Instructors and coaching

Instructor and coaching jobs in BC

Three teaching jobs in BC need a licence or approval: flight instructors (Transport Canada), driving instructors (ICBC) and OFA first aid instructors (WorkSafeBC-approved providers). The rest use industry certifications that employers ask for.

Related: all licensed and certified jobs · Instructors and coaching

Licence neededFlight, driving and OFA first aid instructorssource
Industry certificationSki, golf, fitness, yoga, NCCP, tennis, scuba, swimsource
Pay range (medians)$21.67/h (driving) to $57.69/h (flight)source
On this page
  1. Key facts
  2. Which teaching jobs need a licence
  3. First aid instructors (OFA)
  4. Tennis instructors
  5. Scuba instructors
  6. Swim and lifesaving instructors
  7. Watch out for fakes
  8. Frequently asked questions
  9. Related jobs and guides

Key facts

DetailSource

Which teaching jobs need a licence

JobLicence statusMedian pay
Flight instructorRequired: Transport Canada rating$57.69/h median (NOC 72600)
Driving instructorRequired: ICBC instructor licence$21.67/h median (NOC 43109)
OFA first aid instructorRequired: teach through a WorkSafeBC-approved provider$23.74/h median (WorkBC, NOC 54100)
Ski or snowboard instructorNo licence; CSIA or CASI is the industry standard$23.74/h median (WorkBC, NOC 54100)
Golf professionalNo licence; PGA of Canada is the industry standard$30.00/h median (WorkBC, NOC 53201)
Fitness leader or personal trainerNo BC law requires it; many employers ask for BCRPA$23.74/h median (WorkBC, NOC 54100)
Yoga teacherNo BC licence; Yoga Alliance RYT is a private registry$23.74/h median (WorkBC, NOC 54100)
Sport coachNo licence; sport organizations often require NCCP$30.00/h median (WorkBC, NOC 53201)
Tennis instructorNo licence; Tennis Canada TPA is the industry standard$30.00/h median (WorkBC, NOC 53201)
Scuba instructorNo government licence; PADI or SSI is the industry standard$23.74/h median (WorkBC, NOC 54100)
Swim or lifesaving instructorNo government licence; pools hire Lifesaving Society or Red Cross instructors$23.74/h median (WorkBC, NOC 54100)

First aid instructors (OFA)

To teach WorkSafeBC occupational first aid (OFA) courses, you teach through a training provider that has a formal agreement with WorkSafeBC. WorkSafeBC supervises training for OFA attendants and instructors source. Red Cross and St. John Ambulance instructor status is set by those agencies.

DetailSource
Who you teach forA WorkSafeBC-approved first aid training providersource
PayMedian $23.74/h (NOC 54100)source

Tennis instructors

No licence is needed. Tennis Canada’s Tennis Professionals Association (TPA) certification is the industry standard: Community (age 14+), Instructor (16+), Club Professional and High Performance source. Tennis BC runs BC courses.

DetailSource
Instructor course entryTurn 16 within a year of the course start; play level 3.0+source
Length5 days over two weekendssource
FeePrice not published, ask provider
PayMedian $30.00/h (NOC 53201)source

Scuba instructors

No government licence applies to recreational scuba instructors. Agency certification such as PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor is the industry standard source. Commercial (occupational) diving is separate and regulated; this section does not cover it.

DetailSource
Entry18+; certified diver for 6+ months; 60 logged dives to enroll, 100 for the instructor credential; pass the PADI Instructor Examinationsource
Cost and lengthNot stated; set by each dive centre
PayMedian $23.74/h (NOC 54100)source

Swim and lifesaving instructors

No government licence. Pools hire instructors certified by the Lifesaving Society (or Red Cross) source.

DetailSource
Swim InstructorBronze Cross (need not be current) and the online Adapted Swim Instructor course firstsource
Lifesaving InstructorBronze Cross; teaches and certifies Bronze Star, Medallion and Cross; includes the Examiner Clinicsource
Cost and lengthNot stated; set by the host pool
PayMedian $23.74/h (NOC 54100)source

What we could not confirm

We could not confirm these on an official page, so we left them out: Instructor course cost and length.

Watch out for fakes

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a licence to coach a sport in BC?

No law requires one, but many sport organizations require NCCP training or certification for their coaches.

Which instructor job pays the most?

Flight instructors, in WorkBC’s NOC 72600 (pilots and flying instructors): $57.69/h median.

Sources and official links

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.