You need an ECE or ECE Assistant certificate from the ECE Registry to work in licensed child care in BC.
| Detail | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| Regulator · Url | Official page | source |
| Noc | 42202 Early childhood educators and assistants | source |
| Licence required | ECE or ECE Assistant certification from the ECE Registry is required to work as an ECE or ECE Assistant in a licensed child care facility | source |
| Certificates | ECE Assistant: at least one course from a recognized basic ECE program (child development, child guidance, or child health, safety and nutrition) plus good character. ECE (five-year): recognized basic ECE program, 500 hours relevant work experience within the past 5 years with a reference from the supervising educator, good character Cited from a 2020 point-in-time copy of the Child Care Licensing Regulation; B.C. Reg. 23/2026 re-wrote s.25(1)(c)-(d) with the same 500-hour rule | source |
| Work experience | 500 hours count from the start of your education, exclude practicum hours, must fall within the 5 years before applying, may be paid or volunteer; each supervising ECE gives a reference and must have held valid certification | source |
| Application | Apply on the My ECE Registry digital platform; apply 4-6 weeks before you need certification; applications stay open 12 months | source |
| Regulator fees | no official source No certificate or renewal fee is stated on the official ECE Registry pages checked (become-an-ECE, certificate types, renewal pathways); a third-party site says no fee but that is not official | |
| Renewal · Five year ite sne | Valid certificate: character reference, 400 hours ECE-related work and at least 40 hours professional development, both within the certificate term; apply 4-6 weeks before expiry via My ECE Registry | source |
| Renewal · One year | Renewable once only, and not if expired more than 5 years; needs character reference and letter explaining why 500 supervised hours were not completed | source |
| Renewal · Assistant | One additional course from a recognized basic ECE program (within last 5 years), character reference, and 400 hours work experience within 5 years | source |
| Renewal · Expired | Expired certificate means not qualified under the Child Care Licensing Regulation to work in licensed child care until renewed | source |
| Pay | Early childhood educators and assistants (NOC 42202), B.C.: low $19.00/h, median $24.00/h, high $30.00/h; annual earnings $43,061 (B.C. LMI Office, 2025 Job Bank wage data) | source |
| Funding 1 | WorkBC Centres: free employment services; may fund training if needed to get a job (eligibility assessed by the centre) | source |
| Funding 2 | B.C. Employer Training Grant (employer-applied): 80% of training costs up to $10,000 per participant | source |
| Funding 3 | ECE Education Support Fund: provincially funded bursaries for ECE students, administered by ECEBC | source |
| Licence steps 1 | ECE Assistant: at least one course from a recognized basic ECE program (child development, child guidance, or child health, safety and nutrition) plus good character. ECE (five-year): recognized basic ECE program, 500 hours relevant work experience within the past 5 years with a reference from the supervising educator, good character Cited from a 2020 point-in-time copy of the Child Care Licensing Regulation; B.C. Reg. 23/2026 re-wrote s.25(1)(c)-(d) with the same 500-hour rule | source |
| Licence steps 2 | 500 hours count from the start of your education, exclude practicum hours, must fall within the 5 years before applying, may be paid or volunteer; each supervising ECE gives a reference and must have held valid certification | source |
| Licence steps 3 | Apply on the My ECE Registry digital platform; apply 4-6 weeks before you need certification; applications stay open 12 months | source |
| Program cost | ECE diploma about $7,867 (Coast Mountain, computed) to about $10,483 (Northern Lights) domestic | source |
| Intakes | Fall 2027 and Winter 2028 | source |
From the official list (ECE Registry), checked November 1, 2026. Click a name to search for it; confirm details with the school.
An ECE Assistant certificate needs one course from a recognized basic ECE program (plus a character reference).
Show 400 hours of ECE-related work and at least 40 hours of professional development during the term, plus a character reference (gov.bc.ca, checked 2026).
We found no fee on the official ECE Registry pages, so we do not quote one.
Licensed child care needs staff with child care first aid. See our first aid guide.
This page relies on the official pages below. Rules, fees and processes change, so check the authority before you apply or spend money.
Links checked November 1, 2026. Found an error or a broken link? Report it.