Certificates & Information Maintenance
Update your Personal Information
Request a Replacement Certificate
- To request a replacement certificate, contact classification@novascotia.ca
Classification Levels & Requirements
To qualify for a higher level of classification, your post-secondary academic credentials are assessed to determine if they meet the requirements described in Nova Scotia’s Early Learning and Child Care Regulations and Standards.
If you have partially completed a post-secondary diploma in early childhood education or have completed the following courses and practicum hours, you may qualify for a Level 1.
The requirements include completion of three post-secondary early childhood education courses focused on children ages birth to 12 years, in the following subject areas:
- Child Development
- Behaviour Guidance
- Curriculum Planning for Young Children
and; - 250 hours of supervised practicum in regulated early childhood settings that provides opportunities to practice and demonstrate the knowledge and skills gained through the courses.
Documents:
Completion of one of the following:
- A diploma from an accredited (recognized) post-secondary early childhood education program that delivers 900 course hours which prepares individuals to plan and deliver early learning and child care programs for children ages birth to 12 years and provides content that covers the following eight learning outcomes and practicum:
- Child Development
- Relationships
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Pedagogy
- Health and Safety
- Observation and Documentation
- Program Evaluation
- Professionalism
- 520 supervised practicum hours that provides opportunities to practice and demonstrate the knowledge and skills gained through the courses.
- Successful completion of the Recognition of Prior Learning Program (RPL). Need a note here about RPL being currently unavailable.
Documents:
Completion of one of the following:
- A bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or an area of study that qualifies a person to plan and deliver early childhood programming for children ages birth to 12 years.
- A diploma from an accredited (recognized) post-secondary early childhood education program which qualifies for a Level 2 Classification and completion of a bachelor’s degree program.
Completion of the following:
- Orientation for Staff Working in Licensed Child Care Facilities
- A bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or elementary education (pre-primary to grade 5/6);
or
A post secondary credential that qualifies a person to plan and deliver developmentally appropriate programming for School-age children, with courses in Human Growth and Development, Behaviour Guidance, Programming, Child in Society and a teaching practicum.
Classification Upgrade Process
Your application path depends on where you completed your training.
Please select the option below that applies to you.
Once we have received all required documents, your application will be deemed ‘complete’ and we will begin the assessment process which will take 4-6 weeks to complete.
Upon successful completion of a post-secondary early childhood education program, complete the following steps to receive a Classification Level:
Recent Graduate – Streamline Application
If you recently graduated from a recognized post-secondary early childhood education program in Nova Scotia, you have the option to request that your educational institution send us confirmation of your successful completion of the ECE program.
Application process:
- Your institution will send us your name, email address, name of the program you completed and your graduation date.
- Once we receive your information from the institution, we will email you an invitation to apply for a Classification Level. Check your junk mailbox for our email.
- Complete the application form and send it to classification@novascotia.ca
Once we have received all required documents, we will process your Classification your application within 4 weeks, depending on volume and priority.
Not a Recent Graduate
If you completed a recognized ECE program in Nova Scotia but are not a recent graduate, follow these steps:
Application process:
- Complete the ECE Classification Application Form
- Email it to classification@novascotia.ca
- Contact your training institution and request that an official transcript be sent directly:
- to classification@novascotia.ca through MyCreds®, or
- via email to classification@novascotia.ca
We cannot accept a copy of the transcript that does not come directly from the institution.
Once we have received all required documents, we will process your Classification your application within 4-6 weeks depending on volume and priority.
If you completed your post-secondary education in another Canadian province or territory, your early childhood education credential will be assessed against Nova Scotia’s regulations and standards to determine eligibility.
Application process:
- Complete an application form and email it to classification@novascotia.ca .
- Contact your training and institution and arrange for an official transcript to be sent directly to classification@novascotia.ca , through MyCreds.ca or by mail. We cannot accept a copy of the transcript that does not come directly from the institution.
- Provide us with a copy of the official course descriptions and/or course syllabi matching the program that you completed.
Once we have received all required documents, your application will be deemed ‘complete’ and we will begin the assessment process which will take 4-6 weeks to complete.
Canada Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
The Canada Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) was approved by the federal, provincial, and territorial governments to remove barriers on the movement of workers, goods, services, and capital within Canada. Chapter 7 of the Agreement focusses on labour mobility.
You have the option to apply for a classification in Nova Scotia without having to submit official transcripts for review, if:
- your certification is in good standing, and
- you have been issued certification to work in licensed child care in one of the following Canadian jurisdictions:
- British Columbia
- Alberta
- Saskatchewan
- Manitoba
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Yukon
Application process:
- Complete an application form and email it to classification@novascotia.ca
- Provide us with a copy of your certification to work in another Canadian jurisdiction along with a release of information form, if applicable.
Once we have received all required documents, your application will be deemed ‘complete’ and we will begin the assessment process which will take approximately 10 business days to complete.
Your Nova Scotia Classification Level will be granted in accordance with the following Certification Equivalencies for other Canadian Jurisdictions chart:
| NS Classification | Jurisdiction | Equivalent Certification |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level | AB | Level 1 |
| BC | Early Childhood Educator Assistant | |
| MB | Child Care Assistant | |
| NL | Trainee Level | |
| ON | N/A | |
| PE | Early Childhood Intern | |
| SK | ECE I | |
| YK | Level 1 & 1a | |
| Level 1 | AB | Level 2 |
| BC | Early Childhood Educator | |
| MB | N/A | |
| NL | Level 1 | |
| ON | N/A | |
| PE | Early Childhood Associate | |
| SK | ECE II | |
| YK | Level 2 & 2a | |
| Level 2 | AB | ECE Level 3 |
| BC | Early Childhood Educator Infant-Toddler/ Special Needs | |
| MB | Early Childhood Educator II | |
| NL | Level 2 & 3 | |
| ON | Registered Early Childhood Educator | |
| PE | Early Childhood Educator | |
| SK | ECE III | |
| YK | Level 3 | |
| Level 3 | AB | N/A |
| BC | N/A | |
| MB | Early Childhood Educator III | |
| NL | Level 4 | |
| ON | N/A | |
| PE | N/A | |
| SK | N/A | |
| YK | N/A | |
| School-Age Approval | All | N/A |
If you completed your post-secondary early childhood education in a country other than Canada, your credentials will be assessed against Nova Scotia’s regulations and standards to determine eligibility.
- You can begin the application process before you arrive in Canada, however, you will not be issued a classification registration number or certificate until you are residing in Canada.
- If eligible, you will be granted a pre-approval for classification, however, you will be required to provide proof of your Canadian address before your registration number and certificate are issued.
Once we have received all required documents, your application will be deemed ‘complete’ and we will begin the assessment process which will take approximately 4-6 weeks to complete.
Application process:
- Complete an application form and email it to classification@novascotia.ca .
- Arrange for an official transcript to be sent directly to us from your educational institution.
- Arrange for a comprehensive course-by-course international academic credential assessment to completed by a recognized agency.
- Visit The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials for more information.
- Most applicants use World Education Services (AccessWES).
- The results from your credential report must be sent directly to us by the agency. We cannot accept copies.
- If your course-by course credential report includes a copy of your official transcript, you are not required to arrange for your educational institution to send us a copy of your transcript.
- If English or French are not your first language one of the following is required:
- provide us with a copy of a language proficiency test result that meets the criteria for a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in each of the following areas: speaking, listening, reading and writing.
- If you are currently working toward language proficiency, provide us with a “letter of intent” from an accredited language school or enrolled in an Immigration Services Association of Nova Scotia language program.
- demonstrate you have obtained a degree or diploma from a post-secondary institution where the language of instruction of the program was English or French.
Step 1: Review for completeness
When we receive your application, we first ensure that:
- All fields on the form have been completed, the form is signed,
- All required documents have been received.
- If incomplete, we will email you, using the contact information you provided.
- We do not assess your eligibility until we receive all required information.
- We may contact you throughout the assessment process for more information.
Step 2: Review for eligibility
We review your official transcripts and course descriptions and/or course syllabi to determine if your academic credential demonstrates that you have met the eligibility criteria under our regulations and standards.
- If you are eligible, we will assign you a Classification Level and registration number. This number is unique to you and remains the same even if your name or classification level changes.
- We will email a letter and certificate to you indicating your classification level. Advise your employer of your number and classification level.
- If you are not eligible for a classification level, we will email a letter to you explaining why you are not eligible.
If you disagree with the outcome of your application for a classification:
- Review the regulations and standards for eligibility requirements,
- Send an email to the Manager of Classification Services classification@novascotia.ca with the details of your concerns,
- Provide any additional information not included in your initial application.
The Manager may be able to resolve the matter of concern.
If the matter cannot be resolved, you may choose to pursue the matter through an Internal Review Process.
- Send an emailed request for review to Classification Services within 180 days of the date on the classification decision letter.
- Your request for review will be forwarded to the Internal Review Committee who will complete a review of your application and determine if your application contains the required documentation to support the classification and if the application meets the regulatory requirements and standards.
- The review committee will email a letter to you with the results of their review within 30 days.
The review committee’s decision is final and cannot be appealed.