Primary Teachers' Collective Agreement

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Primary Teachers' Collective Agreement 2023–2025 [PDF, 1.1 MB]

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Email: employment.relations@education.govt.nz.

Changes to the agreement

Read about the recent changes in the Primary Teachers' Collective Agreement.

Changes to the Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement 2023-25

Part 6: Removal Expenses

Primary Teachers' Collective Agreement
Effective: 3 July 2023 to 2 July 2025

  • 6.1 Eligibility
    • 6.1.1 The following teachers who are moving from employment in a state or state-integrated school to employment in a state or state-integrated school where the shortest distance by road is 70 kilometres or more, are entitled to the reimbursement of actual and reasonable removal expenses in clauses 6.2 to 6.9, provided they are eligible under clause 6.1.2:

      1. Full-time, permanent teachers;
      2. Long-term relieving teachers of 12 months or more;
      3. Teachers in permanent job-sharing positions with reimbursement on a pro-rata basis.

      Note: Eligibility criteria and provision of removal expenses for First Permanent Appointments are described in clause 6.1.3.

      6.1.2

      Circumstance Criteria / Definition
      Promotion A promotion is defined as an appointment to a permanent position or long-term relieving position of 12 months or more that has a total number of units greater than the total number of units in the teacher’s current position. This total will be the accumulation of permanent units and units allocated for a fixed term of 12 months or more.
      Moving to a school qualifying for the Staffing Incentive Allowance (SIA) or Priority Teacher Supply Allowance (PTSA)

      An employee shall be eligible for removal expenses when moving to a school qualifying for the Staffing Incentive Allowance (“SIA”) or Priority Teacher Supply Allowance (PTSA).

      Note: The employee does not need to be moving from a state or state integrated school.

      Moving to a school qualifying for the Staffing Incentive Allowance (SIA) or Priority Teacher Supply Allowance (PTSA)

      When moving from a school qualifying for the SIA or PTSA the employee is only eligible for removal services and expenses when they have completed a minimum of three years’ continuous service in one or more of the schools concerned.

      An employee in a school qualifying for the SIA or PTSA shall retain their removal services and expenses provided in 6.2 when moving from the school, even if the school loses its classification during the employee’s employment there, providing that they fulfil the three years’ continuous service requirement and is transferring directly to a permanent position or long-term reliever appointment of at least one year in accordance with 3.23.2(d) in another state or state-integrated school.

      Move in terms of the redeployment provisions contained in Part 9, Appendix Four and/or Appendix Five of this Agreement.

      Part 9: education.govt.nz/school/people-and-employment/employment-agreements/collective-agreements/primary-teachers-collective-agreement/part-9-employment-protection-and-surplus-staffing-provisions/

      Appendix Four: education.govt.nz/school/people-and-employment/employment-agreements/collective-agreements/primary-teachers-collective-agreement/appendix-4-staff-reorganisation-staff-surplus-provisions/

      Appendix Five: education.govt.nz/school/people-and-employment/employment-agreements/collective-agreements/primary-teachers-collective-agreement/appendix-5-resource-teacher-surplus-staffing-process/

      6.1.3 First Permanent Appointment

      1. On first permanent appointment, a teacher shall be eligible for the provisions set out in 6.1.3(b) where they meet the following criteria:
        1. The teacher is resident in New Zealand at the time of the appointment; and
        2. The appointment is within 12 months following graduation from a course of teacher training recognised by the Secretary; and
        3. The appointment involves a shift where the shortest distance by road between either their current residence or current employing school and new employing school is 70 kilometres or more.
      2. The following expenses are payable to teachers who meet the eligibility criteria in clause 6.1.3(a):
        1. Reimbursement of the cost of public transport (including airfares where necessary) for the teacher and dependents, or if public transport is not available, the appropriate motor vehicle rate to the nearest point of public transport;
        2. Reimbursement of actual legal expenses up to $1,000 when a teacher sells a house and buys (or builds and occupies) another within one year of first appointment;
        3. Use of the service provided by Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | the Ministry of Education for removal of furniture and effects without cost to the teacher.
      3. Where a teacher has an entitlement to removal expenses under clauses 6.1.2 and 6.1.3 i.e., because the teacher moves to a first permanent role and this role is at a SIA or PTSA school, the teacher will be covered by the SIA or PTSA provisions instead of clause 6.1.3.
  • 6.2 Entitlement
    • 6.2.1 A teacher eligible for removal expenses under clause 6.1.2 is entitled to a lump sum payment that covers travel expenses, including travel and meal allowances (clause 6.3), telephone reconnection charges, accommodation expenses (clause 6.4), furniture removal (clause 6.5), legal fees and land agent’s commission (clause 6.6) and transfer grant (clause 6.7) entitlements outlined below. 

      6.2.2 Where a teacher does not want to receive the lump sum payment as per clause 6.2.1, they can claim the entitlements specified in clause 6.2.1 as appropriate based on itemised receipts.

      Note: Receipts should be produced when claiming expenses.

      Note: These provisions shall be applied in accordance with any administrative conditions that were in effect at the commencement of this Agreement (as modified to reflect the changes made in this Agreement) or are altered as a result of this Agreement. 

  • 6.3 Travel Expenses
    • 6.3.1 The following travel expenses are refundable:

      1. When travelling by own transport, payment of motor vehicle allowance rates as follows:
        1. Motorcar – 83 cents per kilometre.

      6.3.2 Where travelling, the teacher is entitled to the following meal allowance:

          Standard Reduced 
      (staying privately)
      A For each full 24 hours period $57 $28
      B For additional periods less than 24 hours but more than 10 hours $57 $28
      C For additional period up to 10 hours $24  
  • 6.4 Accommodation Expenses and Rent Subsidy
    • 6.4.1 Where accommodation is required for a teacher and their dependents while permanent accommodation is obtained, accommodation expenses shall be paid in accordance with the following:

      1. From the commencement of the journey to the new location, up to two days if necessary;
      2. On arrival at the destination, up to seven days or until permanent accommodation is moved into, whichever comes first.

      6.4.2 Personal expenses for the teacher and any dependents, approved by the employer, shall be paid provided they are incurred within the following periods:

      1. From the commencement of the journey to the new location, up to two days if necessary;
      2. On arrival at the destination, up to seven days or until permanent accommodation is moved into, whichever comes first.

      6.4.3 A rent subsidy will be granted only in respect of a short-term tenancy, where rental accommodation is leased for a duration of six months or less. The amount of the subsidy is one sixth of the teachers’ fortnightly gross salary subtracted from the fortnightly rental cost. A rent subsidy is payable for a maximum of three months.

  • 6.5 Furniture Removal
    • 6.5.1 Packing, transporting, and unpacking the teacher’s personal effects will be undertaken by a provider contracted to the Ministry of Education for the transfer of the teacher’s effects and transit insurance.

  • 6.6 Legal Fees and Land Agent's Commission
    • 6.6.1 Where a teacher sells and/or buys land or a residence, they shall be reimbursed for the following expenses provided all transactions (buying, selling, or building and occupying) occur within two years after the date of the transfer:

      Situation Maximum amount for reimbursement
      1. Buying a house at the new location; or
      2. Building and occupying a house at the new location; and
      3. Selling a house at the former location.
      Legal fees and land agent's commission combined total of - $11,000
      1. Selling a house at the former location; but
      2. not buying a house.

      Legal fees - $950

      Land agent’s commission - $6,300
      1. Buying or building and occupying a house at the new location; but
      2. not selling a house at the former location.
      Legal fees - $4000
      1. Selling land and/or a house at location A; and
      2. Purchasing land at the new location B with the intention of building; and
      3. Transferring again (to location C) before the house is built; and
      4. The land at location B is subsequently sold.
      Legal fees and land agent’s commission combined total of - $3,800
      1. A house or land has not been previously owned at the teacher’s original location A; and
      2. Land is bought at a new location B; and
      3. The employee transfers again to a new location C before building at location B is complete; and
      4. The land at location B is subsequently sold.

      Legal fees - $500

      Land agent’s commission - $2000
      Selling land or a house at a former location without the services of a land agent Advertising costs - $630

      6.6.2 Where a teacher has been offered a position where removal expenses are payable and sells and purchases their residence or land before working in the role, the teacher will be eligible for a refund in accordance with whichever above category applies to their situation. The refund of expenses will not be made until and unless the employee begins working in the role.

      6.6.3 Where penalty charges arise because of the termination of a mortgage before the completion of the term of the loan, the employee will be reimbursed up to a maximum of $2,400.

  • 6.7 Transfer Grants
    • 6.7.1 A grant of $1,000 is payable where a teacher is entitled to removal expenses and rents, leases, or purchases housing.

      6.7.2 $300 for each child who is attending a state or state-integrated school prior to the date of transfer, who attends another state or state-integrated school after the transfer and for whom a different uniform is required to be purchased (in terms of the new school’s policy) because of a change of school.