You must apply for and receive a Nunavut teaching certificate to work as an educator (principal/teacher/consultant) in Nunavut’s public school system. You may only apply for this certification after you have been offered a position – whether it is indeterminate, term or substitute. Here's a chart providing an overview of the process to apply for an Interim Professional/ Standard Teaching Certificate.
Please contact the registrar for details: TeacherRegistrar@gov.nu.ca
You must have been offered employment as an educator in Nunavut to apply for this certificate; i.e., you have received an offer for a term or indeterminate teaching position, a principal’s position, a consultant position at one of the Regional School Operations offices.
Secondly, you must have a bachelor of education degree (BEd), or what is deemed equivalent as set out in the registrar’s guidelines.
Finally, if you are not a Canadian citizen you must have a valid working visa or permit.
Depending on the applicant’s education and qualifications, teachers may apply for an interim professional or interim standard teaching certificate.
To receive an interim professional teaching certificate you must:
• hold a teaching certificate that, in the opinion of the registrar, is equivalent to that of a Canadian province or territory;
• have earned a bachelor of education approved by the registrar;
• hold an additional university post-secondary degree, other than a degree in education, and have successfully completed one year of coursework in a university faculty of education, both of which are approved by the registrar; and
• hold a post-secondary degree and possess additional qualifications, or have completed additional requirements requested by the registrar, that the registrar considers equivalent to a year of coursework in a faculty of education.
An interim standard teaching certificate requires that you:
• meet the registrar’s requirements for this certificate (you must speak with the registrar for details); and
• have successfully completed a two-year teacher training program at an institution approved by the registrar.
The Government of Nunavut also grants specialty teaching certificates to people with expertise in specialized areas such as the Inuit language and traditional vocational skills. Individuals granted these specialty certificates are restricted to teaching a specific subject and/or grade.
To work as a principal in the territory, an individual must:
• hold a valid Nunavut Teaching Certificate;
• hold a certificate of eligibility as a principal or vice-principal; and
• once hired, complete the Certificate of Educational Leadership in Nunavut (CELN) within three years of his/her start date to receive a certificate of eligibility as principal.
If you do not hold a certificate of eligibility as a principal, you can still work as a principal or vice-principal in Nunavut but only for a term of up to three years. To do this, you must be working towards the certificate and the Deputy Minister of Education must be satisfied that the appropriate regulations are being followed.
Most positions include staff housing and the monthly rental rate is subsidized by the Government of Nunavut (as the employer). However, this is not the case for all job postings. Please check the postings carefully to determine if subsidized accommodations are provided.
The cost of living is generally high across Nunavut and it also varies from one community to the next. The territorial government (as the employer) provides a Nunavut northern allowance to educators (as negotiated in the collective agreement) to offset the cost of living.
Nunavut residents often use a yearly sealift or barge order to help alleviate the cost of living. Goods shipped by boat are much cheaper because they are not flown in. But the sealift season is limited to summer months. If hired, you should speak with your colleagues about the cost of living in your particular community and the sealift process.
Please visit our website’s “About” section for information on these important organizations.
Contact the schools directly for more information.
Job postings for positions in Nunavut’s public education system are posted on the Education Canada website. It is updated as positions become available. The hiring season for Nunavut educators can start as early as March and go into late September. Please check the Education Canada website regularly for updates.
Click here for more information about our schools.
Each spring, the Nunavut Teachers’ Association (NTA) and the Government of Nunavut (GN) issue a document on teacher staffing protocols. Watch (through NTA email and your school representative) for this information if you intend to apply for a teaching position. Information about Nunavut’s priority hiring policy is usually included. All available teaching positions in Nunavut are advertised on the Education Canada website.
Please check with the NTA for an updated version closer to March each year. Click here for the most recent version of this document.
You will be required to provide proof of your legal entitlement to work in Canada prior to starting work with the Government of Nunavut. You are required to be legally authorized to work in Canada for the duration of your employment with the Government of Nunavut. It is your responsibility to obtain necessary work permits, including any extensions or permanent residency status. The Government of Nunavut may, in its sole discretion, revoke this offer of employment or terminate your employment if you fail to satisfy your eligibility to work in Canada. In other words, all job offers will be contingent upon proof of eligibility to work in Canada.