificate will have the option of upgrading to a Professional Certificate by completing specific requirements.

Conditional Certificate

This is an expiring certificate valid for up to 60 months. This certificate is issued to applicants who meet most of BC’s requirements for certification and do not have a current, valid, unrestricted teaching certificate from another Canadian province or territory. Teachers must complete specific coursework requirements before the Conditional Certificate expires to upgrade to a Professional Certificate. This certificate is not restricted to any subject area or grade level.

Developmental Standard Term Certificate

This is an expiring certificate valid for up to 60 months. It is restricted to a specific specialty area such as chef instruction, technology education, or First Nation language and culture studies. Specified coursework requirements must be completed before the certificate can be upgraded to a Professional Certificate.

First Nations Language Teacher Certificate

This certificate may be issued to proficient First Nations language speakers, whose proficiency is determined by a language authority. The language authority must recommend or endorse the individual to the Teacher Regulation Branch for this type of certificate.

Independent School Teaching Certificates:

System Restricted Certificate (SYR)

This is a non-expiring certificate that restricts the holder to teaching within a BC Independent Montessori or Waldorf School. A certificate can be further restricted to kindergarten depending on the program completed.

System Restricted Certificates are also issued to teaching in schools that operate under l’Agence pour l’Enseignement Français à l’Étranger (AEFE).

Subject Restricted Certificate (SR)

This certificate restricts the holder to teaching subject(s) within the BC Independent School System that are directly related to his/her post-secondary subject concentrations. This certificate is initially valid for up to 60 months. The certificate holder must demonstrate successful teaching experience before the SR certificate expires to upgrade to a non-expiring certificate.

School and Subject Restricted Certificate (SSR)

This certificate restricts the holder to teaching only at the sponsoring authority seeking to employ the applicant, and in one or more subjects related to the holder’s specialized post-secondary training, unique life skills or practical experience. SSR certificates are not issued for subject areas such as English, Humanities, and Special Education. SSR certificates may also be grade-restricted, depending on the applicant’s credentials, training and experience. This certificate is initially valid for up to 60 months. The certificate holder must demonstrate successful teaching experience before the SSR Certificate expires to upgrade to a non-expiring certificate.

The Teacher Regulation Branch also issues letters of permission.

Letters of Permission:

A letter of permission may be issued to a suitable person who is not a certificate holder and whose services the Director of Certification considers are required for a specified period of time. This is a special permit issued to a person, for one teaching position, in one particular school, for no longer than one school year.

The employing school district or school authority must support the application and demonstrate that they advertised the position in an attempt to find a certified individual to fill the position. If any certified individuals apply for the position, the district or authority must provide rationale to the Director of Certification as to why the certified individual is not suitable for the position.