Do Ontario teachers get paid in the summer, and does it change your mortgage?
Permanent Ontario teachers usually keep getting paid over the summer, because many boards spread the annual salary over equal pays all year. The Simcoe County and Peel elementary agreements, for example, pay salary in equal bi-weekly payments with no break between school years. Occasional and LTO teachers are paid for days worked or for the assignment, so their summer pay depends on work, and a lender reads their income from earnings history.
It depends on your status and your board. A permanent teacher earns an annual salary, and each board agreement sets how it is paid out. The Simcoe County ETFO agreement says annual salaries are paid in 26 or 27 equal payments on alternate Fridays, without interruption between school years. The Peel ETFO agreement uses an even bi-weekly 12-month pay schedule. Other agreements leave the method to the board, so check yours.
Your employment agreement and board payroll schedule determine when you are paid. Separate that cash-flow schedule from the annual salary or actual earnings used in an application.
Who gets paid in July and August
| Status | Summer pay | What a lender counts |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent | An annual salary paid on the schedule in your board agreement. Simcoe County and Peel elementary pay it in equal bi-weekly payments all year, summer included | Annual base salary from the board letter |
| Long-term occasional | Paid for the assignment; confirm the board payroll schedule | Variable earnings, subject to lender review |
| Daily occasional | Paid for days worked; summer earnings require eligible work | Variable earnings, subject to lender review |
Permanent teachers: document the annual salary
A 10-month and a 12-month pay schedule can describe the same annual salary. Use the annual amount confirmed by your board and explain the pay schedule if it is unclear on your pay stub.
Occasional and LTO teachers: use actual earnings
Non-permanent teaching income depends on days worked and assignment dates. For example, $46,000 and $52,000 average to $49,000 a year. That average includes unpaid periods, but the lender may use a different amount after reviewing recent earnings and continuity.
Annual earnings already include unpaid periods. Check any income calculation against your actual records and lender requirements.
Employment insurance over the summer
Special EI rules apply during a non-teaching period. Eligibility can depend on contract termination, the nature of all teaching work in the qualifying period, or work in another occupation. A school-board status label or a break in pay is not enough to decide eligibility.
EI treatment depends on the benefit type, your work pattern and lender policy. Disclose it separately from teaching income so the lender can determine what is eligible.
Service Canada determines benefit eligibility separately from a mortgage lender. Check your own circumstances directly with them.
Timing a purchase around the summer
- For a summer closing, prepare a current board letter confirming annual salary and continued employment. Ask what verification the lender needs during the school break.
- For occasional or LTO work, include recent tax and earnings records plus any confirmed upcoming assignment. Ask how the lender will assess an unpaid gap before choosing a closing date.
- Include a signed September assignment if you have one. It provides evidence of upcoming work, though the lender may need further confirmation.
Sources and dates
Sources below support the relevant figures and rules. Source dates and historical salary years are shown where available. A planned review date does not guarantee that a figure stays current; check the source and your own eligibility before acting.
- Ontario Regulation 304, School Year Calendar, Professional Activity Days (Education Act) (accessed 2026-08-26)
- Employment Insurance Digest of Benefit Entitlement Principles, chapter 14 section 3, disentitlement and relief conditions for teachers (accessed 2026-10-13)
- Employment Insurance Digest of Benefit Entitlement Principles, chapter 14 section 2, teaching and non-teaching period defined (accessed 2026-08-26)
- Sagen, Covenant Underwriting: income and employment documentation (accessed 2026-10-13)
- ETFO Simcoe County (SCETF) collective agreement 2022-2026, Article 13.01 Payment Schedule (as of 2025-26)
- ETFO Peel (PETL) collective agreement 2022-2026, L24.05 Method of Payment (as of 2025-26)
First published . Updated . Source dates are listed above.
Common questions
Do Ontario teachers get paid in the summer?+
Permanent teachers usually are, when the board spreads the annual salary over equal pays all year, as the Simcoe County and Peel elementary agreements do. LTO and supply earnings depend on assignment dates and work completed; ask payroll about any summer or deferred payments.
Does an unpaid summer lower what a permanent teacher qualifies for?+
The payment schedule alone does not change annual salary. Use the amount confirmed by your board; the lender still reviews your employment and the full application.
Do unpaid summers reduce an occasional teacher's qualifying income?+
Annual earnings already include unpaid periods. The lender also reviews the recent income trend and continuity, and may accept a different amount from the average.
Can I claim EI over the summer as a teacher?+
Generally not during a non-teaching period, with three exceptions in the federal EI rules: the contract has terminated, all teaching in the qualifying period was casual or substitute, or you qualify through another occupation. Daily occasional teachers often fit the casual exception. Confirm with Service Canada.
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