Teach English in Canada
Why teach English in Canada…
According to the UN, Canada has one of the highest qualities of life
in the world: and on top of that, it’s safe and has incredible natural beauties
like the Rockies and Niagara Falls so why
wouldn’t you want to teach English in Canada?!
Understandably, it’s easier for
Canadians to find teaching jobs, but don’t let that deter you! Most English
teachers will move to Canada
on a working holiday visa, as interviews are required to be face-to-face.
Unlike some other TEFL countries, you can expect the interview process in Canada to be as
stringent as in your own country.
It’s great for TEFL teachers because…
Although French is one of the
national languages, demand isn’t high for English teachers in Canada, as
English is also spoken. However, there are opportunities for TEFL; it’s just
that it’s very competitive to get one of the few jobs on offer. The majority of
TEFL teachers teach in international language schools, but to be considered for
the job, you’ll need to be accredited by the Ministry of Education for
whichever province you’re teaching in, e.g. British Columbia. There’s also the option of
tutoring the French-speaking majority; and with Canadians having a lot of
disposable income, you’ll find there are plenty of parents willing to pay for
their children to learn English.
All you need to teach in Canada is…
You'll need a degree to teach English
in Canada, and in addition to a minimum of our 120 hour Professional TEFL
course, you'll also need to have some practical teaching experience, as
standards of teachers are high, and competition is fierce (especially as
native-English Canadian speakers are fit for the job).
Average Monthly Teaching Salary
1,094 CAD£1,980$3,000
Cost of Living
As you’d expect in a developed
western country such as Canada,
the cost of living is high; but as the average teaching salary is also high it
does level out.
If you’re looking to rent in the
capital Ontario,
you can expect to spend around £700/$1300 per month before your bills come out.
If you are planning to teach English along the West Coast of Canada then it is
definitely worth considering where you’ll be renting. Vancouver property is particularly expensive
with a 1 bedroomed apartment in the trendy Kitsilano area costing over
£1000/$1700 per month.
With over 8,600 maple syrup
businesses in Canada,
producing 80% of the world’s maple syrup, naturally you can find it everywhere,
from corner shops to supermarkets and in restaurants. You can pick up a 250ml
bottle from a supermarket for around £6/$10 – it may sound pricey, but as the
Canadians will tell you: it sure is worth it!
Make like the Canadians and go watch
an ice hockey game whilst you’re out there (trust us: they LOVE ice hockey).
Tickets to a match with a popular team- the Montreal Canadiens – start at
£26.50/$42/50. Suggest this to your new Canadian TEFL colleagues and they’ll
love you for it.
Weather
The mildest winters are enjoyed by Vancouver in the west,
with an average temperature of 1 degree Celsius and low snow fall. However,
move along to the more populated east of the country in cities like Ottawa and Quebec,
and whilst summers are lovely in the mid-twenties, winters are typically
Canadian: a freezing -10 degrees Celsius – so decide how cold you like your weather
before you pick a city!
Accommodation
As a western country, accommodation
in Canada
is of an extremely high standard. When you arrive in Canada you’ll need to arrange
accommodation for yourself, so most teachers suggest booking into a hotel for a
few days whilst they do so. EasyRoommate and Craigslist are both good places to
start if you’re looking in a major Canadian city.
Where could I teach English in Canada?
Whilst there are jobs available in
French-speaking cities such as Quebec and Montreal; a lot of native
French speakers are in the other countries, and so want to improve their
English skills, which means that there is fairly consistent demand in all
Canadian cities. Because of this, naturally there are more schools in the
larger populated cities of Ottawa, Toronto and Quebec,
so if you’re searching for a job, these cities would be the best places to
start.
As the country’s capital, there is a
lot of Canadian history going on here: the Canadian
War Museum
and Peace Tower being just a couple of
attractions. The Rideau Canal is also worth a
visit, at over 200km long with 47 locks; making it a UNESCO World Heritages
Site. The best thing about it during winter though, is it becomes a skating
rink when it freezes over, so go grab a few friends and enjoy your winter in Ottawa!
Although Ottawa
may be the capital of Canada,
Toronto is the
largest city and is a favourite amongst English teachers. For £10, you can go
on a 90 minute walking tour of Toronto’s
most haunted sites – well, it’s entertaining if anything. All Canadians know
that Toronto
has the best shopping in the country: check out Coal Miner’s Daughter on Markham Street for
the best of selection of Canadian jewellery and clothing.
As the only city in Canada where French is the official first
language, Quebec
provides you with a unique experience like no other. The architecture is
stunning – just visit Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Shrine for proof! Take a gander
through the Petit-Champlain district to see some of the cute little boutiques
and art galleries, before enjoying the views of the St Laurence river – extra
gorgeous when the sun sets!
Transportation
In the city
Canada offers some of the best transportation in the world and you’ll find
routes covering even the furthest of suburbs to the city centre. Buses are the
major modes of transports in all cities, and in Ottawa, the O-Train (overground train) runs
from the centre to the airport – great if you live and work that way. You can
also partake in ‘rack and roll’ here, which encourages commuters to ride their
bike partway to work, and are able to stack it on the front of the bus whilst
riding to get to work.
Further afield
It can be quite expensive travelling
through Canada,
simply because distances are so long. The train from Ottawa
to Toronto isn’t
bad, as it takes 4.5 hours and costs £30.50/$49 one way.
If you’re planning to fly around Canada then get
prepared to spend some of that hard earned teaching salary. Internal flights
are expensive, at £400/$645 return from Ottawa
to Vancouver.
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