Canadian teachers moving to Australia: B.Ed recognition, visas, registration and pay

How your Canadian qualification is assessed

Australia assesses your academic qualification, not your provincial certificate. AITSL (for the visa) and the state regulators (for registration) look for at least four years of full-time higher education, including an initial teacher education program of at least a year, with at least 45 days of supervised, formally assessed teaching practice in a school. Most consecutive Canadian routes, an undergraduate degree followed by a one- or two-year B.Ed, meet that comfortably. So do most concurrent B.Ed programs.

English: covered for most Canadians

Canada is one of the six countries whose study meets AITSL's English requirement, alongside Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and the USA. NESA, VIT and TRBWA use the same list, and TRB NT specifies English-speaking Canada. If you studied in French, for example at a French-language university in Quebec, expect to be asked for IELTS Academic (7 Reading, 7 Writing, 8 Speaking, 8 Listening). See IELTS for teachers.

Visa routes Canadians use

Canada is part of Australia's Working Holiday (417) program, and the age limit for Canadian passport holders has been up to 35. Check the current limit, length of stay and work conditions on Home Affairs. A working holiday lets you register, do relief teaching and get to know schools before committing. For longer stays, Canadians use the same routes as other teachers: a skilled visa (189, 190 or 491) after an AITSL assessment, or an employer-sponsored 482 Skills in Demand visa leading to a permanent 186.

The WA Department of Education lists visa options for Canadian citizens and runs an international recruitment team. NSW lists primary, secondary and other school teacher groups on its 190 skills list. Our teacher visa guide compares the routes. Visa rules change often, so confirm details with Home Affairs or a registered migration agent before you lodge anything.

Registering in your state

Your provincial certificate doesn't carry over, because mutual recognition only covers Australia and New Zealand. You apply as an overseas-qualified teacher to the regulator where you'll work. Most new arrivals receive provisional registration, then move to full after teaching in Australia. In Victoria, the VIT first pre-assesses your qualification, and it only accepts applications from overseas within three months of arrival and with a job offer or visa need. In NSW, NESA assesses academic qualifications only and wants a NSW Working With Children Check with your application. Compare all eight regulators in registration by state.

How Canadian experience counts toward pay

In Canada, your grid placement depends on your qualification category and years of experience. Australia works differently: most state scales have a single classroom scale, and the employer decides your starting step from statements of service. Victoria credits equivalent international school experience one step per year. The NT places you by completed years of service. The ACT recognises full years of prior experience. WA assesses higher-salary applications case by case (full years of continuous service only), and 5-year trained teachers can apply for a higher start. In Tasmania, 5-year trained teachers enter at Level 5. NSW links your starting step to your NESA accreditation level.

What you'll earn

Government school classroom scales in force on 16 October 2026: NT $96,180 to $136,997; NSW $92,882 to $133,422; ACT $91,396 to $129,106; Queensland $90,164 to $119,357 plus Senior Teacher levels; WA $88,178 to $127,737; SA $84,971 to $123,236; Tasmania $85,313 to $122,393; Victoria $79,589 to $118,063, due to rise to $92,882 to $133,456 with back pay once its new agreement is approved. Super of at least 12% is paid on top.

We don't convert Canadian dollars here, because the rate changes and a snapshot can mislead. Compare your likely Australian step with rents and costs where you'll live. Country and remote schools often add incentives and subsidised housing. See which state pays teachers the most and rural teaching incentives.

Step-by-step plan