How to Become an Early Childhood Educator in Alberta
Become a certified early childhood educator in Alberta: the Level 1, 2, and 3 certification levels, the free orientation course route, and the online application.
How to Become an Early Childhood Educator in Yukon
Become a certified early childhood educator in Yukon: the Level 1, 1a, 2, 2a, and 3 certification levels, the Understanding the Early Years route to Level 1, and the three application pathways.
Applies in: Yukon
The short answer
If you want to work in a licensed early learning and child care program in Yukon, you must apply for Yukon early childhood educator (ECE) certification. The Early Learning and Child Care Branch of the Government of Yukon, Department of Education, determines your certification level. Yukon certifies at five levels — Level 1, Level 1a, Level 2, Level 2a, and Level 3 — and the level depends on how much post-secondary coursework in early childhood development you have completed. There is no application fee, and you receive an answer within 20 business days of submitting a completed application with all required documents.
This is Yukon's own scheme. Other provinces use different level names and different routes — Alberta has Level 1, 2, and 3, Saskatchewan has ECE I, II, and III, and British Columbia runs an ECE Registry with its own certificates — so do not carry another province's levels into a Yukon application.
The five levels
| Level | Education needed |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | 60 hours of post-secondary coursework in early childhood development; or the Yukon First Nations Education Directorate Understanding the Early Years course; or an approved educational equivalency |
| Level 1a | 15 credits or 5 post-secondary courses in early childhood development from a recognized college or university; or an approved educational equivalency |
| Level 2 | 1 year of post-secondary coursework in early childhood development from a recognized college or university; or an approved educational equivalency |
| Level 2a | 45 credits or 15 post-secondary courses in early childhood development from a recognized college or university; or an approved educational equivalency |
| Level 3 | 2 years of post-secondary coursework in early childhood development from a recognized college or university; or an approved educational equivalency |
Coursework counted toward a level must be for-credit coursework from a recognized accredited post-secondary institution, focused on the learning and development of children from birth to 8 years old, and matching the coursework set out in the Early Childhood Educator Guide to Certification. The guide's Appendix A, on page 15, sets out which courses count for each level. The Branch decides the level; this guide gives no advice on which level you will receive.
Where to study
The certification page states that early learning coursework from Yukon University is accepted. The local program is Yukon University's Diploma in Early Learning — a two-year diploma, full- or part-time, at the Whitehorse (Ayamdigut) campus, with Fall and Spring intakes. Its courses (EL 102 Foundations for Practice, for example) count toward the levels above; confirm with the Branch before enrolling that your planned courses qualify. Coursework from many other colleges and universities across Canada is also accepted. If you plan to enrol in a program, contact the Branch first to check whether it qualifies for certification — email earlylearning@yukon.ca or phone 867-667-3492. The Branch also recommends that certified educators keep taking workshops, courses, and conferences as professional development, and points to the Early Learning Educators web hub for online learning opportunities.
The fastest route to Level 1: Understanding the Early Years
If you have no post-secondary coursework in early childhood development, the Understanding the Early Years course is the direct route to Level 1. It is designed and delivered by the Yukon First Nations Education Directorate, with input from Elders and Knowledge Keepers, in partnership with the Government of Yukon. People in Yukon who complete the course receive a Level 1 certificate to practise as an early childhood educator from the Department of Education. The course is aimed at people already working in licensed programs without a certificate level and at people in Yukon who want to enter the field, with priority for rural communities where professional development options are fewer.
Step-by-step: applying for certification
- Pick your pathway. Path 1 is for people living in Canada who already hold ECE certification from another Canadian province or territory. Path 2 is for people who completed early childhood development courses at a Canadian post-secondary institution. Path 3 is for people who completed courses at an institution outside Canada. You may apply if you live in Yukon now or intend to relocate to Yukon.
- Download and complete the application form from the certification page.
- Gather proof of identity. Every applicant must submit proof of identity. Accepted documents include a valid Canadian passport, a Canadian driver's licence, a Canadian general identification card, a Canadian-issued birth certificate, a Secure Certificate of Indian Status, a permanent resident card, or a valid foreign passport with immigration documents. Do not send originals — a photocopy is enough. If the name on your supporting documents differs from your current legal name, include proof of the name change, such as a marriage certificate, divorce certificate, legal name change certificate, or birth certificate plus current identification.
- Add the pathway documents. Path 1: attach a copy of your ECE certification from the other province or territory; the Branch verifies with that authority that it is valid and in good standing. If that authority did not require proof of English or French proficiency, you must verify language proficiency with an accepted assessment such as CELPIP, IELTS, TCF Canada, or TEF Canada. Path 2: have your institution send official transcripts directly to the Branch at earlylearning@yukon.ca, and be ready to supply course descriptions if asked. Path 3: provide a comprehensive educational credential assessment from a recognized Canadian credentialing agency, with the agency sending it directly to the Branch, plus course descriptions for all relevant courses and proof of language proficiency if your program was not completed in English or French. A language test may be waived if your whole program was taught in English or French, with verification directly from the institution.
- Submit the application. Send the completed form and supporting documents by email to earlylearning@yukon.ca or by mail to Early Learning and Child Care Branch (E-23), Department of Education, Government of Yukon, PO Box 2703, Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6. The application form also allows in-person submission at 1000 Lewes Boulevard, Whitehorse.
- Wait for the assessment. You receive an answer by letter or email with the assessment result within 20 business days of the date you submitted your completed application and all required documents. If you already hold Yukon certification and want to move to a higher level, contact the Branch at earlylearning@yukon.ca or 867-667-3492.
If you lose your certificate or your name changes, you can request a replacement by completing the ECE certification re-issue application.
Keeping a Level 3 equivalent certificate
A Level 3 equivalent certificate is not the same as full Level 3 certification, and it needs yearly upkeep. To maintain it, complete 1 early childhood course worth 3 credits from an approved accredited post-secondary institution before the expiry date on your certificate, submit your renewal application to the Branch before it expires, and have the institution send the transcript directly to the Branch. If you meet the requirements, the Branch issues certification for one additional year. If you do not meet the requirements by the expiry date, the certification is no longer valid. If you hold a valid Level 3 equivalent certificate, contact the Branch for help building a pathway to full certification.
What the opened pages do not state
The Yukon certification page does not publish a fee for any step, because there is no application fee — but it also does not state a fee for a replacement certificate, so no replacement fee appears in this guide. It does not state the current schedule or cost for the Understanding the Early Years course, so no dates or price appear here — contact the Branch or the Yukon First Nations Education Directorate before planning around it. Yukon University's Diploma in Early Learning is named above; the page names no other specific program. It does not state a criminal record check requirement for certification, so none is claimed here — check with the Branch or your employer before you apply. This guide gives no advice on which level you qualify for — that is the Branch's decision when it assesses your application.
Related guides:
- How to Become an Early Childhood Educator in Saskatchewan — Saskatchewan's ECE I, II, and III levels and orientation-course route.
- How to Become an Early Childhood Educator in Manitoba — Manitoba's Child Care Assistant, ECE II, and ECE III classification.
- How to Become an Early Childhood Educator in Ontario — Ontario's Registered Early Childhood Educator route through the College of Early Childhood Educators.
- How to Become an Early Childhood Educator in British Columbia — BC's ECE Registry certificates, including the 500 hours of supervised work experience.
- How to Apply for the Yukon Child Care Subsidy — the Yukon subsidy for licensed child care, from the same Department of Education branch.
- How to Become a Teacher in Canada — the separate school-system teaching route, for readers weighing classroom teaching against early childhood work.
Becoming a certified early childhood educator in Yukon, in five steps
- Find your certification levelLevel 1 needs 60 hours of post-secondary coursework in early childhood development. Level 1a needs 15 credits or 5 courses. Level 2 needs 1 year of coursework. Level 2a needs 45 credits or 15 courses. Level 3 needs 2 years of coursework.
- Complete the education for your levelCoursework must be for credit, from a recognized accredited post-secondary institution, and focused on children from birth to 8 years old. Yukon University coursework is accepted.
- Gather your documentsProof of identity is required for every applicant. Have official transcripts sent directly to the Early Learning and Child Care Branch. Photocopies of identity documents are enough.
- Apply by email or mailThere is no application fee. Send the completed form and supporting documents to earlylearning@yukon.ca or by mail to the Early Learning and Child Care Branch in Whitehorse.
- Receive your assessment within 20 business daysYou receive an answer by letter or email with the assessment result within 20 business days of the date you submitted your completed application and all required documents.
Questions people ask
Do I need certification to work in child care in Yukon?
Yes, if you work in a licensed early learning and child care program in Yukon. Early childhood educators working in licensed programs are required to apply for Yukon early childhood educator certification, and the Early Learning and Child Care Branch of the Government of Yukon determines the certification level.
What are the five certification levels in Yukon?
Level 1 needs 60 hours of post-secondary coursework in early childhood development, the Yukon First Nations Education Directorate Understanding the Early Years course, or an approved educational equivalency. Level 1a needs 15 credits or 5 post-secondary courses in early childhood development from a recognized college or university, or an approved equivalency. Level 2 needs 1 year of post-secondary coursework in early childhood development from a recognized college or university, or an approved equivalency. Level 2a needs 45 credits or 15 post-secondary courses, or an approved equivalency. Level 3 needs 2 years of post-secondary coursework from a recognized college or university, or an approved equivalency.
What is the fastest route to Level 1?
The Understanding the Early Years course from the Yukon First Nations Education Directorate is a route to Level 1. It is a First Nations-designed course, developed with input from Elders and Knowledge Keepers, and people in Yukon who complete it receive a Level 1 certificate from the Department of Education. The other Level 1 route is 60 hours of post-secondary coursework in early childhood development.
How do I apply for certification?
There are three pathways. Path 1 is for people living in Canada who already hold early childhood educator certification from another Canadian province or territory; they apply under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement. Path 2 is for people who completed early childhood development courses at a Canadian post-secondary institution; official transcripts must be sent directly to the Early Learning and Child Care Branch. Path 3 is for people who completed courses outside Canada; they need a comprehensive educational credential assessment from a recognized Canadian credentialing agency, course descriptions, and proof of English or French proficiency if their program was not in English or French. Every applicant submits proof of identity, and the completed form goes to earlylearning@yukon.ca or by mail to the Early Learning and Child Care Branch in Whitehorse. There is no application fee.
How long does certification take?
You receive an answer by letter or email with the assessment result within 20 business days of the date you submitted your completed application and all required documents. The 20 business days run from the completed application, so a missing document restarts the wait.
How do I keep a Level 3 equivalent certificate?
To maintain a Level 3 equivalent certificate, complete 1 early childhood course worth 3 credits from an approved accredited post-secondary institution before the expiry date shown on the certificate, submit your renewal application to the Early Learning and Child Care Branch before it expires, and have the institution send the transcript directly to the branch. If you meet the requirements, the branch issues certification for one additional year. If you do not meet the requirements by the expiry date, the certification is no longer valid.
Sources
- Government of Yukon, Apply for early childhood educator certification — the five levels and their education requirements, the three application pathways, the no-fee application, the 20-business-day assessment time, the proof-of-identity and language-proficiency rules, the Level 3 equivalent renewal terms, the replacement-certificate route, and the Branch contact details.
- Government of Yukon, Early Childhood Educator Guide to Certification — the September 2025 guide behind the certification page, including the coursework equivalency chart in Appendix A on page 15.
- Government of Yukon, Pathways: Culturally rich training for early childhood educators — the Understanding the Early Years course as a First Nations-designed route to a Level 1 certificate, aimed at licensed-program staff without a certificate and at new entrants, with priority for rural communities.
- Yukon University, Programs for international students — the Diploma in Early Learning: two years, Fall and Spring intakes.