How Much Does It Cost for a Nigerian Teacher to Relocate to the Canada? 🇨🇦
Teaching is a regulated profession in Canada, so to teach in public schools you must be certified by the provincial regulator — in Ontario, the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT). Certification is mandatory and separate from the WES evaluation used for Express Entry points. Most teachers immigrate via Express Entry or a Provincial Nominee Program rather than employer sponsorship.
Quick Numbers
Total Cost
₦0.3M – ₦0.5M
Starting Salary
C$61,000/yr
Secondary school teachers, Ontario (2025)
Nigerians Who Moved
Not officially published
Nigerian teachers to Canada
Source Rank
2
Step-by-Step: Registration & Costs
1Apply to the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT)Evaluation CAD 222 + registration CAD 140 (annual membership CAD 200 extra)
Mandatory certification to teach in Ontario public schools. OCT evaluates your foreign teacher education directly.
2Meet OCT language proficiency (if trained in a non-English/French program)Test fee paid to test provider; OCT lists no fee
OCT accepts IELTS Academic with a minimum overall 6.5 (and per-band minimums), among other tests.
3Get a WES ECA for Express EntryBase ECA fee (rises ~3% to ~CAD 272 from Jan 1, 2026)
Separate from the OCT evaluation, the WES ECA validates your degree for Express Entry points.
4Apply for permanent residence via Express EntryProcessing (CAD 990) + Right of PR fee (CAD 600)
Submit an Express Entry profile, receive an ITA, and pay IRCC fees. No employer sponsor required.
Other Costs to Budget For
Due Jan 1; must be paid before certification is issued.
Official source ↗What You'll Earn: Secondary school teachers, Ontario (2025)
Entry
C$61,000
per year
After 2 Years
C$100,000
per year
Top of Band
C$128,000
per year
Job Bank Ontario secondary: low CAD 29.33/hr, median CAD 48.08/hr, high CAD 61.54/hr. Annualized at ~2,080 hrs/yr (illustrative; teachers are salaried on union grids). Source ↗
Important Things to Know
- Teaching is regulated — OCT certification is mandatory to teach in Ontario public schools.
- The OCT evaluation (CAD 222) and the WES ECA (CAD 264) are two separate evaluations; pursuing both means paying both.
- Most teachers immigrate via Express Entry or a Provincial Nominee Program, not employer sponsorship.
- OCT applications submitted on/after Jan 1, 2024 get a decision within 60 business days of completeness.
Calculate YOUR Japa Score for Canada
Get a personalised cost estimate based on your salary, education, and family size. Takes 2 minutes.
Start Free CalculatorFrequently Asked Questions
Can I teach in Canada with my Nigerian teaching qualification?
You must be certified by the provincial regulator first. In Ontario that is the Ontario College of Teachers, which evaluates your foreign teacher education — certification is mandatory for public schools.
Do I pay for two separate evaluations?
Often yes. The OCT does its own evaluation (CAD 222) for certification, and a WES ECA (CAD 264) is used for Express Entry points. They serve different purposes.
How long does OCT certification take?
OCT aims to decide within 60 business days of a complete application; if you are already licensed in another Canadian province, labour-mobility cases are faster (about 30 business days).
Related guides
Same profession, other countries
See cost breakdowns for this profession in other countries
Compare what it costs Nigerian teachers to relocate to each top destination.
Sources & Verification
Every figure on this page was independently verified on 2026-06-24. We do not use AI training data for any costs, fees, or policy claims.
Verification Notes
Salary figures are Job Bank hourly rates annualized at ~2,080 hrs/yr; teachers are paid on union salary grids, so annual figures are illustrative.
No official migration statistic for Nigerian teachers to Canada was found; migration_count is marked not published.
IELTS test fee in Nigeria is NGN-priced and not a fixed CAD figure; OCT itself lists no test fee.
Written by Max Ayobami
Founder of Japa Calculator, Nigeria's first data-driven relocation decision tool. Every cost figure and expert tip on this page is independently researched and verified against official government and regulatory body sources.