Early Childhood Educator Certification

Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Certification is required if you work with infants, toddlers, preschoolers and school-aged children for 65 hours or more per month in a regulated child care centre. All applicants must apply directly to the Ministry of Education for ECE Certification.

You are eligible to apply for ECE Certification if you live in Canada and have completed coursework that has led to an ECE orientation, certificate or diploma or have finished an equal combination of education from a recognized post-secondary institution. If you live outside of Canada, you can apply for a pre-approval of ECE qualifications and collect your ECE certificate when you move here.

Early Childhood Educator Certification Levels

There are three categories of ECE Certification:

• ECE Level I is awarded after completing nine credit units (three courses) that are related to early childhood, including one course from each of three areas: Child Development, Programming and Relationships or after you have finished an ECE orientation from a recognized post-secondary institution.
• ECE Level II is awarded after you have completed a one-year ECE certificate program from a recognized post-secondary institution or after you have finished an equivalent amount of post-secondary coursework.
• ECE Level III is awarded after you have finished a two-year ECE diploma program from a recognized post-secondary institution or after you have finished an equivalent amount of post-secondary coursework.

A minimum of an ECE Level I is required in order to work 65 hours or more per month in a child care centre. An ECE Level III is required for directors of child care centres.

Learn more about ECE Certification by reading the Saskatchewan ECE Certification Guide. This guide includes important information about eligibility, as well as detailed application steps.

To apply for ECE Certification or Pre-Approval of ECE Qualifications:

• Read the Saskatchewan ECE Certification Guide;
• Complete an application for ECE Certification or Pre-Approval of ECE Qualifications; and
• Submit official transcripts.

Official transcripts must be sent directly from the post-secondary institution(s) to the Ministry of Education. The post-secondary institution(s) that will be forwarding transcripts must be listed on the application form.

All transcripts from institutions identified on the application form must be received before applications are assessed.

If you have questions or would like to discuss ECE Certification, we are pleased to assist you by phone or by email.

Phone: 306-787-7467
Email: ececertification@gov.sk.ca

Early Childhood Education Completed Outside of North America

If your transcript(s) is from a post-secondary institution outside of Canada or the United States, you must have a course-by-course evaluation (ICAP Report) conducted by World Education Services (WES).

This evaluation verifies the Canadian equivalency of the credits/degrees that have been earned.

The ICAP report must be sent by WES directly to:

Ministry of Education
Attn: ECE Certification
2nd Floor, 2220 College Avenue
Regina, SK S4P 4V9
ececertification@gov.sk.ca
306-787-7467

Apply for Early Childhood Educator Certification

Apply for Pre-Approval of Early Childhood Educator Qualifications

A child care centre board may apply for an Early Childhood Educator Exemption if they can't find someone who meets the educational requirements to work in the child care centre.

This exemption can be issued to individuals who:

• work 65 hours or more per month in a child care centre while they work towards an ECE Level I certification; or
• are working towards their next level of Early Childhood Educator certification.

An Education Plan must be included with the exemption application and states the start and end dates of the courses that the applicant will be taking within the next 12 months.

A minimum of six credit units of ECE coursework must be completed annually, and the applicant must complete courses until the required certification level is achieved.

Child care centre directors and boards can learn more by reading the Early Childhood Educator Exemption Guide for further information about exemptions and detailed application steps.

Responsibilities of Child Care Centre Boards

Child care centre boards must ensure that all individuals who work 65 hours or more per month at the child care centre have applied to the Ministry of Education for ECE Certification.

Child care centre boards must also make sure that:

• 20% of all early childhood educators hold an ECE Level III;
• 30% of all early childhood educators hold an ECE Level II; and
• the remainder of child care educators employed 65 hours or more per month hold an ECE Level I.

Individuals who work less than 65 hours per month are not required to have ECE certification. However, all child care centre employees should be encouraged to complete coursework to achieve ECE certification.

Responsibilities of Family Child Care Home Providers

Within the first three years of becoming regulated, Family Child Care Home Providers who operate a Family Child Care Home are required to complete an introductory three-credit unit course in:

• Child Development;
• Programming; or
• Relationships.

Within the first three years of becoming regulated, Group Family Child Care Home Providers must complete nine credit units (three courses) that are related to early childhood, including one from each of the three areas:

• Child Development;
• Programming; and
• Relationships; or
• an ECE orientation from a recognized post-secondary institution.