Ontario Substitute Teacher Requirements
Official Ontario minimums (last reviewed February 8, 2026). Authorization comes only from government authorities. The real competitive edge: practical classroom skills that get you called back repeatedly.
6
Required Items
2
Optional/Recommended
$180
Daily Rate (avg)
Ontario Requirements
These are the current published minimums. Skills that exceed them are what move you to the top of district call lists.
Required
Education Requirements
A high school diploma or equivalent is the minimum requirement to work as a classroom supervisor (substitute teacher) in Ontario. A Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) is preferred and may qualify candidates for higher pay rates, but it is not required. Due to ongoing teacher shortages, school boards across Ontario are actively hiring classroom supervisors who do not hold a B.Ed. degree. Classroom supervisors perform the same day-to-day duties as substitute teachers, including following lesson plans, managing classrooms, and supervising students. Candidates with post-secondary education in any field, relevant work experience with children, or educational assistant credentials may be given preference during the hiring process.
Background Check
A Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening is required by all school boards before a supply teacher can begin assignments. The check must be current, and boards typically require it to be renewed annually or supplemented with an annual offence declaration.
Age Requirements
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age, the age of majority in Ontario. Members of the Ontario College of Teachers must be of legal age to hold a professional licence and assume duty-of-care obligations.
Application Process
Candidates apply directly to individual school boards in Ontario to be placed on the classroom supervisor or substitute teacher roster. Most boards accept applications through their online portals or human resources departments. The typical application requires a resume, proof of education (high school diploma or higher), a current Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening, government-issued photo identification, and two to three professional references. Some boards may also require a brief interview or orientation session before adding candidates to their active roster. Processing times vary by board but generally range from two to six weeks.
Language Requirements
English-language school boards require proficiency in English. French-language school boards require fluency in French. Ontario has both English and French public and Catholic school systems. French immersion programs within English boards also require occasional teachers with strong French proficiency.
Training/Orientation
Most school boards require occasional teachers to attend an orientation session that covers board policies, the automated dispatch system (such as SmartFind Express or Aesop/Frontline), emergency procedures, safe schools protocols, and expectations for classroom management.
Recommended / Optional
Teaching Certification
A provincial teaching certificate is not required to work as a classroom supervisor in Ontario. Candidates who hold a valid Certificate of Qualification and Registration issued by Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) may be offered preferential placement, higher daily pay rates, or priority access to long-term assignments. However, the classroom supervisor role was created specifically to address teacher shortages by allowing individuals without formal teaching credentials to fill substitute positions. School boards set their own criteria for classroom supervisors, and requirements may vary between school boards.
First Aid/CPR
While not mandated by the Ontario College of Teachers, many school boards recommend or require occasional teachers to hold a valid Standard First Aid and CPR-C certificate. This is especially important for assignments in primary grades, physical education, and outdoor education settings.
Additional Information
For more information, visit the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) page. Note: Classroom supervisor positions may have different requirements than certified teaching positions. Contact individual school boards directly for the most current classroom supervisor hiring criteria.
After Authorization: How to Actually Get Called More in Ontario
Complete the official government process
Satisfy Ontario's published education, background check, and application requirements. These are issued only by state and district authorities.
Install fast authority signals
Students decide in the first 90 seconds whether to cooperate. Master the specific voice, posture, and routine moves that establish calm control immediately.
Build a portable engagement toolkit
Have 5-6 repeatable tactics ready for any grade band. Subs who keep learning happening (not just managed) get requested for long-term and repeat assignments.
Earn a reputation that travels
Leave every classroom better + one precise note. In Ontario, your documented reliability becomes your strongest job security.
The Real Picture in Ontario
$180
Avg Daily Rate
$43,000
Annual (regular subs)
High school diploma
Education Floor
Often No
License Required?
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Resources
This is skills-based professional development training only. It does not constitute state certification, a teaching license, or a guarantee of employment or assignments. All substitute teaching authorization and certification is issued exclusively by government/state/provincial/district authorities.
Skills-based professional development only. Actual substitute teaching authorization, certification, permits, and credentials in Ontario are issued exclusively by state, provincial, and district government authorities — never by Substitute Teacher Training or any private provider.
Meet the Ontario Rules — Then Stand Out with Skills
Our courses focus on the exact classroom tactics that turn authorized substitutes into the ones schools request again and again. All authorization and credentials come exclusively from state and district authorities.
Substitute Teacher Training provides practical skills development and resources to help substitute teachers perform more effectively in the classroom. Actual substitute teaching authorization, certification, permits, and credentials are issued exclusively by government/state/provincial/district education authorities. Decisions about hiring, pay rates, assignments, and any required credentials are made solely by schools, districts, and state education authorities. Completion of our courses results in a Certificate of Completion for professional development purposes only. We do not issue, approve, or guarantee any form of certification or employment.
Substitute Teacher Training provides no authorization, certification, or employment guarantees. All hiring, pay, and credential decisions rest solely with schools, districts, and state education authorities.