New website for overseas teachers

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

Financial support for overseas teacher recruitment

The overseas finders fee and overseas relocation grant

The Government provides two grants to support overseas teacher recruitment.

Eligible schools, kura and early learning services can apply for the Overseas Finders Fee of up to $3,450 to help meet their recruitment costs.

Education Workforce

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

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

Overseas Relocation Grant – Education Workforce

These initiatives are open for applications via the Education Workforce website.

Education Workforce

Dedicated personal support

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

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: [email protected]

Phone: 0800 165 225 (Freephone in NZ)

Phone: +64 4 463 8466 (Outside NZ)

Accredited Employer Work Visa

The 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 to hire a migrant.

Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) – Immigration NZ

The three-steps are to:

1. Become an accredited employer – Immigration NZ
2. Apply for a job check after having advertised the role in NZ – Immigration NZ (also see information on Green List roles below)
3. Ask the migrant to apply for their visa – Immigration NZ

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

Steps to hiring migrant on the AEWV – Immigration NZ

Green list roles

All qualified teachers are now included on Immigration New Zealand’s Green List as roles eligible for work to residence.

The Green List provides 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.

To be eligible teachers must hold a New Zealand registration and a provisional practising certificate issued by the Teaching Council of Aotearoa.

Green list occupations – Immigration NZ