Yes, our online services and call centre remain open as our staff are working remotely.

We will reassess this as the situation with COVID-19 continues to unfold and provide updates as soon as possible.

Yes. While our staff are working remotely, our processes and timelines are delayed.

We will provide more information as the situation continues to evolve. Please continue to check this page for updates. Thank you for your patience.

• We are receiving and processing mail, so wherever possible, institutions should continue to send their documents.
• Any document received electronically will be verified through the issuing institution.
• The College has pre-established mechanisms to receive electronic documents from a number of institutions (OUAC, National Student Clearing house, Parchment, My eQuals, TOEFL, IELTS, regulatory authorities and academic institutions and will continue to contact institutions to arrange for secure transfer of documents wherever possible.

Criminal record checks

The College understands that some police departments have recently made changes to their process to issue criminal record checks due to the situation with COVID-19. As a result, we are now accepting Criminal Record Checks (CRC) in either original (hard copy) or electronic/digital form.

The submission and criteria differ slightly for each one:

• If you have been issued an original (paper) CRC by a police department within Canada, you can send it to The Ontario College of Teachers, Membership Services, 101 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 0A1. Once received, we will review it and be in touch if we need more information.
• If you have been issued an electronic/digital criminal record check by a police department within Canada, you can send it to info@oct.ca. Once received, we will review it and be in touch if we need more information.

Please contact your local police department for more information on how to obtain your CRC.

The College must be able to determine if these documents were sent directly from the issuing institution in order to confirm the authenticity and accuracy of the document received.

We are closing our offices for the health and safety of our employees, Council members and the public. This is in line with the prevention measures outline by the federal, provincial and municipal governments.

All of our online services, including E-Services and our online application continue to be available. We continue to review, evaluate and process applications.

As well, our Client Services team is available to take members’ calls.

No. Our physical offices remaine closed, but our staff are working remotely. Our other payment options are still available, including:

• Web/telephone banking. Add the Ontario College of Teachers as a payee to your bill payment listing with your financial institution. The payment number is under your College registration number. Payment numbers can also be accessed online through our Members’ area. Please allow up to 5 business days for payment processing.
• Phone with a credit card, Visa debit or MasterCard debit card by calling: 416.961.8800 (1.888.534.2222 toll-free in Ontario only) and accessing our automated payment system, which is available 24/7.

If members are unable to pay due to financial hardship, we will defer their membership fee to a future date.

Our physical offices remain closed, but our staff are working remotely. We will reassess this as the situation with COVID-19 continues to unfold and provide updates as soon as possible.

Our Client Services team are available by phone from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. Please call us at 416.961.8800 or toll-free (Ontario only): 1.888.534.2222.

Please call us at 416.961.8800 or toll-free (Ontario Only): 1.888.534.2222. You can also reach us online.

The 2020 annual membership fee was due January 1 and payment must be received and processed by September 30, 2020 to maintain your good standing status.

You can pay by:

• Debit or credit card through E-Services.
• Phone with a Credit card, Visa debit or MasterCard debit card by calling: 416.961.8800 (1.888.534.2222 in Ontario only) and accessing our automated payment system, which is available 24/7.
  Our automated voice system ensures that the College meets the highest standards of the international credit card payment system, and protects the security and privacy of your financial information. You will get a confirmation number immediately.
• Web/telephone 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. Payment numbers are also accessible online through our Members’ Area by logging into your account. Please note it can take up to five business days for your financial institution to remit payment to the College.
• Mail, via cheque or money order, payable to the Ontario College of Teachers. Reference your 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 this transaction. You can find your registration number on the invoice that was sent to you, on your membership card or at Find a Teacher.

If payment is not received and processed by September 30, your membership with us will be suspended for non-payment of fees.

This means you will lose the right to teach in a publicly funded school in Ontario and your Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT) status.

To reinstate your membership, you will have to pay both the reinstatement and membership fees.

If payment is not received and processed by September 30, your membership with us will be suspended for non-payment of fees.

This means you will lose the right to teach in a publicly funded school in Ontario and your Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT) status.

To reinstate your membership, you will have to pay both the reinstatement and membership fees.

Yes. If payment is not received and processed by September 30, your membership with us will be suspended for non-payment of fees.

This means you will lose the right to teach in a publicly funded school in Ontario and your Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT) status.

To reinstate your membership, you will have to pay both the reinstatement and membership fees.

Yes.

We are doing our best to ensure this does not happen.

While our staff are working remotely, our processes and timelines may be delayed. The College is processing any mail received at the College and is working with institutions to arrange for a secure transfer of documents in situations where an institution may be unable to issue and mail official documents.

Criminal record checks
The College understands that some police departments have recently made changes to their process to issue criminal record checks due to the situation with COVID-19. As a result, we are now accepting Criminal Record Checks (CRC) in either original (hard copy) or electronic/digital form.

The submission and criteria differ slightly for each one:

• If you have been issued an original (paper) CRC by a police department within Canada, you can send it to The Ontario College of Teachers, Membership Services, 101 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 0A1. Once received, we will review it and be in touch if we need more information.
• If you have been issued an electronic/digital criminal record check by a police department within Canada, you can send it to info@oct.ca. Once received, we will review it and be in touch if we need more information.

Please contact your local police department for more information on how to obtain your CRC.

We will provide more information as the situation continues to evolve. Please continue to check this page for updates.

Yes, we are continuing to certify teachers, provided we have received complete applications, including all applicable fees and documents.

We are doing our best to ensure this does not happen.

While our staff are working remotely, our processes and timelines are delayed. These is due to a number of reasons, for example:

• other organizations not being able to provide documents at this time;
• delays in mail delivery and processing due to government health and safety guidelines.

We will provide more information as the situation continues to evolve. Please continue to check this page for updates.

We are receiving mail from Canada Post on an intermittent basis. All mail is then opened and routed to the appropriate department for appropriate action.

Please note that while our staff are working remotely, our processes and timelines are delayed due to COVID-19.

The exemption applies to applicants who:

• are enrolled in a program of professional education at an Ontario faculty of education on, or after, March 17, 2020;
• have successfully completed a portion of their practicum;
• are unable to complete the remaining practicum solely because of COVID-19 related school closures;
• complete all other program of professional education components by December 31, 2020; and
• meet all other applicable certification requirements and are certified by December 30, 2023.

If Ontario applicants are not able to qualify for the exemption, they must successfully complete their entire practicum requirement and meet all applicable certification requirements in order to become certified.

Ontario applicants can now be certified with a condition to pass the test by August 31, 2021, provided they meet all other applicable certification requirements. We have worked closely with the government to provide Ontario applicants with more time to pass the math test, while enabling them to teach in the classroom.

If they do not pass the test by August 31, 2021, their certificate will expire and there will be no extensions. They will be required to pass the test and meet all other applicable certification requirements before reapplication.

Ontario applicants are individuals enrolled in, or who have completed, a program of professional education in Ontario. Please see the College’s Math Proficiency Test landing page to find out who is required to pass the test.

Ontario applicants certified with a math test condition must pass the test by August 31, 2021. If they do not pass the test by August 31, 2021, their certificate will expire and there will be no extensions. Before reapplication, they must pass the math test and meet all other applicable certification requirements.

In order for an Ontario applicant who is required to pass the math test to become certified on or after September 1, 2021, they are required to pass the test and meet all other applicable certification requirements before they can become certified. They cannot be certified with a condition to pass the test.

Ontario applicants who have written and successfully passed the test are already considered to have met this certification requirement and will not have this condition applied.

No. However, we have worked closely with the government to certify Ontario applicants with a condition to pass the test by August 31, 2021, provided they meet all other applicable certification requirements.

This provides applicants with more time to pass the test, while enabling them to teach in the classroom.

If they do not pass the test by August 31, 2021, their certificate will expire and there will be no extensions. They will be required to pass the test and meet all other applicable certification requirements before reapplication.

Ontario applicants who apply for a transitional certificate will be granted one with a condition to pass the math test by August 31, 2021, provided they meet all other applicable certification requirements.

If they do not pass the test by August 31, 2021, their certificate will expire and there will be no extensions. They will be required to pass the test, complete their teacher education program and meet all other applicable certification requirements before reapplication.

In order to become certified on or after September 1, 2021, those applying for a transitional certificate will be required to pass the test and meet all other applicable certification requirements before they will be granted a certificate. They cannot be certified with a condition to pass the test.

Please see the Registration Guides for more information on the transitional certificate.

All Ontario applicants who are certified with a condition to pass the test must do so by August 31, 2021. Otherwise, their certificate will expire and there will be no extensions. They will be required to pass the test and meet all other applicable certification requirements before reapplication.

If you are an Ontario applicant who does not meet the condition on your certificate to pass the test by August 31, 2021, your certificate will expire and there will be no extensions. You will need to pass the test and meet all other applicable certification requirements before reapplication.

As a result of public health measures taken to stop the spread of COVID-19, many Ontario applicants would not have been able to meet the math test certification requirement. This condition enables Ontario applicants to enter the profession while ensuring that they must still meet certification requirements.

Please visit the Mathematics Proficiency Test website for more information about testing availability.

These items are available through our OCT Membership app. They are also available online through your Member account. You will be able to print from there.

All Council and committee activities are limited to high priority critical items that are considered urgent, such as those driven by legislative, regulatory or bylaw compliance requirements or issues that would otherwise place the organization at risk. These meetings are being held virtually.

We already conduct some panel meetings and committee meetings remotely. Our Investigations & Hearings team will continue to facilitate panel meetings as reasonable and appropriate, during this period. In-person hearings are suspended until further notice.

While our physical office is closed we continue to receive mail from Canada Post and couriers on an intermittent basis. All mail and packages are opened in adherence with safety protocols and routed to the appropriate department for action.

No. While our physical office at 101 Bloor Street West in Toronto is closed due to COVID-19, we continue to work remotely. During this time, our processes and timelines may be delayed and some services can only resume when we reopen. However, when it is possible to do so, we will send documents by email (examples: documents that require translation, statements of professional standing).

No. To limit the spread of COVID-19, these sessions are postponed until further notice.

Yes.

Yes. As an Ontario Certified Teacher, you are subject to the College’s jurisdiction at all times.

Ontario Certified Teachers (OCTs):

• possess distinct knowledge and skills specific to teaching
• engage in ongoing learning throughout their careers.
• belong to a community of highly educated, responsible and caring practitioners who are committed to helping Ontario students develop and succeed.

All OCTs, along with their qualifications, can be found on our public register.

Yes. Regardless of your status, you are still an Ontario Certified Teacher, and therefore, subject to the College’s jurisdictions at all times.

No. This is outside of our mandate.

This should be discussed with parents directly.

This should be discussed between you and the parents.

However, the College strongly recommends that Ontario Certified Teachers follow the Ministry’s curriculum and safety guidelines. If in-person instruction is taking place, members should follow all public health and safety guidelines provided by their local public health unit.

The College is creating a new Temporary Certificate of Qualification and Registration (temporary certificate) to help the province address shortages of qualified teachers as a result of COVID-19.

The new certificate will help the province address COVID-19-related teacher shortage. The College endorsed the creation of a temporary certificate to enable faculty of education students to begin teaching earlier as a partial solution to the shortage.

Students who:

• Have applied for membership in the College, supplied all required documents, paid all fees, and met our registration requirements (These registration requirements include the holding of an acceptable postsecondary degree unless you are enrolled in a Native Language, First Nations, Métis, Inuit Ancestry or technological education initial teacher education program.)
• Have applied for the temporary certificate
• Are enrolled in an accredited Ontario teacher education program and are expected to successfully complete their program by December 31, 2021, have made successful progress in their program and, at the time of application, successfully completed a portion of their practicum requirement
• Have ensured that they have been reported as being eligible for the temporary certificate by their faculty of education.

Teachers with a limited certificate issued from another Canadian province or territory can also apply if it is similar to the temporary certificate.

You can now request the temporary certificate online.

Teaching experience gained as a result of holding a temporary certificate may be used to satisfy a part of your practicum, subject to approval from your faculty of education. Important: remember to contact your faculty of education for information on acceptable documentation.

Yes. You can request the temporary certificate by filling out this form, providing you meet the requirements.

The temporary certificate will expire on December 31, 2021. However, this is subject to any condition to pass the Mathematics Proficiency Test as described below.

Yes. Ontario applicants are required to pass the Mathematics Proficiency Test. However, between January 30, 2021 and August 31, 2021, they can be issued a temporary certificate with a condition to pass the test by August 31, 2021.

If this condition is not fulfilled by August 31, 2021, their temporary certificate will expire and there will be no extensions. They will be required to pass the test and meet all other applicable certification requirements before re-certification.

If this condition is fulfilled by August 31, 2021, their temporary certificate will expire on December 31, 2021 and there will be no extensions. They will be required to reapply and complete their program and all other applicable certification requirements at the time of application.

Between September 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021, Ontario applicants must pass the test prior to being granted a temporary certificate.

The temporary certificate will reflect the same qualifications (areas of study) as part of your teacher education program. Teaching assignments are handled by the Ministry of Education.

You will first need to apply for membership in the College, fill in the form for the temporary certificate and provide all required documents.

For more information, see who can request a temporary certificate and read the relevant registration guide to learn about our document requirements.

Once you apply for the certificate, the College makes best efforts to review the application within 30 business days, after we have received and processed all required documentation including the general application and the annual membership and registration fees.

Apply early. Read the relevant registration guide to learn about our document requirements. Check your application status often.

There are some documents that you need to send us such as:

• a criminal record check,
• proof of your name, place and date of birth
• proof of name change (if applicable)
• proof of competency, work experience (for technological education teachers)

Some documents must come from an institution, such as:

• report indicating you are eligible for the temporary certificate
• transcripts
• statements of professional standing (when applicable).

In addition, some of these documents may need to be translated. Review the registration guide to ensure the correct documents are submitted to us.

If you are unsuccessful in obtaining the required documents, you can submit a written and signed request for the College to intervene on your behalf. All requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Please read the Protocol for Alternative Documents for next steps if it is impossible to provide us with documents.

Note: This may cause a delay in processing your application.

The temporary certificate will resemble other certificates issued by the College and will list the members name, registration number, academic and technological qualifications and teaching qualifications. Members can access their certificates via our OCT Membership app or by logging into their College account. All members receive a one-time print membership package at the time of initial certification.

Yes. The designation document is included in the membership package that is sent to all members at initial certification.

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.

The temporary certificate will be automatically converted to a CQR upon receipt, prior to January 1, 2022, of official evidence that you completed your teacher education program and passed the Mathematics Proficiency Test.

The temporary certificate will expire on December 31, 2021. You will need to complete your program, reapply to the College and meet the requirements in place at the time that you reapply.

No. You must have a general Certificate of Qualification and Registration to be eligible to take AQs.

The certificate would be a limited-time, emergency measure designed to address severe teacher shortages in Ontario’s public school system caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The certificate will expire on December 31, 2021. Members with a temporary certificate will have the same rights and privileges as all College members. They can:

• use the OCT designation
• teach in Ontario’s publicly funded schools
• access the member’s account and app
• use College resources, such the library

They are also bound by the standards of the profession and relevant legislation.