Teacher

In Alberta, teachers work in the Kindergarten to Grade 12 system. They teach students who are usually between 5 to 18 years old. Kindergarten to Grade 9 teachers are typically generalists. It is often preferred that Grades 10 to 12 teachers have subject area expertise.

Contact

The Registrar at Alberta Education
Government of Alberta
2nd Floor, 44 Capital Boulevard Building
10044 – 108th Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 5E6

Legislation

Under Alberta’s Education Act [pdf] and Certification of Teachers and Teacher Leaders Regulation [pdf], school teachers must have a valid certificate from the Government of Alberta.

What You Need

To teach in Alberta with an interim professional certificate (IPC), you must have completed:

• 4 years of university education and a recognized degree
• 48 semester-hour credits in teacher-education coursework (as part of the degree)
• A minimum of 10 weeks of supervised student teaching at an approved institution (as part of the degree)
• A criminal record check with a vulnerable sector search

To apply for a permanent professional certificate (PPC), you need:

• 2 years of full-time teaching experience (approximately 400 days equivalent) in an Alberta accredited school while holding a valid interim professional certificate
• 2 successful evaluations of classroom performance based on meeting the requirements in the Teaching Quality Standard
• Recommendation from the employing school authority

For details about all requirements, contact the Government of Alberta or visit the Government of Alberta website.

Working in Alberta

Individuals who hold a valid teaching certificate from another Canadian jurisdiction are eligible for certification in Alberta without additional training or examination. Evidence of language proficiency may be required. For more information, see What if I am already certified in another province or territory in Canada? and the Government of Alberta website.

The certification information in this profile may change at any time and without notice. Before making any career decisions, we advise you to contact the regulatory organization or visit their website for the most updated information.