Can Canadian citizens be TEFL teachers?
So you’re curious about teaching English abroad but are Canadian and not sure if this is possible? You’re not alone! Many people believe that Canadians can’t be teachers outside of their country. But they couldn’t be more wrong! Canada actually has a large number of citizens teaching English as a second language in Europe, Asia and Latin America.
The rest of this blog post will give you all the information on how to apply for jobs from home. You need to know what kind of TEFL qualifications you need or if you already have them. If so, then great! You’re one step ahead of most Canadians who think it’s impossible because they don’t have any TEFL qualifications whatsoever.
Don’t worry, TEFL isn’t some mystical unicorn, there are many courses around the globe and online that will prepare you and equip you with the necessary qualifications to teach English abroad.
In this blog post, we’ll go over the basics of what it takes to become a TEFL teacher in Canada or outside, so stay tuned!
Canada has been in the top 3 highest educated countries for years. Their universities are famous worldwide, and many Canadian citizens are bilingual, which means they understand languages better than most. These are some of the factors that make Canadian citizens are great potential TEFL teachers.
We are not saying you have to be from one of these famous universities to become a TEFL teacher, well in some countries, yes, but the majority of countries do not hold degrees as a requirement. That is where TEFL courses come in.
All Canadian citizens who wish to become TEFL teachers must be TEFL certified. They must undertake a TEFL course and complete it in order to be hired by a school.
Are Canadian TEFL teachers in demand?
Yes! Canadian TEFL teachers are in demand because they can adapt to different classroom dynamics. They can also take jokes from their students, can speak English clearly and can think on the fly. All of these things make good TEFL teachers in any country.
If you browse TEFL job advertisements in countries in Asia and the Middle East, you will see that they will only accept applications from TEFL teachers who are citizens of Canada, the USA, Ireland, the UK, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. This means you are one of a select few countries that has permission to move to these countries to be TEFL teachers.
There are no other languages that allow its speakers to travel this extensively throughout the world, such as English. It is the universal language for business also, which means the demand is rising even faster than ever before!
Can I teach English in Canada with a TEFL certificate?
You cannot teach English in Canada to Canadian citizens with a TEFL qualification. You can, however, possibly find a job in an ESL school in Canada and teach English to non-native English speaks living in Canada.
If you aim to teach at home, I would suggest you take a TESOL course instead of a TEFL course. We discuss the differences between these in this previous TEFL article.
How do I become a TEFL teacher in Canada?
If you plan to get certified before you leave Canada, you have two options:
TEFL course online: There are a plethora of online TEFL courses on the web. You would not have to look very far, but you should make sure the course you choose is over 120 hours, as this is the industry standard requirement when planning to teach abroad.
In-person TEFL/ TESOL course: There are in-person TEFL courses in a few locations across Canada, including:
- TESOL Canada offers 100-150 hour TESOL courses.
- Inlingua Victoria offers on-site 120 hour TESL courses.
What if I don’t want to get TEFL certified in Canada.. because I’m cool, eh!
Hot diggity dog, have we got what you’re looking for! We, too, are cool!
If studying at home or in your bedroom online just isn’t for you, then there are on-site TEFL courses being held all around the world all the time!
Just decide in your mind where you want to go, and there is probably a course there. Asia, Europe, Africa, The Middle East and Latin America are all made up of mostly non-English speaking countries, which means there is a demand, and where there is a demand, there are people there to supply!
Here is a list of some TEFL course locations to get your brain train moving:
Can I teach French abroad as a Canadian citizen?
You can teach French in any country that requires a French teacher! However, the majority of these positions are in elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, colleges, universities. This will mean that teachers will require a degree and possibly a teaching degree at that!
There are not many language centres around the world devoted to French as it is not in great demand or widespread as English. French is widely learned in English speaking countries, which can be great for any Canadian citizen looking to go to those countries. It is possible to teach French privately as a tutor, and maybe there are countries outside the English speaking ones that could need your skills!
Conclusion
Any Canadian citizen can be a TEFL teacher so long as they are fluent in English and possess an accredited TEFL certificate, and have a passion for the job and travelling.
Do more research, decide if you think studying online, in-person or abroad is right for you and go for it! Start going to as many countries as possible and use your TEFL certificate to unlock every country!
