Swim instructor work opportunities in Surrey, BC

Independent · Contractor · Part-time · Full-time

A Propel instructor teaching an adult to swim

Teaching with Propel

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Who we are

Propel is a fast-growing company on a mission to change how the world learns to swim. Founded by swim instructors who had spent years inside the old system, we set out to break a status quo that left families on endless waitlists and instructors undervalued. In doing so we created something that did not exist before, and today we lead it: a new industry of swim instructors who independently teach on their own terms.

Who you are

You put in your time on the pool deck and taught more kids to swim than you can count. You know your craft and you don't need micromanaging. You are ready for more.

  • You enjoy teaching others the lifelong skill of swimming
  • You're a great communicator and love working with people
  • You're independent and can manage your time effectively

What you'll be responsible for

During lessons you run, you'll own every swimmer's experience from start to finish.

  • Keep your students safe, providing hands-on support throughout each lesson
  • Run effective lessons using your own style and teaching framework
  • Take each swimmer toward a goal, from absolute beginner to vacation swimmer

What qualifications you'll need

  • A recognized swim instructor certification (Lifesaving Society Swim Instructor, YMCA, or equivalent)
  • At least one year of paid experience teaching swim lessons

Why you'll love it

When people book lessons on Propel, they don't sign up to learn from whoever is scheduled to teach Level 3. Instead they choose you as their instructor. The students who start with you, stay with you, and you can take them from absolute beginner all the way to vacation-ready swimmer. Along the way you'll run into challenges: fear of water, bad habits to fix, and skills that plateau. It's up to you to break through those barriers, and when you do, the reward is knowing you changed lives while receiving gratitude from those you've helped. The day-to-day is good too:

  • Set your own schedule, teaching only when it fits your life
  • Teach 1 or 2 students at a time in quiet private pools
  • Give feedback how you see fit: out loud, on paper, or by DM
  • Earn more. Instructors took home an average of $52/hr in 2025

Our commitment to inclusion

You belong here. Propel welcomes instructors of every background and identity, and we want everyone, instructors and students alike, to feel safe, respected, and free to be themselves. We especially love the ones who never quite fit the mould elsewhere: if you teach with your own curriculum, your own framework, your own style, this is where it belongs.

Join our community

Comparing Surrey swim instructor opportunities

Teaching and guarding come as one job on Surrey's municipal path, paid on a published union scale, while all eight outdoor pools belong to a contractor instead, and Propel is a third route that sits outside both. City of Surrey pools and the Tong Louie Family YMCA are good entry points if you are brand new, since neither asks for prior teaching experience. The YMCA pairs the two the same way, and both hire in set windows. Once you have a year of teaching behind you, Propel leads on nearly everything that follows: what you earn, the schedule you keep, the students you choose, the clients you bring with you, and the freedom to start the week you decide to. Here is how the three compare.

PropelCity of SurreyTong Louie Family YMCA
Required certifications
  • Lifesaving Society Swim Instructor or
  • YMCA Swim Instructor or
  • Equivalent
  • Lifesaving Society Swim Instructor and
  • Standard First Aid w CPR-C/AED and
  • National Lifeguard (Pool)
  • YMCA Swim Instructor Full Course and
  • Standard First Aid w CPR-C/AED and
  • National Lifeguard (Pool)
Experience required1 year minimumNo minimumNo minimum
When can you startYear round, anytimeSet intake windows, about 2 weeks eachPostings run when a role opens
Starting hoursSet your own schedule anytimeUsually evenings and weekendsAssigned, often part-time
Compensation$52/hr (average take-home in 2025)
  • $25.85/hr entry as Lifeguard Instructor 1
  • $29.56 to $30.70/hr on the Lifeguard-Instructor grid above it
Roughly $22 to $23/hr (estimated, not a published scale)
Who you'll teach2yrs+, any level you chooseRotated class assignmentsProgram-assigned
Students per hour1 or 24 to 12Assigned group classes
Teach your own clients?Yes, bring outside clients anytimeNot permittedNot permitted
Insurance coverage$10,000,000Not publishedNot published

New to aquatics? All three paths start with the same certifications. See our guide on how to become a lifeguard or swimming instructor, or learn more about teaching with Propel.

Teaching with the City of Surrey

Teaching for the City of Surrey is a structured municipal path that rewards patience and tenure. Hiring runs on a schedule rather than on demand, and once you are in, these are unionized CUPE 402 roles where seniority shapes your hours, your schedule, and how far you move up the grid. There is a real ladder above the entry classification, and the City runs a large aquatic operation to climb it in, including a 10-lane 50m competition pool at Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre with dive towers and seating for 800.

The application process

The City runs dedicated Lifeguard and Swim Instructor intakes on published dates, and each application window is short. The Fall 2025 posting accepted applications from July 3 to July 20, 2025, then ran mandatory physical standards testing on August 8, an optional practice session on August 15, a mandatory wet screen on August 22, and interviews from August 27 to September 5. The Winter 2026 intake followed the same shape with a two-week window from September 29 to October 12, 2025 and 25 openings. You apply with proof of Grade 10 and current certifications, clear the physical and in-water stages, sit a panel interview, and complete a Police Information Check with Vulnerable Sector Check after a conditional offer. Recent timelines put roughly eight to twelve weeks between the application opening and the start of the season.

Building seniority

Entry-level lifeguard and instructor work at the City is a CUPE 402 auxiliary position, which means seniority governs access to hours, scheduling preferences, and movement between classifications. New hires start at the Lifeguard Instructor 1 rate, posted at $25.85/hr in the City's Fall 2025 recruitment. The classification above it, Lifeguard-Instructor, runs from $29.56/hr to $30.70/hr across its three steps at 2024 rates in the 2021 to 2024 collective agreement, so the practical range on the instructor track sits between the mid-$20s and about $30/hr. Getting to the top of that range comes from accumulated hours, further training, and time in the system rather than from a quick promotion, so the model favours instructors willing to stay several seasons and keep picking up shifts.

Long-term career opportunities

Above the instructor track sits Head Lifeguard, a regular full-time CUPE 402 role. The City's Head Lifeguard posting lists $33.29/hr in year one, $33.88/hr in year two, and $34.39/hr in year three at 2024 rates. It asks for Grade 12 plus National Lifeguard (Pool), Lifesaving Society Swim Instructor, Standard First Aid with CPR-C, and Pool Operator Level One, and the work shifts toward supervision and facility operation rather than front-line teaching. Surrey also keeps advanced training in-house: its own Advanced Leadership Team teaches the Lifesaving, lifeguarding, and water safety courses at the outdoor pools, and the City's recreation guide offers a Second Try Assurance that lets you retake an advanced course once at a reduced rate if you attended fully and did not pass. The pay above the deck is real, but reaching it means years of accumulated hours and a move toward coordination work.

Teaching with Tong Louie Family YMCA

The Tong Louie Family YMCA on 57 Avenue is the one YMCA-run pool in Surrey, operated by YMCA BC, with an indoor pool, a leisure pool, and registered swim lessons. It is a smaller operation than the City's five indoor pools, and the front-line path there is a part-time one that builds through consistency rather than through a posted wage grid.

The application process

YMCA BC hires through job boards and its own careers listings rather than through dated intakes, so Tong Louie postings appear when a role opens instead of on a published seasonal calendar. YMCA BC lifeguard and instructor postings elsewhere in the province ask for a current Lifesaving Society Swim Instructor award, National Lifeguard (Pool), and Standard First Aid with CPR-C and AED, which is the same credential stack the City requires. The Tong Louie posting itself is not published in full, so treat the specific screening steps as something to confirm with the branch when you apply.

Building seniority

The front-line role at Tong Louie is listed as part-time permanent, mixing guarding and teaching across mornings, evenings, and weekends. There is no public YMCA BC wage grid for Surrey; salary aggregators put swim instructor pay at the branch at roughly $22 to $23/hr, which is an estimate rather than a posted scale. Standing at a YMCA branch is built the ordinary way, by keeping your certifications current, staying available for the awkward hours, and picking up shifts.

Long-term career opportunities

The step above the deck at Tong Louie is Aquatics Supervisor, advertised as a full-time permanent salaried role at $65,000 to $68,500 a year for a 35-hour week. That job is scheduling, staffing, and safety compliance rather than teaching, so the pattern matches the City's: the better-paid aquatic roles in Surrey move you off the pool deck and into running the operation.

Common questions about swim instructor jobs in Surrey

How much do swim instructors make in Surrey?+

It depends on the path and how far along it you are. A newly certified instructor with the City of Surrey starts at $25.85/hr as a Lifeguard Instructor 1, per the City's Fall 2025 posting, and the Lifeguard-Instructor classification above it runs to $30.70/hr at its top step under the 2021 to 2024 CUPE 402 agreement at 2024 rates. So the municipal instructor track sits roughly between the mid-$20s and about $30/hr. At the Tong Louie Family YMCA there is no published wage grid, and salary aggregators estimate roughly $22 to $23/hr. On Propel you set your own rate, and instructors took home $52/hr on average in 2025, which is an average across all experience levels rather than a starting rate. Your actual earnings vary with your price, availability, and demand.

What certifications do you need to teach swimming in Surrey?+

All three paths expect a recognized swim instructor award, most commonly the Lifesaving Society Swim Instructor certification. The City of Surrey and the YMCA also require lifeguarding credentials, the National Lifeguard (Pool) award and Standard First Aid with CPR-C and AED, because their staff both teach and guard. Propel asks only for the swim instructor certification, since you teach private lessons rather than guard a public pool.

Do you need to be a lifeguard to teach swimming in Surrey?+

No, teaching swimming and lifeguarding are separate qualifications. Teaching requires a swim instructor certification; lifeguarding requires the National Lifeguard award. The City of Surrey and the YMCA ask for both because their staff teach lessons and guard open swims at the same facility. If you only want to teach, a swim instructor certification is the credential that matters.

Where do you get certified in Surrey, and is it worth it?+

The City of Surrey teaches the whole ladder at its own aquatic centres: Bronze Star, Bronze Medallion, Bronze Cross, National Lifeguard (Pool), Swim Instructor, and the Lifesaving Instructor awards. Bronze Cross is the gate for both National Lifeguard and Swim Instructor, and you need to be 15 by the end of the instructor course. Surrey also runs a Second Try Assurance: if you attend fully and do not pass an advanced course, you can retake it once at a reduced rate. Leadership awards stay current for 24 months, so budget for recertification as well as the first course. Whether it is worth it depends on how much you plan to teach, and the same credential opens every path: City pools, the YMCA, and teaching your own private lessons on Propel, where instructors averaged $52/hr in 2025.

How do you get your first swim instructor job in Surrey with no experience?+

Start with the City of Surrey or the YMCA, since neither requires prior teaching experience; they hire newly certified staff and train through a screening process. Get your swim instructor and lifeguarding certifications current, then apply during a hiring window and prepare for the in-water skills screen. Propel is the next step: once you have about a year of teaching behind you, you can teach independently and set your own rate.

What are the hours and shifts like for swim instructors in Surrey?+

They vary by employer. City of Surrey and YMCA roles lean on evenings, early mornings, and full weekends, often as part-time or seasonal shifts assigned to you, which can work around school if you can cover those times. Teaching independently on Propel is different: you set your own availability and teach only when it suits you, year-round, rather than picking up assigned shifts.

Can you teach private swim lessons on your own in Surrey?+

Yes, and the practical work is pool access and insurance rather than permission from anybody in particular. Surrey does not publish a rule either way about paid private instruction at its pools, so anywhere you teach, you need the facility operator's agreement in writing, plus your own liability coverage. If you also work for the City, its conflict of interest policy governs outside work, so keep the two separate and do not use City time or property for private clients. Propel is the simpler route: you teach in partner pools in Surrey, set your own schedule and rate, and Propel handles bookings, payments, and up to $10,000,000 of insurance for a 16% booking fee.

How does teaching for the City of Surrey compare to the YMCA?+

Both are credential-heavy paths that pair teaching with guarding, and neither has an instructor-only track. The City of Surrey offers unionized CUPE 402 auxiliary roles where seniority governs your hours, starting at $25.85/hr in the Fall 2025 posting and rising on a fixed grid to about $30.70/hr at the top instructor step under the 2021 to 2024 agreement. It hires in short, published intake windows, so timing your application matters. The Tong Louie Family YMCA is a single branch that posts roles as they open, lists its front-line job as part-time permanent, and publishes no wage grid; aggregator estimates put instructor pay around $22 to $23/hr. The City is the larger operation, with five indoor pools against the single YMCA branch.

What is the hiring process like for swim instructor jobs in Surrey?+

For the City of Surrey, expect a multi-stage process: apply with current certifications during a roughly two-week window, then move through physical and in-water skills testing, an interview, references, and a Police Information Check with vulnerable sector screening, which can take about three months. The YMCA runs a similar online application with references and a criminal record check. On Propel there is no hiring cycle: you create a profile, do a short orientation call, and can be booked right away.

Start teaching in Surrey

Join a community of like-minded swim instructors, who each teach their own way in a network of private pools across Canada.

Sign up to teach on Propel

City of Surrey entry rate of $25.85/hr from the City's Lifeguard and Swim Instructor recruitment posting, Fall 2025 (as of 2025-07). Lifeguard-Instructor grid of $29.56 to $30.70/hr and Lifeguard Instructor 1 rate from the City of Surrey and CUPE Local 402 collective agreement, January 1 2021 to December 31 2024, at 2024 rates (as of 2024-01; agreement expired 2024-12-31). Head Lifeguard rates of $33.29 to $34.39/hr from the City's Head Lifeguard posting (as of 2025-07). Intake dates, screening stages, and certification requirements from the same City postings (as of 2025-07 and 2025-10). Certification ladder, Second Try Assurance, and course prerequisites from the City of Surrey recreation guide (as of 2025-04) and the Lifesaving Society BC and Yukon course pages (as of 2026-04). Tong Louie Family YMCA facility details and Aquatics Supervisor salary of $65,000 to $68,500 from YMCA BC and public postings (as of 2026-04 and 2026-08); YMCA instructor pay of roughly $22 to $23/hr is a salary-aggregator estimate, not a published scale (as of 2025-09 to 2026-04). Class ratios are per Lifesaving Society Swim for Life program standards. Propel earnings are take-home pay averaged across instructors on the platform in 2025; actual earnings vary with your price, availability, location, season, and demand.

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