Offshore School BC Programs

Teacher Certification - Guidelines and Requirements for Offshore School BC Programs

GUIDELINES

British Columbia (BC) Resident Applicants


Certification for BC resident teachers wishing to teach in a BC certified offshore school program must meet all teacher certification requirements as required by:

REQUIREMENTS

Teachers Currently at Offshore Schools BC Programs

Teachers currently certified as offshore teachers who are not Canadian citizens (neither Canadian permanent residents nor hold Canadian work visa) and who in the past have been issued independent school certification restricted to a specific offshore school BC program are required to obtain a Letter of Authorization (LoA):

  1. The former independent school teaching certificate will be replaced with a Letter of Authorization. The LoA confirms that the person meets the requirements for a certificate of qualification under the Independent School Act, except for the Canadian citizenship (or Canadian permanent residence or Canadian work visa requirement).
  2. Such individuals are not required to provide the Inspector with a criminal record check authorization. For these individuals, criminal record checks remain the responsibility of the offshore employer.
  3. LoA Process: Please provide current certificate holder’s name, certificate number, and school of employment by email to Leslie.Chiu@gov.bc.ca. A new Letter of Authorization will be issued and mailed c/o the school address.

Flowchart (PDF, 32KB)

New Applicants intending to Teach in Offshore Schools BC Programs

Please note that individuals who are seeking BC certification by the Office of the Inspector of Independent Schools need to apply differently, depending on citizenship.

A.

NEW INDEPENDENT SCHOOL TEACHER CERTIFICATION APPLICANTS WHO ARE CANADIAN CITIZENS (or Canadian permanent residents or who have a Canadian work visa) simply need to apply for teacher certification through the regular process and include a Criminal Record Check authorization.
B. NEW APPLICANTS WHO ARE NOT CANADIAN CITIZENS (neither Canadian permanent residents nor in possession of a Canadian work visa) need to apply with manual application forms (this application must not be completed online at any time) and are not required to complete the criminal record authorization. If the applicant is deemed to meet teacher certification criteria, a Letter of Authorization (LoA) will be issued. Once the citizenship/residency/work visa requirements are met, the LoA may be changed to a BC Independent School certificate of qualification upon request.

Flowchart (PDF, 16KB)

Authorities of Offshore Schools BC Programs

  1. For offshore school authorities, there is no requirement to provide employment data for the Employment Registries (either to the BCCT or the Office of the Inspector of Independent Schools).
  2. Please note that by September 30, 2008, all teachers who are certified by the Inspector of Independent Schools under the Independent School Act and who have Canadian citizenship or residence status are required to have provided the criminal record check authorization.
  3. Offshore authorities need to be aware that teaching certificates that were issued to teachers who do not have Canadian citizenship (or permanent residency or a Canadian work visa) will be rescinded on September 30, 2008. All such certificate holders need to apply for the Letter of Authorization via email request to leslie.chiu@gov.bc.ca. For these individuals, criminal record checks remain the responsibility of the offshore employer.