Teaching In New Zealand: Understanding the Pathways
- By Vineet Bhardwaj
- Immigration, Immigration New Zealand, New Zealand Student Visa, Student Visa, Study Visa, Work Visa, Working Visa
- 0 comments
Introduction
In the wake of Immigration and Education Minister Erica Stanford’s announcement on 03 April 2024 regarding Secondary teachers moving to New Zealand be put on a fast track to residency to help address workforce shortages, we reckoned that a blog post covering all the requirements for teachers to work in New Zealand can be put together at one place to benefit all the interested teachers from around the globe.
In this blog, we will tell you everything you need to know about the teaching profession in New Zealand if you are an overseas-trained teacher OR if you wish to pursue a teaching career in New Zealand by coming to New Zealand to study a course that leads to Teacher Registration.
This blog post is a one-stop resource for overseas-trained teachers, who wish to come to New Zealand on a work visa OR a resident visa (yes, from May 2024, overseas-trained secondary school teachers will become eligible to apply for residency under the Green List Straight-to-resident visa category).
Reasons to relocate to New Zealand as a teacher
High Demand for Teachers: Imagine being part of a community where your skills are not just valued, but desperately needed. That’s exactly the case in New Zealand, where there’s a real shortage of teachers. Schools across the country are eagerly searching for passionate educators like you to join their teams and help shape the future of Kiwi kids. Your expertise could make a world of difference here, and the sense of fulfilment you’d experience by positively impacting young lives is truly unparalleled.
Attractive Environment: Picture waking up to the sound of waves crashing on the shore or the sight of snow-capped mountains outside your window. In New Zealand, these stunning landscapes aren’t just reserved for vacations—they’re part of daily life. Whether you’re exploring lush forests, pristine beaches, or charming countryside, there’s always something new and breathtaking to discover. And beyond the natural beauty, New Zealand offers a warm and welcoming community, where neighbours become friends and every day feels like a new adventure.
Residency Pathways: The idea of putting down roots in a new country can be daunting, but in New Zealand, it’s an opportunity filled with promise. With recent changes to immigration policies, the path to residency has never been clearer for teachers. Imagine the sense of security that comes with knowing you can build a future here, surrounded by the people and places you’ve come to love. From exploring new career opportunities to enjoying the simple pleasures of everyday life, New Zealand offers a wealth of possibilities for those willing to seize them.
Overseas Relocation Grant: Overseas-trained teachers coming to New Zealand to fill a teaching vacancy may be eligible for an Overseas Relocation Grant from the Ministry of Education. This grant can be up to $10,000 (GST inclusive). The Overseas Relocation Grants are available from 1st July 2023 to 30 June 2024.
For more information on the Overseas Relocation Grants, please go to LINK here: https://www.teachnz.govt.nz/overseas-trained-teachers/overseas-trained-teachers-relocation-grant
To know what expenses you can claim under the Overseas Relocation Grants, please refer to the LINK here: https://www.taxtechnical.ird.govt.nz/determinations/miscellaneous/det-0904-eligible-relocation-expenses
Schooling in New Zealand
Children in New Zealand generally start school at age 5 and spend 13 years at school. It means they can be 18 years old when they complete their schooling.
The classes are not like Class 1, class 2, and so on like in some other countries. Here, the classes are called years like Year 1, Year 2, and so on. This means that, unlike say, India, where a student goes to school from first to twelfth (10+2), in NZ, they go to school from Year 1 to Year 13. For clarity, you can simply replace the word “Class” or “Standard” with the word “Year” when you are talking about the New Zealand school system.
Early Childhood Education Teachers
Early childhood education is provided for babies, toddlers and young children up to the age of 6 years.
Primary school
Primary school takes children from year 0 or year 1 (age 5) to year 6 or year 8, depending on the school.
Intermediate school
Intermediate school is for children in years 7 and 8, where their primary school does not go to this level.
Secondary school
Secondary education runs from Year 9 (around 12-14 years old) up to Year 13 (around 16-18 years old). Students generally work towards the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) when they begin level 1 in Year 11 and work through to level 3 in Year 13.
NCEA levels 1, 2 and 3 are on the first 3 levels of the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF). At each level of the NZQCF, students pass by achieving a particular number of credits.
For Overseas-trained Teachers
Requirements for teaching in New Zealand
To practice as a teacher in New Zealand, there are two requirements:
- You must be registered by The Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand (TCANZ) and
- You must hold a current practising certificate.
How to meet these requirements? First, you must have a qualification that is accepted by New Zealand. So, if your qualification is already on the list of exempted overseas qualifications, then you can straightaway apply for your teacher registration. However, if your overseas qualification is not in the list of exempted qualifications, then you need to get them assessed by NZQA (New Zealand Qualifications Authority).
If you were trained as a teacher overseas there are a few pathways for the TCANZ to determine if you meet its satisfactorily trained-to-teach requirements. One of the important pathways can be the Discretionary Pathway. This pathway can be helpful to applicants whose report says they do not meet the core knowledge requirements. For these clients, TCANZ can consider their application under a discretionary pathway by assessing additional factors like their practicum component, their appraisals, Professional development training, etc.
For more information on the Discretionary Pathway, please refer to LINK here.
Helpful Tip:
Before going for an NZQA assessment, I suggest you test your English Language proficiency by sitting in an English test (Like IELTS, PTE, etc.). This would confirm whether going for an NZQA assessment is worthwhile or not.
Step 1: NZQA Assessment
In the registration process, the first step is to get your overseas qualifications assessed by NZQA (New Zealand Qualifications Authority). Here, the important part is to get all your qualifications assessed, not only your education degree. Meaning, not only your B.Ed. M.Ed. but your other qualifications like your B.Sc., B.A, etc. degrees also.
To Find out if you need an IQA for your teaching qualification, please go to the Link here.
https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/international/recognise-overseas-qual/iqa/register-teacher
Once you know whether you need to apply for an IQA (International Qualification Assessment), you will be required to either go to
- Step 2 (if IQA is not required because your overseas qualification is exempt from assessment and NZQA already accepts it) OR
- Step 1.1 below if you need to get your overseas qualifications assessed.
Step 1.1: For Teaching IQA the current fee is NZ$746. This package includes the evaluation of an additional 2 free Standard IQAs. It means that if you wish to get your additional qualification like your other bachelor’s degree assessed, you can get up to 2 qualifications assessments for free.
Most outcomes are positive. So, this step may take some time but it is an essential step towards your teacher registration.
The next step before you start your application is to make sure you have all the required documents ready.
To know what documents are required for your IQA application, please refer to the LINK here
You can apply online yourself by creating an account. You can also engage our services for a nominal fee.
Step 2: Demonstrate English language competency
You must be proficient in the English language to meet the teaching registration requirements. For example, your IELTS Academic scores must be at least 7 overall AND 7 in each band. Your PTE Academic must be 65 overall AND 65 in each band Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. It is important to inform you that the scores from multiple tests can be clubbed together to meet the English requirements.
For the List of evidence required to meet the English requirements, the LINK here can be referred to.
Step 3: Submit your Application for REGISTRATION and a practising certificate to The Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand
For the documents required for Registration, please refer to the LINK here. The list, among other items, includes:
- Your acceptable qualifications;
- Police certificate from your country of citizenship and from any country you have lived in for 12 months or more in the 10 years before you made your application to the Council;
- Evidence of English language proficiency
For Fee and Levy Information, please refer to the LINK here.
https://teachingcouncil.nz/getting-certificated/fee-and-levy-information
You will be required to create an account to submit your application. Please refer to the LINK here.
https://haporimatatu.teachingcouncil.nz/s
For Studying A Course That Leads To Teaching Registration
If you wish to come to New Zealand to study a course that leads to teacher registration and finally to residency, there are many courses to choose from.
Now, when it comes to your qualifications, especially if you’re considering a teaching job, it’s important to know that not all qualifications from other countries are recognized the same way in New Zealand. So, we can help you figure out if your qualifications meet New Zealand standards for teaching. If they don’t quite measure up, it might be a good idea to pursue further studies here.
Teaching jobs are in high demand here, so getting a qualification in this field can lead to some great job opportunities. Plus, now, due to Immigration’s new policy for secondary teachers, their residency application will be fast-tracked. So, if teaching in New Zealand is part of your long-term plan, and if you are not already an overseas teacher, getting a qualification here could also be a smart move.
To learn about the courses, please refer to the LINK here.
https://teachingcouncil.nz/professional-practice/ite-providers/approved-ite-programmes
Residency Pathways for Teachers
Straight to Residence Visa
You can apply for this visa if you currently work, or you have a job offer, from an accredited employer, and your role is on Tier 1 of the Green List.
As announced by the Minister, from May 2024, Secondary School Teachers will be added to Tier 1 of the Green List making them eligible for residency under this category.
Work to Residence Visa
You can apply for this visa if you currently work for, or have a job offer from, an accredited employer, and have worked in a Tier 2 Green List role for 24 months.
This is relevant for all teachers who have worked for 24 months in New Zealand.
Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
You can apply for this visa if you currently work or you have a job offer from an accredited employer, and qualify for 6 points for your skills and work in New Zealand. You submit an expression of interest (EOI). If it is accepted, you will be invited to apply.
This is also applicable to all teachers who qualify for 6 points.
Conclusion
When you’re thinking about moving to New Zealand to work or to study, you can do so with your family. The family visa options can make the process smoother for you. For instance, your partner can apply for a partnership-based work visa, which allows them to work while you’re employed or studying. And if you have kids, don’t worry, there are visa options for them too. Younger children can get a Dependent Child Visitor Visa, while older ones can apply for a Dependent Child Student Visa, so they can go to school here without any extra cost to you.
Choosing which area of teaching to focus on is also important. Whether it’s early childhood, primary, or secondary education, there are different paths you can take. And if you decide to do your teaching qualification here in New Zealand, there are some perks for your family too. They can join you during your studies, and after you’re done, you might be eligible for a post-study work visa, which could eventually lead to residency.
To conclude, teaching in New Zealand is an exciting journey filled with opportunities to make a real impact. From its stunning scenery to its warm and inclusive educational community, there’s so much to love about working as a teacher in Kiwi Land. By following the steps laid out in this blog, educators from around the world can set themselves up for success in the lively classrooms of New Zealand. Whether it’s embracing the unique teaching culture, taking advantage of residency pathways, or simply enjoying the beauty of this incredible country, there’s something here for everyone. So, if you’re dreaming of a rewarding teaching career in a breathtaking setting, New Zealand might just be the perfect place to make those dreams a reality.
Contact Us Today
We can help you at each step. Therefore, if you wish to engage our services for any step above, you can connect with us through the following outlets:
🔗 Learn More: https://visaadvicenewzealand.co.nz/
✉️ Email: vineet@visaadvice.info
📞 Call or WhatsApp: +64 223006101
📝 Fill up a small form: https://visaadvicenewzealand.co.nz/contact/