Types of teaching licences

To work as a teacher in Québec, you must have a teaching licence. There are temporary teaching licences as well as a permanent teaching licence. Some of these licences are renewable under certain conditions. Teachers must have their licences renewed before they expire.

Apply for or renew a teaching licence

Teaching diploma

Once you have completed your certified teacher training program, the Ministère de l’Éducation will issue you a teaching diploma. This is a permanent licence.

Provisional teaching licence

You also have the possibility of working while you study if you obtain a provisional teaching licence. This licence is issued to students who have successfully completed at least their second year of a bachelor’s program for teaching preschool, elementary school or secondary school (have earned no less than 60 credits in the program). It is also offered to students starting a master’s degree in general education or a bachelor’s degree in vocational training. To obtain this licence, you must first have a promise of employment from an educational institution, if applicable. Certain additional conditions apply.

Temporary measures relating to all applications submitted before June 30, 2025.

For general education (Section 63.1 of the Regulation respecting teaching licences)

The provisional teaching licence may be issued to:

• Students in a teacher training program for general education who present proof that they are registered in the program
• Students who hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent degree, with the exception of a university-level teacher training program, who have earned only 15 of the 45 training credits in one or more subjects listed in the Basic school regulation.  

For vocational training (under the old Regulation)

Persons who apply for a five-year provisional teaching authorization for vocational training may, during this transitional period, obtain this teaching authorization provided that, out of the minimum of 90 credits required in the teacher education program in vocational training, they have earned 45 credits in education (instead of the 60 credits now required pursuant to the amendment of the Regulation in October 2019).

Persons who were issued a five-year provisional teaching authorization for vocational training before October 1, 2019 (under the old Regulation), may have it renewed for five years in accordance with the conditions contained in the old Regulation (hours of teaching, hours of relevant experience in the workplace or courses). This measure applies only to a first renewal issued after October 1, 2019.

A provisional teaching authorization remains valid only if the holder is enrolled in a teacher education program. However, persons who were issued a five-year provisional teaching authorization for vocational training before October 1, 2019 and are no longer enrolled in a teacher education program automatically benefit from a five-year transitional period to re-enrol.

Renewing a provisional teaching licence

Depending on the validity period of your provisional teaching licence, you may renew it up to three times, under certain conditions. There are, however, certain licences that are not renewable.

Provisional teaching licence to provide preschool education services

You also have the possibility of working while you study by obtaining a provisional teaching licence to provide preschool education services. This licence is issued to students who have obtained a Diploma of College Studies in Early Childhood Education or have completed recognized equivalent training and who, in both cases, are pursuing teacher education studies leading to a bachelor’s degree in preschool and elementary school education. To obtain this licence, you must also meet certain additional conditions.

Temporary measures relating to all applications submitted before June 30, 2025.

Students who hold a Diploma of College Studies (DCS) in Early Childhood Education or an equivalent qualification and who are working toward a bachelor’s degree in preschool and elementary school education can also obtain a provisional teaching licence to teach in elementary education, subject to certain conditions (under section 63.56 of the Regulation respecting teaching licences).

Probationary teaching permit

The probationary teaching permit is issued to persons who have completed a teacher training program outside Canada that is equivalent to a teacher training program in Québec and who have passed the language examination recognized by the Minister. To then obtain a teaching diploma, you must meet certain conditions.

For more information on the probationary teaching permit, please see the terms and conditions for obtaining a Québec probationary teaching permit (PDF 699 Kb), available in French only.

Renewing a probationary teaching permit

Your application for the renewal of your probationary teaching permit must show that you meet the imposed requirements (except for the probationary period, if applicable), that are listed on the probationary teaching permit.

Under the Regulation respecting teaching licences, which entered into force on June 29, 2021, all teaching licences that were valid on that date had their validity extended by one year, meaning to at least June 30, 2022. This includes provisional teaching licences (PTL), provisional vocational training teaching licences (5-year PVTTL) and probationary teaching permits.

At the moment, it is not necessary to complete the renewal process for these teaching licences. The extension is automatic, and candidates do not have to take any steps.

Employers are informed of this change, meaning that no new teaching licences with modified expiry dates will be issued. Any holder of a teaching licence who would like to verify its expiry date can make a request using the online form .

A letter of tolerance is a permission granted by the Minister, in exceptional circumstances, that authorizes an employer to hire as preschool, elementary school or secondary school teachers persons who do not hold a teaching licence. This letter is issued mainly to employers who are experiencing a shortage of teachers in order to allow these employers to hire persons who have not necessarily had teacher education. Letters of tolerance are not renewable and are issued only to employers.

Contact the school service centres and school boards (English and special status) directly to  find a job.

Documents for use by employers:

• Conditions et modalités pour la délivrance d'une tolérance d'engagement (PDF 708 Kb) (available in French only)
• Demande de délivrance d'une tolérance d'engagement (PDF 790 Kb) (available in French only)
• Formulaire de délivrance Tolérance d’engagement Québec - France (PDF 319 Kb) (available in French only)

Application for a teaching licence - Recommendation by the university - Vocational training (PDF 270 Kb)

Application for a teaching licence - Recommendation by the university - General education (PDF 365 Kb)

Application for a teaching licence - For individuals who have successfully completed an accredited Québec teacher training program (PDF 358 Kb)

Attestation by the university concerning - 45 credits in subject-specific training (PDF 244 Kb)

Application for a Québec teaching permit - For holders of a teaching licence issued outside Canada  (PDF 336 Kb)

Declaration concerning the language of study outside Canada  (PDF 321 Kb)

Regulation respecting teaching licences  

Verification of judicial records (PDF 0.92 Mb)

Pathways for teaching in general education at the Cree and Kativik school boards (PDF 523 Kb)