New Teaching Pathways for New Zealand Immigration 2024.

  Teaching is one of the most admirable of all professions and without a proper education system driven by quality teachers a country’s ability to experience growth will be severely inhibited. The government recognised the need for quality teachers  by placing the teacher occupation on the green list enabling skilled teaching professionals a pathway to working and living permanently in New Zealand. 

Secondary teachers are now on Tier 1 of the Green List, which allows them to apply for the Straight to Residence visa provided they have a full-time secondary teaching job offer in New Zealand that pays more than the median wage.

Primary and early childhood education (ECE) teaching professions are on Tier 2 of the Green List, which means that after two years of full-time employment in a teaching career in New Zealand, you may be eligible to apply for the Green List Work to Residence category.

Before you apply you must meet the qualifications listed on the Green List for their teaching profession. This article will clarify these prerequisites, as well as how to register with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand.

  Accredited Employer Work Visa :

Unless you are a secondary school teacher applying for Straight to Residence, the initial stage is to obtain a temporary work visa to begin working in a New Zealand school. The Accredited Employer Work Visa is likely to be the best option.

This visa application will require a job offer with a NZ school which holds INZ Employer Accreditation. Teaching vacancies within New Zealand are advertised on the Education gazette.

Applicants will also need to hold registration and a practicing certificate from the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand before applying for this work visa, and this process is explained in detail below.

Work to Residence in NZ for Primary/ECE Teachers (Green List):

As a primary or ECE teacher, applicants must have worked in a teaching role for at least 24 months on a valid work visa before applying for the resident visa.

To be eligible for residence as a teacher under the Green Pathway List, you must also meet each of the following requirements

• Registration with the teaching council of Aotearoa New Zealand
• A Provisional Practicing Certificate Issued by the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand  
• pay for the employment to be at least the median wage or above.

  1) Registration With The Teaching Council of Aotearoa :

 The Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand offers detailed instructions on how to apply for teacher registration for overseas-trained instructors. The Teaching Council does not register or certify teachers in New Zealand based on their education sector (early childhood, primary, or secondary). In New Zealand, it is up to each employer to determine whether a provisionally certified teacher possesses the necessary qualifications, skills, and experience to work in a teaching position at their center/school, as well as whether the teacher meets the funding and licensing requirements for the early childhood sector.

The most intensive element of the registration process is generally to demonstrate that you hold an equivalent teacher education qualification if you did not train in NZ. This will be demonstrated in one of the following ways:      

1.  Your qualifications may be included on the Pre-Approved Overseas Teaching Qualification List. However, you must properly verify the comments under each qualification to guarantee that your qualification is indeed on the list.
2. If the qualification is not on this list, you will need to apply for an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.

• The Teaching IQA typically costs NZ$746; however, some applicants may be qualified for a Zero Fee Teaching IQA, which is given on a monthly basis.
• The IQA process can take up to 4 months.

3.  If your qualification is not assessed as equivalent to a NZ qualification, you can still apply for your registration under the discretionary pathway as an exception to the policy. This further assessment process involves submitting a portfolio of evidence which may include the following:       

•  The NZQA assessment
• Information about practicums undertaken
• Overseas registration
• Teaching service completed
• Previous appraisals, observations, assessments
• Previous mentoring/inductions
• Support letters from professional leaders
• Professional development undertaken
•  Up-to-date CV
• Evidence of English Province Test

2)  Practicing Certificate With The Teaching Council :

    To teach in NZ, registered teachers must also hold a valid practicing certificate, which is valid for three years. There are various types of practicing certificates, however the most relevant for overseas-trained teachers are:

• The Tomua Provisional Practicing Certificate
• the Tuturu Full (Category One) Practicing Certificate

     The Tomua Provisional Practicing Certificate :

Overseas qualified instructors must apply for the Tōmua Provisional Practicing Certificate before teaching in New Zealand. Teachers who earn this credential qualify for an orientation and mentoring program provided by their school, with support from a mentor teacher. Overseas trained teachers can achieve the Standards for the Teaching professions before obtaining a Tūturu Full (Category One) Practicing Certificate. These teachers often need assistance in demonstrating their commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi relationship, which involves incorporating Māori language and customs into their teaching practice.

The Tututra Full (Category One) Practicing Certificate :

Overseas qualified instructors must apply for the Tōmua Provisional Practicing Certificate before teaching in New Zealand. Teachers who earn this credential are eligible for an orientation and mentoring program provided by their school, with support from a mentor teacher. Overseas trained teachers can achieve the Standards for the Teaching professions before obtaining a Tūturu Full (Category One) Practicing Certificate. These teachers often need assistance in demonstrating their commitment to the Te Tiriti o Waitangi relationship, which involves incorporating Māori language and customs into their teaching practice. 

The cost for a Tōmua Provisional Practicing Certificate which includes registration for life (for overseas-trained teachers) is currently NZ$564.37. Registration costs only $128.96. Teachers must hold a current practicing certificate to qualify for employment in a teaching position in New Zealand.

3) Paid at least the Median Wage

Currently the NZ median wage is $31.61 per hour.

Employers must pay teachers at least the median wage for the 24-month work period to count towards work-to-residence in New Zealand. Teachers must also receive at least the median wage at the time of applying for residence.

Schools generally set teachers’ salaries on a scale that considers their qualifications and years of experience. Teachers can request an Ed pay assessment to have prior teaching experience overseas taken into account.

Simplified Residency for Secondary Teachers: Apply from Abroad (Green List):

In May 2024, Secondary teachers moved to Tier 1 of the Green List visa, enabling overseas applications for Straight to Residence.   

Registration and a practicing certificate from the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand will still be necessary.

In addition, applicants will be paid at or above the median hourly income of $31.61 to be considered. Applicants must have their EdPay salary assessment checked to verify they meet this criteria. This wage assessment can take some time , therefore it is best to start as soon as possible, and the AEWV temporary work visa option 

Overseas Relocated Grant :

the Ministry of Education is providing an Overseas Relocation Grant of up to NZ$10,000 for overseas trained teachers to move to New Zealand to take up a teaching role. However, get in quick because the teaching role must start before 30 June 2024 to be eligible to apply for this grant.

New Zealand work and residence visas:  

The fact that all teaching positions are on the Green List demonstrates the demand for high-quality, enthusiastic educators in New Zealand schools. INZ has seen this need and has established a clear pathway to residency for overseas instructors who meet the registration requirements. The process of determining your eligibility and gathering documentation might take some time, and experienced help will make the procedure more seamless and stress-free.

Conclusion:

Considering the pivotal role of teachers in fostering national growth, New Zealand has prioritized their recruitment by placing teaching professions on the Green List, offering a pathway to residency. With streamlined visa options, such as the Straight to Residence for secondary teachers and Work to Residence for primary and ECE educators, along with essential requirements like registration and a practicing certificate, aspiring teachers can navigate towards a fulfilling career in New Zealand’s vibrant education sector.