The increasing teacher shortage is a concerning global crisis. It will reach a shortfall of 44,000,000 teachers by 2030, according to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization.

From rural and remote school districts struggling to recruit staff to urban districts scrambling to cover classrooms, the signs are everywhere: unfilled positions, growing reliance on uncertified substitutes and an overextended workforce.

Read more: Solving teacher shortages depends on coming together around shared aspirations for children

Canada is no exception. Ontario anticipates a full-blown shortage in core areas like French immersion by 2027. In British Columbia, uncertified teachers filled an estimated 20 per cent of teaching positions in the Peace River South district during 2023–24.

Teacher shortages are concerning because study after study has shown teaching quality is the most important in-school factor for student learning and well-being.

Yet, as our research is examining, internationally educated and experienced teachers (IETs) remain sidelined, underemployed or forced into careers outside education.

Ten years ago, a report by the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada noted that thousands of internationally educated teachers apply for certification in Canada each year.

In our ongoing study with IETs in the B.C. interior, and in our work there, we’ve seen that many IETs have masters degrees or PhDs.

Findings from a 2024 study conducted on behalf of B.C.’s Ministry of Education and Child Care revealed systemic barriers to........

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