Get ready to move to New Zealand

There are a few things you can do before you arrive in New Zealand, including applying for a New Zealand bank account and an IRD (tax identification) number. You can find some practical tips on the New Zealand immigration website.  

Live in New Zealand – Immigration NZ

Your overseas teaching qualification needs to be approved and recognised by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). We recommend you start with this as some overseas qualifications may not be recognised, or you may need to undertake some transition training.

You will need an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) to show your qualification is comparable to a New Zealand ITE qualification. There is no pre-approved list of overseas qualifications.

International Qualification Assessment – NZQA

Your qualification will be assessed as quickly as possible if you provide verified qualification documents. There is a fee for this assessment.

Qualification evaluation fees - NZQA

Document verification – NZQA

There are language competency requirements you need to meet before you register as a teacher in New Zealand. Check to see if you meet the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand’s language competency requirements.

Language competency requirements – Teaching Council

To enter the teaching profession in New Zealand you need to register as a teacher and apply for a practising certificate with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand. There is a fee for this.

Fees and levy information

In the first instance, if approved, you will be provisionally registered, and your school be eligible for overseas teacher time allowance to provide you with a mentor.

Apply for registration and certification – Teaching Council

Please note, if you have received an employment offer to teach at a New Zealand school, kura or early childhood centre, let the Teaching Council know. It is a priority to get teachers registered and certified when they have a definite job offer. 

There is currently high demand for teachers in New Zealand, including:

• secondary school teachers for subjects including sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics
• teachers in remote or rural regions
• teachers of te reo Māori and teachers in Kaupapa Māori/Māori-medium settings
• relief teachers.

You can learn more about teaching opportunities across New Zealand on the Education Gazette.

Vacancies – Education Gazette

Early childhood jobs can be listed in the Education Gazette but can also be listed on independent job sites such as Seek.

Seek New Zealand

You may also want to use a recruitment agency to help you in your search for finding a job.

Jobs for partners and family

If your partner or children want to look for roles, the Tatahū Career Navigator website has a list of job sites in the geographical and work areas available.

Looking for a job

For pay purposes, you and your school will need to complete your salary assessment with Education Payroll. This includes providing recognition of relevant work from your previous educational employers.

Salary assessment – EdPay

To live and work in New Zealand, you must have a valid work visa. You must apply for your visa through Immigration NZ. There are several visas for different circumstances and occupations. Information about the different visas and how to apply is available on the Immigration New Zealand website.

If you have a job offer from an accredited employer you can apply for a visa, the duration of which will depend on the job offer.

Accredited Employer Work Visa » Immigration New Zealand

Primary and secondary teachers from overseas are eligible to apply for a Straight to Residence Visa. This means you can apply for a visa before you move if you have a job offer from an accredited employer. There is a salary threshold you must meet for this visa and some teachers may not meet that threshold.

Straight to Residence Visa – Immigration NZ

Early childhood teachers from overseas are eligible for a Work to Residence Visa. You must be working for, or have a job offer from, an accredited employer. Your employment or offer must be full-time, and permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months. A salary threshold also applies for this visa.

Work to Residence – Immigration NZ

If you are wanting to take a working holiday as a teacher in New Zealand, you may be eligible for a working holiday visa. Working holiday visas are available to travellers, usually aged 18 to 30, but 18 to 35 in a select few countries. The visa lets you travel and work in New Zealand for up to 12 months. 

Working Holiday Visa – Immigration NZ

As teacher coming to or returning New Zealand from overseas, you may be eligible for the grant which covers relocation costs of up to NZD$10,000.

Funding of this grant is capped each year and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Overseas relocation grant – Education Workforce

Professional learning and development is important as it enables you to grow and thrive. We have a network of regionally allocated professional learning and development facilitators and providers. See our PLD site for more information.

Professional Learning & Development – Ministry of Education

One of our PLD providers, Tātai Aho Rau Core Education, provides professional learning and development support for beginning teachers, including overseas-trained teachers with provisional certification. 

Go to the Tātai Aho Rau Core Education website for more information on this programme. You can also view an introductory webinar, which outlines future PLD offerings. 

Mentor support programme – Core Education

When you first move here, you will be allocated a mentor to support you during your transition to our system. Depending on your teaching area you will get a time allowance of 10 weeks for primary, intermediate and special schools, while composite (Years 7-10) and secondary schools will get 20 weeks.

Overseas teacher time allowance – Ministry of Education