Overseas teacher recruitment

New website for overseas teachers

We have launched a new website to support overseas teachers interested in teaching in New Zealand. The site outlines what it’s like to teach in New Zealand and the process you need to go through to be able to teach here.

Teach in New Zealand(external link)

Financial support for overseas teacher recruitment

Reintroducing the overseas finders fee and overseas relocation grant

The Government has expanded two grants to support overseas teacher recruitment.

Eligible schools, kura and early learning services can now apply for the 'overseas finders fee' of up to $3,450 to help meet their recruitment costs.

Overseas finders’ fee – TeachNZ(external link)

Additionally, eligible overseas and returning New Zealand teachers have access to the overseas relocation grant of up to $10,000 towards the cost of relocating to New Zealand.

For the first time, early learning services can apply for the scheme, supporting the early learning sector to secure qualified teaching staff from overseas.

Overseas relocation grant – TeachNZ(external link)

These initiatives are open for applications via the TeachNZ website(external link).

Dedicated personal support

We have a ‘navigator’ team to support schools, kura, early learning services and overseas teachers through the overseas teacher recruitment journey.

If you have any queries about overseas teacher recruitment or require assistance, please contact our navigators and we will do our best to help.

Email: teacher.supply@education.govt.nz 

Phone: 0800 165 225 (Freephone in NZ)

Phone: +64 4 463 8466 (Outside NZ)

Accredited Employer Work Visa

The new Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) came into effect on Monday 4 July 2022. It is a three-step process and requires schools, kura and early learning services to become accredited in order to hire a migrant.

Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) – Immigration NZ(external link)

The three-steps are to:

  1. Become an accredited employer – Immigration NZ(external link)
  2. Apply for a job check after having advertised the role in NZ – Immigration NZ(external link)
  3. Ask the migrant to apply for their visa – Immigration NZ(external link)

For full information on the process to become an accredited employer, and to understand what you need in order to have your job check approved, please see the Immigration NZ website.

Steps to hiring migrant on the AEWV – Immigration NZ(external link)

Green list roles

Within the Accreditation Employer Worker Visa scheme, the Government has produced a ‘green list'.

The purpose of the green list is to provide a residence pathway to support attraction of highly skilled migrants in globally in-demand and long-term shortage areas.

If the occupation is on the list and the employer is accredited, they will not need to provide proof of advertising for the role during the AEWV job check step (Step 2).

For the green list teaching roles, the migrant will have a work to residency pathway after two years.

Specific education roles are deemed enduring skill shortage occupations and are captured on the green list. Employment must be for a position as a teacher in one of the following areas:

  • Secondary school teacher in one of the following specialisations:
    • Science (including chemistry, biology, physics, agricultural and horticultural science, and earth and space science)
    • Mathematics (including statistics and calculus)
    • Technology (including digital technologies, computer science, construction and mechanical technologies, materials technologies, and processing technologies)
    • Pacific languages (including languages of Tokelau, Niue, Cook Islands, Sāmoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Fiji, Rotuma, and Kiribati).
  • Early childhood (pre-primary school).

Teachers must hold a New Zealand registration and a provisional practising certificate issued by the Teaching Council.

Green list occupations – Immigration NZ(external link)

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