​Fast Track Residency for Secondary School Teachers – Government Initiative Addresses Teacher Shortage in New Zealand

In response to the critical shortage of teachers in New Zealand's education system, the government has announced a series of measures aimed at attracting and retaining skilled educators. This move comes as a response to the increasing pressure on educational institutions to fill vacancies and maintain quality standards within schools across the country.

Effective May 2024, secondary school teachers will be transitioned to the Straight to Residence pathway on the Green List of in-demand roles. This pathway allows eligible overseas secondary school teachers to apply for residence from outside New Zealand, provided they have an offer of employment with an accredited employer, without the requirement of working in New Zealand for two years first.

The Immigration and Education Minister, Erica Stanford, emphasized the importance of addressing shortages, particularly in subjects such as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). "Shortages in secondary teachers, especially those in specific regions and subject skills such as Science, Technology, and Mathematics, have been an ongoing challenge for the New Zealand education workforce," stated Ms. Stanford.

Ms. Stanford further highlighted the Ministry of Education's efforts to address teacher shortages through various strategies, including attracting teachers back to the profession and increasing the number of domestically trained teachers through Initial Teacher Education programs.

While secondary school teachers will now have a fast-tracked pathway to residency, other teacher roles will remain on the Work to Residence Pathway. The government anticipates that this measure will help alleviate shortages and contribute to the delivery of quality education across New Zealand.

Are you a Secondary School Teacher wanting to move to New Zealand?

Jobcorp employed a qualified School Teacher as one of our recruitment consultants who migrated to New Zealand herself. If you are a Secondary School Teacher and looking to relocate to NZ – get in touch with Jobcorp today.

To contact our in-house Immigration Adviser, email vanessa@jobcorp.co.nz.

To contact the Jobcorp Recruitment Team to discuss educational jobs, email info@jobcorp.co.nz.