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In Canada, you can get a Canadian criminal record check from your local or regional police. Outside of Canada, you can get a Canadian criminal record check from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Your criminal record check must show that a search was done on all your current and former names. These include:

• name on your application
• name at birth as listed on your acceptable proof of identity document
• middle names
• name listed on your acceptable document of name change
• maiden name
• former names.

The criminal record check must also:

• state that the search was done using the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database
• not be older than six months from the date we receive it.

You must provide us with an original basic Canadian criminal record check. You do not need to submit a vulnerable sector check, but we will accept one. We keep all originals. You are encouraged to save a copy for your records.

Sterling Backcheck

You may be able to satisfy the criminal record check requirement by requesting Sterling Backcheck to submit one on your behalf.

This option is only available to applicants who:

• have a home address in Canada
• have no former names
• do not have a commonly used name (examples: John Smith, Mei-Lin Lee, Amir Ibrahim)
• declare no criminal history.

You must be certified by the College and keep your membership in good standing to teach in Ontario’s publicly funded schools.

Refer to our Registration Guides for detailed information about our certification requirements. You can also complete the Applicant Eligibility Assessment to determine how likely you are to meet our requirements.

We offer information sessions for teachers who were educated outside of Ontario. You can view the upcoming schedule and register to attend a session on our website.

The Transitional Certificate of Qualification and Registration enables Ontario teacher candidates to gain experience as an Ontario Certified Teacher while completing your initial teacher education program. Up to 20 days of this teaching experience may be used to satisfy practice teaching requirements.

Yes. Holders of the temporary certificate are members of the College and are eligible and encouraged to use the OCT designation if they are in good standing.

If you have successfully completed your program of professional education, you may take AQ courses through a faculty of education. You will not be admitted into an AQ course without first having completed your program of professional education.

Please note that if you successfully complete an AQ course, the AQ will not appear on your Temporary Certificate of Qualification and Registration. Instead, once you convert your Temporary Certificate to a Certificate of Qualification and Registration, the AQ will be reflected on your Certificate provided you meet all other requirements outlined in Part III of Regulation 176/10 to be awarded the qualification.

Should you complete the AQ course before your program of professional education is completed, the AQ will be considered by the College to have been taken for personal professional learning purposes and will not appear on your Certificate of Qualification and Registration.

Please ensure that you arrange to have an official transcript sent directly to the College, confirming completion of the program of professional education. The College will also require a report from your faculty confirming completion of the program.

Conformément à la loi, nous ne pouvons pas retirer une QA de votre dossier. Si vous ne pensez pas être apte à enseigner une matière pour laquelle vous détenez une QA, parlez-en à la direction de votre école ou au représentant du conseil scolaire qui vous a assigné le poste.

No. The AMF is the same for all College members.

Your AMF is due January 1 each year and payment must be received and processed by the due date on your invoice to maintain your good standing status.

We are unable to accept payments in-person. You can pay your AMF via:

• Credit card via our website
• Online banking: Add the Ontario College of Teachers as a payee to your bill payment listing with your financial institution. The 7-digit payment number is listed under your College Registration Number on the invoice that was sent to you. You can also find payment numbers by signing into your online member account. It can take up to five business days for your financial institution to remit your payment to the College.
• Mail, via cheque or money order, payable to the Ontario College of Teachers. Reference your College Registration Number. Our address is: Ontario College of Teachers, 101 Bloor Street West, Attn: Finance Unit, Toronto ON M5S 0A1. We do not accept post-dated cheques.

You will need your College Registration Number for your AMF transaction. You can find your College Registration Number on the invoice that was sent to you or by searching your name on Find a Teacher at oct.ca.

You can order a Statement of Professional Standing on our website.