Requirements

 be aged between 20 and 30 years old
 enrolment in university (even part time) and completion of 2 years of study at the undergraduate level (as of December 2009)
 ability to communicate orally in French
 Canadian citizenship and living in Canada at the time of application and receipt of your visa (Permanent resident are not eligible)

Application form

 Documents to gather in order to apply for this program :

1. This application form filled out: 1 original + 1 copy (for each document asked)
2. Staple a photo (passport size) on the original one with your name written in the back
3. Your latest university transcript or diploma / degree. A certified copy by the Office of the Registrar is accepted. You can not just print your transcript from your university account on line, this is not considered as an official document.
4. Two Teacher Appraisals (included in the application form pages 7 and 8)
5. A medical report (included in the application form pages 9 and 10)
6. A copy of the first 3 pages of your valid Canadian passport
7. Download the authorization form of work for a foreign employee, simplified work contract. (4 pages)
8. Staple a photo (passport size) on EACH of the 4 pages
9. Two more photos (passport size) with your full name written in the back
10. Birth Certificate
11. An envelope (without stamp) pre-addressed to where your contract will be sent. This address must be valid until October 1st, 2010. If your permanent address has changed after you have submitted your application, you necessarily have to indicate your new address to the administrator of the program of your country. Canada (click here).

About the form

 Teacher Appraisal and assessment of your French language skills

One section of the Teacher Appraisal asks the Teacher to write about your French language skills. You must not leave this section blank. Please find teachers from your university.

 Make sure the two teachers filled out your teacher appraisal for French language skills

We need appraisals of your French language skills from two teachers to take your application into account. If you don’t know two different teachers able to assess your language skills, you will note the second appraisal can be filled out by an employer

 University stamp (teacher appraisals)

A university stamp is not part of the requirements.

 Medical report, transcript

It is mandatory to submit your application entirely filled out and completed. But if you have some difficulties to see your physician or to obtain your transcript before the deadline, please send your application before the deadline and send your missing document as soon as you get it, but before March 15 (if you want your application to be examined by the French authorities)

Medical report

 Fill out yourself the first part (page 9)
 You must see your family doctor for a physical examination and the physician must fill out the second part of the certificate (page 10)

 The authorization form of work for a foreign employee in France

 Print the 4 pages and fill out only the section 2 (“salarié”) on each and join them to the original application form. Do not forget your signature at the end of page (at the right):

‘’J’atteste sur l’honneur l’exactitude des informations ci-dessus. ‘’
Fait à ______(CITY)________le:____(DATE)__________

Signature salarié : ____(Your signature)__________________

Birth Certificate

In Canada, the Birth Certificate is issued by the provincial or territorial government. Details about application procedures:

  Alberta
  British Columbia
  Manitoba
  New Brunswick
  Newfoundland and Labrador
  Northwest Territories
  Nova Scotia
  Nunavut
  Ontario
  Prince Edward Island
  Quebec
  Saskatchewan
  Yukon

Eligibility / Requirements/ specific cases

 You are not in Canada at the time you submit your application

Normally you must be in Canada at the time of your application is made but if you are sure you will be in Canada in August/September, that is ok. Make sure you send a complete application before the deadline.

 You must be enrolled in university, even only part time, at the time the application is made

The requirement concerning the enrolment in university is at the time of application (for students).

You must be a student when you apply for the program of assistant. You cannot apply if you have already completed your studies. However, if you really want to finish your studies, I can advise you this website www.ambafrance-ca.org. You can come to France, only for the summer and then come back to Canada to complete your academic year. There are several types of visas, e.g., visa 2C to do an internship, or visa 2D to work in the summer in France e.g., but what is better is to see all the information on the website to learn about the different available visas (see theYouth Mobility Agreement)

 You are already a teacher recognized by your province

You can be a teacher and apply for this program. You must provide us with the proof that you are a teacher, and must fill out the same form as the students. Regarding the Teacher Appraisals, please ask to your employer or your school board to fill it out. What is important for us is that this document be signed by an authority; it does not matter if it is not a teacher but your employer. However, this person is expected to be able to assess your skills. We absolutely need to know your skill level in both languages.

 You are part of an interuniversity exchange

It is not required to do an exchange to apply for this program. But if you have done one the same year as your application, you must provide the proof.

 You are a Canadian student currently enrolled at university in France (at the time of application) and you would like to apply for this program without coming back to Canada

It is impossible to combine two stays in France without coming back to Canada. Therefore, you have the following choices: either you respect the procedure and you come back to Canada in order to apply for the assistantship program and have your TA filled out and medical certificate delivered here in Canada, and include a proof of your enrolment at your university in France (latest transcript). Or the other possibility, BUT it is exceptional, you apply directly from France and ask your teacher over there to fill out your TA in French and ask a physician to deliver you a medical certificate. These documents must be written in French.

 You are enrolled as a “non registered student’’ or still enrolled in university but without taking courses this semester

It is sufficient to have a student status. It does not matter if you have taken courses, which are not for credit. You can apply for this program.

Time, schedule and length of contracts

This program is running during the school year. The contracts of assistantship are scheduled for 12 hours a week, whether in an elementary or in a secondary school. You may also be posted to one, two or three schools. The length of contract may be 7 or 9 months.

 9 months contracts

In elementary schools only. An experience in teaching is required. Those contracts are reserved for students wishing to become a teacher (B. ed) or for students with a strong experience in teaching abroad.

Process

Visa

You have to arrive in France with the form ’’visa de long séjour- Demande d’attestation OFII’’ stamped by the French Consulate. Download this form and include it to your visa application

You are holding an EU passport: you can not going to France as an English Teacher assistant without your visa and Canadian passport.

Accommodation

 Housing

It is not difficult to find accommodation in France. The vast majority of your predecessors found accommodation without any problem. I advise against choosing Paris, because of the very high prices of accommodation.

 Fees

You must pay for your plane ticket and your accommodation, living expenses including. You will have the same types of expenses you would have in Canada.

Once in France:

 Study in France while you are doing the assistantship

You can take some French classes as a "non registered student", as long as your job as an assistant remains your priority. Note that you will have a working visa. Therefore you will have to leave France as soon as your contract is done. Therefore, you won’t be able to do your final exams at the end of the student semester in France because of your visa.

 Working in France while you are doing the assistantship

You can be an assistant and at the same time work, but there are three conditions: Your mission as an assistant must always remain your priority (you cannot neglect it, modify your timetable, or miss a class because you have to work in another place); Your work must be linked with education Your work must not exceed 30% of your timetable, which is devoted primarily to your assistantship

 Spouse and children (A8 page 2)

Based on the assistantship contract, spouses and children do not benefit from family reunification policies; in other words, spouses will only be able to obtain a tourist visa for a period of three months, after which they are required to leave France. Assistants cannot file family reunification claims.

The monthly compensation is intended to sustain one person. You would, therefore, be unable to provide financially for your family members if they were to accompany you to France. Furthermore, you won’t be able to file a claim with the French government in the case of financial difficulty.

In the case where your family will accompany you to France, you will have to take out a private insurance to cover repatriation costs in the case of a severe accident involving yourself or a member of your family.