Self employed language teacher

[Paulatreid]

Hi, everybody,
I am considering emigrating to Canada and work there as a self-employed language tutor. I have got extensive experience teaching English, Spanish and Czech, so I think I could be useful to other immigrants learning English and also to Canadians wishing to learn Spanish. What conditions must I meet to get a work permit?
Thanks a lot for your reply, I´ve reading reading through a lots of webpages and I am getting somewhat confused.

 

[brucem]

Hi,

You need to check the CIC website to see what programme you could potentially qualify for, and whether you meet the requirements. Without knowing your background it would be difficult for anyone to offer specific advice.

Bruce.

 

[scylla]

Hi, everybody,
I am considering emigrating to Canada and work there as a self-employed language tutor. I have got extensive experience teaching English, Spanish and Czech, so I think I could be useful to other immigrants learning English and also to Canadians wishing to learn Spanish. What conditions must I meet to get a work permit?
Thanks a lot for your reply, I´ve reading reading through a lots of webpages and I am getting somewhat confused.

To qualify for a work permit you must first find an employer in Canada who is willing to offer you a full time job. That employer must also obtain something called an LMIA which gives them approval to hire a foreign worker. As part of this process they must pay a $1K fee and must also advertise the job for at least a month to prove that no Canadian could be found for the role. Processing times for the LMIA are anywhere from 6-16+ weeks. Once the LMIA has been approved you can then apply for a work permit.

I'm going to be brutally honest about your chances. It's next to impossible to obtain an approved LMIA for teaching positions in Canada since Canada has too many teachers (and not enough jobs) and it is therefore impossible for employers to prove that no Canadian could be found for the role. If you want to teach, I would recommend you pick a country other than Canada right now. Things may change in a few years - but right now there are simply too many teachers here and not enough jobs.