Ontario College of Teachers / Ordre des enseignantes et des enseignants de l’Ontario

Rarely answers emails or phone when you need to contact them! Takes forever to send documents for licensing. But great License to have and very professional and well organised. Just terrible with connecting with customer service and getting answers.

*update* I’m not sure whether the combination of me telling them I wish I could sue them, me writing to the ministry of business’s or my partner (OCT credited) emailed to complain on my behalf BUT I randomly got an email approving my application.

I think I sent over 50 emails asking & complaining about my application.

I am an British qualified teacher. I submitted my application in January 2021.19 months later and OCT have only just accepted my documents to evaluate. I have until June 2023 before my visa is done.
At best I may be able to supply for 6 months before I leave the country.
I have never in my life experienced such appalling customer service. I wish I could sue this company.
I wish the news would cover a story about how many teachers there are lying in wait.
I could scream at how frustrating this process is.
Ontario is completely failing students and teachers.

What can I say! They are about as good as anything else "these days"! I was upset about paying them for the whatever they did in the past (like over 15 years ago as a supply) but now. WOW!

Absolutely one of the worst organizations I have dealt with. Unresponsive, rude, and incompetent. The only thing they know how to do is take your money. They just need to be purged and a new regulatory body be created, with new people, for teachers qualifications. I would give zero stars if I could.

I am not sure the OCT realises that people's lives/livelihoods are at stake here. From all the reviews I have read, clearly the OCT's process of evaluating applications and processing professional letters of standing is inordinately slow and painfully inefficient. Even regulatory agencies in supposedly "third world" countries are not this sluggish.

However, I must state that when it came to sending out multiple email reminders to pay up the $30 balance in difference between the 2022 annual membership fee I paid and the increased 2023 fee, it was done with admirable alacrity and vigour.

Very poor service, has such big checklist which is never ending and moreover they are taking years to evaluate your application, really need to improve how the system works here.

If i could give no stars i would. My application is now in review for 274 days. I call every week and still no answer as to what is going on. This is by far the worst service ive ever experience in all of my life. Absolutely no regard for trying professionals.

Like previous reviewers I have found nothing positive about this organization. The way they work is not fit for purpose. Also a British teacher with thirty years experience but not qualified enough apparently AND they can’t add or subtract up to 4 to keep track of the $650 a piece 4 extra courses they made me take!

I applied for equivalency (which is stated on their website to be a 6 week waiting time). I waited for a full year, and then they denied me. I could have been taking the required equivalency AQ and working during that time. This is unacceptable.

I’ve heard many stories about the inefficiency of the OCT however there is another red flag about this organization. I’m an internationally educated teacher. My British PGCE is completely transferable and many people with the same exact qualification are qualified in Ontario. All my documents were received and marked “complete” on 1st of February 2023. I understand that they say it takes 120 days (due June 2023) but I have been horrified by the reviews here. I convinced myself that I have to wait until June and only then I can start worrying. However, I connected with a fellow applicant who got their documents marked “completed” 3 weeks ago. Guess what? They got their application approved in THREE WEEKS. YES. THREE WEEKS. Now I’m happy for them but with the reviews here, there is DEFINITELY something wrong going on. Is it like different officers working on a different pace? Is it inconsistency? Is it something suspicious that is not appropriate to mention?

I know that their sneaky semi-legitimate answer would be that every case is different but with 3 weeks processing vs 2 years of NO CONTACT since the documents are marked complete, the matter here goes beyond differences between individual cases. At least you would contact people and tell them what you need and why there is an issue. A public investigation should be initiated if we still believe that governmental agencies in Canada shouldn’t perform like an organization in a banana republic. Get your act together and straighten up.

I have had so far a terrible experience getting my file processed by the OCT. Although I have always provided what was requested, and followed the advices given by the OCT customer services agents, my file can't just be fully processed. This has been the case because the OCT keeps changing what it requires. Everytime I provide what is requested instead of seeing my file approved, a new demand is made. This has happened 3 times, and now I am told that my file is with a manager and that it may take up to 30 working days to review it (and possibly not finalize it)! My issue though is with the way files are processed and not with the customer service agents. Most of the time it did not take me a long time to get to an agent, and all the agents were courteous and patient with me, albeit not able to get my file moving.

I applied for OCT in July 2019. All my documents were completed except one. After going through many difficulties obtaining the document from my home country during COVID, sending numerous emails and calling the OCT every month, all my documents were finally completed in August 2022. Since then, however, I have been waiting for an update regarding the College’s decision on my application for about 7 months.

Whenever I call them, they cannot provide me with a specific timeline for my application. They just say wait and call us again in one month if you don't receive any emails. No other helpful information is provided. They are not responding to my emails or letters, either. I have sent them a letter or email almost every month, but I haven't received any responses yet.

Many of my friends who have applied after me have received their OCTs and are employed, yet there is no timeline for me. I can’t express how frustrated and desperate I am because I am losing job opportunities, and my personal life is also affected. I want to start complaining from next week, calling the MPP or any other regulatory bodies that can help me deal with this frustrating process.

It can take up to 120 days to review your application and respond with a conclusion? That is ridiculous. I have called, I have emailed, I have done everything possible and the client services are useless. And then they have the audacity to increase our annual fees? For what?

I have submitted my documents in November 2022 and still waiting for a response. Please do better!

Totally unacceptable and unreliable services from this organization.

The membership services front line is a disaster, excuse of high call volumes, longer wait times is a way to hide the transparency, competency of this org. If you have more volume, what action have you taken to improve your services, rather than giving excuses. The action taken was to increase membership fees in 2023 and ensure they PROVIDE poor client services. It is always difficult to reach OCT front line team over phone with long queues, waiting for hours and hours and then lines get disconnected. There is a generic response that review of document (complete status) takes 30 business days and at times more, evaluation more than 120 days. Unacceptable timelines!
It’s been more than 3 months since I submitted the application beginning October 2022 and all documents were submitted and marked as complete by mid of December 2022, however the real story starts here, one of the documents was sent by school to OCT college in November end and it took them 3 weeks on to confirm later that this email was never received. The reason it was sent to this email was that I had written a letter of explanation to contact school on my behalf as I was not able to get hold of them. This document was not received, and no valid reason was provided by front line team representative. After Ontario college confirmed they have not received, we reached back to school and advised them (multiple international calls) to upload it on Oct website (new process). It was submitted and uploaded online by the school after holidays on 5th Jan 2023. Till date it is not received in my profile. When all documents are submitted and marked complete, they will delay the last document to mark as complete and when under evaluation stage, they will advice that this report is expired etc, they will buy all possible time with excuses and reasons and then drag to another year charging fees and giving zero service.
I have spent over $1000 in this application, and they had the audacity to email me that they have increased $30 membership fee in 2023 and I owe them $30 fees for when they do complete my application. However, I immediately paid next day $30.
Horrible, I wish there was another avenue to explore to try and shine the spotlight on Ontario College of teachers.

Don't feel I am getting value for my money. And now the membership fee has risen to $200 a year mandatory for all teachers. Their argument/ justification to give them themselves a raise is. Inflation However, you do get a magazine that I can read online. I think when I retire, I Hope to have the time to actually read it.

The fees paid to this organization has appallingly increased every year only citing "inflation" however there is no justification or breakdown of payments to see where their expenses are.

*update* I’m not sure whether the combination of me telling them I wish I could sue them, me writing to the ministry of business’s or my partner (OCT credited) emailed to complain on my behalf BUT I randomly got an email approving my application.
Not that I can get a job in the rigged education system here. But maybe try doing what I did!
I think I sent over 50 emails asking & complaint about my application.

1 star is wrong. I want to rate them negatively.

I am an British qualified teacher. I submitted my application in January 2021.19 months later and OCT have only just accepted my documents to evaluate. I have until June 2023 before my visa is done.
At best I may be able to supply fort 6 months before I leave the country.
I have never in my life experiences such appalling customer service. I wish I could sue this company.
I wish the news would cover a story about how many teachers there are lying in wait whilst retired teachers are being dragged back into schools.
I could scream at how frustrating this process is.
Ontario is completely failing students and teachers.

Obviously, this is an ineffective organization. I requested and continue requesting since last year I became a member of the OCT to update my registry information. Some of the information (university name, program major names) displayed on my OCT profile is absolutely incorrect. I hope to see this fixed one day!

Applied for my OCT in August 2021 still waiting on Administrative review. It’s really frustrating to wait that long. Do you want us to work in warehouses after wasting time money on our degrees? Can’t get my desired teaching job without OCT

Horrible. I don't know how else to describe it.on hold for 2 hours to try and update an email.they don't seem to have one for me.so I can't actually add one to my file.without an email.its impossible to get anyone there to do anything.

I wanted to check my application status via phone because the website said I’m missing documents but doesn’t indicate what documents.
When I called on the registered phone number, the automated Phone service said the office is closed due to Covid and suggested to speak with representatives on the phone.

I pressed 1 to get in the line for my turn and the phone hangs up on me saying all representatives are busy and to call back later.

This is ridiculous. At least have an option for a call back or to stay on for your turn. How many times do you expect me to call you and then get hung up on!? ! I have been trying for 2 weeks now.

Completely useless organization. I have yet to meet a member who benefited one iota for the annual fee they pay. A money grabbing operation.

Ordered a statement of professional standing three months ago and it is still not complete. It can be sent as an email. Not difficult. I have called three times. The last time I was assured it would be sent before July. It is now July 21st. Still waiting. Fingers crossed that I will not lose my international teaching post. So frustrating.

The only reason I picked 1 star is because you need a 1 to write a review, otherwise I would choose a zero. OCT is a joke.we pay dues for a teaching license but at the end of the day, what do they do for teachers? They pretend to have a code of ethics for teachers to follow but when it involves shady practices by administrators and superintendents, who are also teachers, they defer to them and look the other way, so essentially shady practices continue and the one who loses is the teacher who dares to speak up. Sad that this happened in the most difficult days when teachers needed help during the pandemic.

I was in the military and so my husband had to transfer his teaching license from Ontario to BC, Alberta and now we are moving "home" to Nova Scotia. In order to get his teaching certificate in NS, he needs to have a "letter of professional standing" from all the Provinces he taught in. He sent his completed application to NS in the end of March and all that was required was for the Provincial bodies to send the letter of professional standing. Alberta took 12 days; BC a month.and we are STILL waiting for Ontario to send this simple document! They took the fee on March 25th - but can't be bothered to send the form. Hubby has spent a few marathon sessions on hold only to be eventually told that the process could take 30 BUSINESS DAYS! Well, it's been over 50 business days and there is no indication that they are any closer to processing his request. Now his career is being impacted (as well as our source of income) because he can't get his NS license or apply for any positions until this letter from Ontario is received. There seems to be no place to lodge a complaint and no alternative to this "wait until we get around to it" approach. Simply blaming COVID for your incompetence and unprofessionalism is weak, especially since this is affecting teachers' lives and livelihoods! Something needs to be fixed here because this is completely unacceptable. My husband had to teach throughout the pandemic and was never given the excuse to not do his job because of COVID. Come on OCT.you have to do better!

The OCT demands a yearly fee for providing very little value to me as a member, and then it demands a late fee that is almost equivalent to the annual fee, even for members like myself who are not currently employed as teachers. In my estimation, that is reason enough for a negative review. What warrants a 1/5, however, (or less if it were possible to give it), is their atrocious customer service. I'm still waiting to speak with a manager after contacting them weeks ago, and contacting them several times since, and being told each time (after waiting over an hour in queue each time) that someone would get back to me in 2 business days.

You can’t call on your lunch hour because YOU WILL BE ON HOLD FOR OVER AN HOUR.

**The receptionist is phenomenal, though, the wait times are not in her control. She was very pleasant and helpful**

0 customer service! Absolute Disgrace to the teaching profession! Absolute disgrace to the teaching profession! Who has hijacked the the OCT? The same people who are destroying Canada!

You cannot find worse customer service anywhere, I assure you of this. This organization is outrageously useless. A circular website that is unable to provide a tangible answer to any of your questions. When you call the operator clearly states that they will not be able to assist with any questions. Once you finally get through to someone after an hour long wait, they make it very clear they are of no help, nor can they connect you to someone who can help.

There is 0 accountability when it comes to the Ontario college of teachers. Who is looking at the documents and verifying them, and why are the applicants unable to contact these individuals? I have an email from December 8th that is still waiting a response. 4 months.

Why is the building STILL closed for covid, why do they need a whole building on Bloor St in the heart of Toronto? Why do they have a client services if they cannot help anybody with any problem?

The other reviews say it all. How they can be in charge of certifying teachers is insane. How the government hasn’t stepped in yet to sort out this shambolic organisation is beyond me.

There is an alleged shortage of teachers but with the way the OCT process applications, you wouldn’t think it.

I’d recommend avoiding them but if you want to be certified in Ontario you don’t have a choice.

Here is a summary of what your experience with OCT will be:

- Zero communication
- Zero efficiency
- Zero respect
- Zero professionalism

Good luck.

Application submitted since 2019, all documents completed and application in progress from summer 2021, paid membership fees yearly and now you don't answer phone calls from applicants? Is it some sort of business to have people pay fees for years before having their certifications?

Completely unresponsive - contact information is only for a generic email - no email addresses are available for anyone employed or governing the college
Seems a deliberate attempt not to deal with members.

Absolutely heartbreaking and frustrating experience. Been waiting for months now with barely any progress on my application. I am working a teaching job getting paid next to nothing because OCT cannot be bothered to review my application and help me out. It's a difficult position to be in when you need to rely on an organization like this to provide you with a certification - I cannot do anything to help myself to further this process. Just goes to show that they don't care about teachers and our well-being. Long wait times, emails that haven't been answered in MONTHS, wasn't able to see the document status page FOR MONTHS, when I finally got through to someone, they knew nothing and could not help! WOW, just wow. Do better.

Embarrassingly slow wait times. Will wait on the phone for over two hours to be told there is nothing that anybody can do. If they claim to be as backlogged at they are, at what point is something done about it? This is not just frustrating, it affects peoples’ livelihoods and careers. Get it together.

Wait times for OCT applications are ridiculous considering how many teachers are in need in Ontario. Do better.

If I could give a zero I would. I waited an hour on the phone to speak to someone and he could not help. He said that he would create a ticket and someone would call within two to three business days. I asked for the ticket number and he said he could not provide it. I have been waiting more than a week and no one has bothered to call back. The college has no problem taking my money but clearly are not professional and show little respect for their members. This explains their low star ratings by so many. Please do your job!

Horrible horrible service. Way to go OCT for treating teachers and future teachers like this. Not picking up calls, forever wait times, documents taking forever to process.

Very disappointed with the experience I have. *** DO NOT SEND YOUR ORIGINALS IT WILL TAKE MONTHS TO GET IT BACK** They are not doing their job.

Requested and paid for a Statement of Professional Standing last year and it still has yet to be processed. I have called numerous times and every time I call, I seem to get the same individual (which makes me think they are understaffed) and I am told the same thing, to just wait. I have asked to speak to a manager numerous times and I am told no. I have asked if my request is in the same queue as everyone else (including those that are waiting to get certified) and have been given two completely different answers. I reached out to OCT via Facebook Messenger and get very sporadic responses every couple of days, with no new information. As someone who is currently a paying member, it is an absolute shock to be treated in this way. My job opportunity and ability to sustain myself is slowing dwindling because I am still waiting on this letter. I have been a paying member in good standing since last year and do not understand how a template can take this long to fill out and forward on to the appropriate agency. I understand that Covid makes things challenging, but regardless, the timelines are just unacceptable. Teachers in Ontario and held to a very high standard of professionalism and I only wish our governing body felt the same.

In the time since I have been on hold there have been at least 2 solar eclipses and several major breakthroughs in our understanding of particle physics.

The Ontario College of Teachers is the perfect place to work. You get to work remotely and watch TV all day instead of actually doing any work. I've emailed the College twice weeks ago with no response or action. I imagine College employees sleeping in and filing minimal paperwork, and then collecting a juicy paycheque! So lazy.

Worst experience I have ever had. No reply to emails and calls.very unprofessional and frustrating.

Absolutely horrible organization that does not care about teachers. I have applied to get my certificate in May. They approved a few and more then half are still saying not received. They blame this horrible management on COVID and not being in the office but shouldn't working from home be more efficient? Maybe its time to hire some productive employees and make us teachers a priority? I have never in my life had to deal with such incompetency. I am now working as a teacher in a school, I do not have the proper documentation as far as I'm concerned and I am being paid about 50% of what I should be making, this is not right.

You dedicate over 20 years to an organization, one that makes promises but when you actually need something, you never hear anything.

This is putting strain our financial situation (no pay in over a month because
of a simple document that is required.) But now this ignorance is affecting the mental welfare as well.

How can you be teaching precious little children on a daily basis when you're concerned about taking another day off to be on hold? Only to never be able to talk to anyone and get an answer.

Please reach out.

Harassing and exploiting process. Ministry should look into their pathetic working attitude. I have no regret saying that they are just ruining the future of Canadian education system.

It has been such a terrible and frustrating experience with this organization. I applied a few months ago and it took months for the "documents" page to become available. The registration process is not moving along because of my proof of identity. I included a middle name thats not on my passport and so they won't accept it. They also don't accept drivers license or citizenship card as proof of identity. They asked me for a birth certificate but I''m not born in Canada and mine has a few minor errors so they won't accept it either. There is no way for me to get another copy of my birth certificate without traveling. I called them and waited 2.5 hrs to speak to someone about it and still no change or modification to the requirement. I emailed to explain and I got no response. I dedicate 6 years to become a teacher and now your are telling me I can't register in this province because of my middle name? I have submitted a request for them to omit the middle name even though it probably appears on my transcripts. Looks like it going to be a much longer process than it has to be.

August 19,2021: Phone lines are still dead due to a full mailbox, and Ontario's teachers totalling in the hundreds of thousands continue to pay hundreds in yearly fees for an organization that doesn't support us. How is it that many of us are still waiting for a full teaching licence when many LTO and permanent jobs are closing tomorrow (Friday, Aug. 20) and some boards (e.g, Peel SB, TCDSB, to name a couple) do not recognize the legitimacy of the temporary certificate? This whole situation is a mess and it's going to result in many financial hardships for teachers and many placement issues within local communities.

UPDATE: A few of my colleagues who graduated with me in the same cohort and who had their application processed days, if not MONTHS after mine, got approved either immediately or within two business days. The evidence speaks for itself: the OCT does not recognize nor respect the process of a queue. What an embarrassment to the profession.

It appears I may never obtain my ontario certificate, despite teaching for 20+ years and providing every document requested. Although MOST agents have been empathetic and helpful, each one gives a different answer for the delay (been working on certification for 20 years now, on and off) the wait times for responses to email, etc.is unacceptable. NO business would survive with this kind of customer service. I'd rather deal with CRA than OCT.any day.

On hold for over 2 hours. Michelle said yes all documents are in. A week later receive an email saying they are missing transcripts that were sent in May, now on hold for another 2 hours waiting to get some clarification. Such poor service, not sure what we are paying for as future teachers. Can’t something be done!

There is possibly one person working at OCT and they are surely on their day off whenever I call. How much do we pay the college year after year and what is the actual service we get for it? Hmmmm. Let me see.

I hate writing negative reviews. But if it can benefit an organization to improve their customer service then I'd like to voice my frustration and opinion.

I order a Statement of Good Standing to be mailed to Alberta Education on 5/12/2021 12: 46: 44 PM. It's July 2nd today 51 days and my order is still not processed. Alberta Education rejected my subbing application because I do not have my teaching permit there.

This is costing me job opportunities. After a month and a half of giving them benefit of the doubt I luckily got hold of a receptionist who was kind enough to tell me that there is a delay because of covid. I can understand that if it's communicated better. If I knew I could at least give Alberta Education a heads up. But there is no communication on OCT's end. I even sent them an email and as of today no reply.

At this point I feel that OCT is abusing the excuse of COVID. I mean I called multiple times and each time I've been put on hold. This has been happening for past 51 days. As of writing this review I've been on hold for over 11 minutes. Just goes to show you how frustrating this service is.

Again I hate to cause anyone harm in business because of my review but this is costing me job opportunities.

As a contrast I've been in constant communication with Alberta Education, and the longest I had to wait for a reply was a week and that was because the person was on vacation.

I'm incredibly disappointed and frustrated. Oh, it's been 15 minutes I took a little break from typing and I'm still on hold. Average hold times before I gave up 30 min.

I’ve been trying to contact them for months with no answers on the phone and no reply to my countless emails.

Due to lack of service the past 4 months (email and phone calls not anwered), not being able to get access to anything, OCT should reconsider reimbursing/pro-rating our membership fees. Members have received limited to no updates - they could at least email all members to let us know what's going on.

I tried to pay my fees on the Ontario College of Teachers Website. I could not because last year I paid my 2020 fees by error in late December 2019. There is no receipt for 2020 because it in on my 2019 Tax receipt. Every time I went to checkout I was bounced out. I was told to contact the College. I tried 2 times. I waited on the phone with a man's voice telling me to continue to hold. I held on hold for over 50 minutes before giving up. I was told continuously to go to the website. The website could not help me either. What am I to do? My fees keep increasing, now I have to pay for a printed version of my certificate and OCT card and also a fee for the Professionally Speaking Magazine. Where do my $170.00 fees go? This is ridiculous! What do I do in an emergency?

Needs a new name. Doesn't represent teachers - presents an image of teachers as predators (cf.current magazine cover)

I am trying to contact by phone to ask for help in resetting the password. It is taking a long time for someone to respond.

Took over a month to respond to email. Won’t consider giving OTs a membership refund when schools have been closed for 3 months.

Absolutely disgusted. Have tried daily to reach the OCT for three weeks and have sat on hold for over half an hour each time before eventually giving up. I emailed last week - no response. Despite being a member for 23 years, I cannot reach anyone at the college. Have asked several colleagues how they get through and they unanimously said it’s impossible. Hope people are prepared to drive into Toronto if they ever need assistance from their own college.

Communication is almost nonexistent. It takes 10 days for them to reply to an email, and if you want to call them be prepared to be on hold indefinitely.

What a waste of an organization. I wish we could get rid of this body since they are absolutely useless to this profession!

Very helpful and friendly staff
Guided us perfectly
Parking might be expensive but is very near to the location

Absolutely one of the most terrible institutions out there especially if you are a new immigrant. They would charge you hefty amount of money for evaluation of foreign credentials and conveniently keep pushing the deadline by four months every time with no proper explanation.
So much for a struggling profession in Ontario.

I participate yesterday to their general meeting, they completely avoid to answer properly to inconvenient questions about the challenges that teachers are facing in our classroom environment. They use a wooden language that remind me perfectly about the Communist Party Congresses. I am wondering why they collect members fee when they don't even represent the interests of their members, they should collect fees from the public and the government not from teachers.

Among the best professional colleges in Canada in reputation and efficient operation. This is a model for similar professional colleges in the world.