[5kings]

Hi

If anyone is interested I have just received a comprehensive email from teachnz, about the possibilty of moving over as a newly qualified teacher, if anyone is interested in the details I can copy and paste them?

Helen

[PeterV]

My wife is interested! :) Thank you!

[5kings]

As a newly qualified teacher, you would be eligible to apply for positions in New Zealand. The challenge might be the competition offered by the NZ graduates applying for jobs, plus the possibility that Immigration might not issue you with a work permit. (see below for details). If you are a young person and qualify for a young persons work visa, that would remove the need for the work permit and might make it easier. You could then apply for a work permit if you wished, while in the country .

If you wished to complete the graduate diploma of early childhood here in New Zealand you would be classified as an international student (unless you had permanent residency or citizenship). That would be more expensive. You can have a look of the course available on our website at www.teachnz.govt.nz Click on Thinking of Becoming a Teacher, then on ECE and then on Where to Study. The icon at the bottom of the page will enable you to download our booklet outlining the course available.

I am going to include below, comprehensive information about teaching in New Zealand which hopefully will be of assistance to you.

To be able to teach in New Zealand, overseas trained teachers must first have their qualifications approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (www.nzqa.govt.nz )and also gain registration through the Teachers Council (www.teacherscouncil.govt.nz) You should note that Teachers Council do not complete processing of an application until after they have received a certified copy of the NZQA assessment. Note also that you will ultimately need the NZQA assessment for correct salary assessment. You should make both these applications early on in the process, and give a written instruction to NZQA to pass a copy of their assessment directly to the Teachers Council.

Teachers who have qualified teacher status (QTS) , gained through "training on the job" programmes in UK ,such as the Graduate Training Programme (GTP), need to be aware that NZQA does not equate that to the graduate diploma of teaching which is the training qualification for graduate teachers in New Zealand. A number of USA training options are also affected in this way. There are alternate ways by which many such teachers can gain registration if they have teaching experience. However there could be salary implications if you were registered before February 2007. If you hold QTS, you should discuss this with me further so that you fully understand the situation before you come, and it is essential that such teachers complete the registration process before coming to New Zealand.

Teachers not trained in New Zealand are required to prove their proficiency in English language. Some countries are exempt from this requirement. Details are set out on page 5 of the Completion Guide which accompanies the application for registration (refer to www.teacherscouncil.govt.nz)

For salary assessment, you will also need a statement from your employing authority/authorities on official letterhead, setting out the exact time that you have taught. If the service has been full time and continuous, the letter must state this, and show the exact commencing and completion dates - otherwise it will have to state the exact number of days that have been worked. You can access New Zealand salary scales through our TeachNZ website www.teachnz.govt.nz Click on Overseas Teachers, then on Employment, then on Salaries and you will find the pay scales in the relevant Collective Employment Contract.

All these documents, plus a current police report, should be obtained as soon as you decide to come to New Zealand. Otherwise you could find yourself on a basic salary initially, although back pay would be paid after receipt of all the documentation.

In New Zealand, schools are self managing and are entirely responsible for their own appointments. The situation is thus a competitive one, and the gaining of registration is not a guarantee of a job. The style of teaching is interactive rather than directive, and these issues need to be considered by teachers coming from outside New Zealand.You can access details of the NZ curriculum through our website at www.teachnz.govt.nz Click on Overseas trained teachers, then on Teaching in New Zealand, then on Curriculum (located at the side).

If you have not already done so, I suggest that you search the TeachNZ web site which is at www.teachnz.govt.nz This site has a great deal of information of interest to overseas teachers considering coming to New Zealand. It also enables you to access the websites of NZ Immigration Service, Teachers Council, NZQA and Education Gazette (where all teaching positions are advertised.- the direct address of the Education Gazette is www.edgazette.govt.nz ) Application forms for NZQA and Teachers Council can be accessed and downloaded from their sites which are also accessible through the TeachNZ site. I suggest that you also register interest, which means you can be updated as events happen. Click on "Overseas Trained Teachers" and you will see a black box called "Find out what's new" Take that option and fill in your details.

Other websites of relevance are:

* Te Kete Ipurangi at www.tki.org.nz This has materials for teachers, school managers and the wider community, and for those teachers who have family accompanying them, the site also lists all schools in New Zealand
* www.teamup.govt.nz general information on the schools system
* Education Review Office site at www.ero.govt.nz This site will have available the latest review report for every school in the country
* Woolworths at www.woolworths.co.nz will give you a guide on food costs
* www.stuff.co.nz has links to the main city and provincial newspapers as well as sections on a range of information such as weather, travel, entertainment
* Real Estate nationwide sites such as www.realnz.co.nz and www.harcourts.co.nz will give you information about real estate
* A car auction firm at www.turners.co.nz will give you information about car prices
* www.edcentre.govt.nz has a lot of information about education in New Zealand

The normal way to apply for short term teaching positions (either day relief or longer term) is by direct application to the school, or else through one of the agents listed below. Day relief is not advertised and is best sought after arrival in New Zealand.

The following agents in New Zealand also place teachers (for permanent, day relief and longer terms). Be aware that schools tend to advertise their long term jobs in the Education Gazette first, so that should be your first point of reference. Schools often then approach agents if they are not successful - there is a cost involved for the school but not for the teacher. The agents do not employ the teachers - they facilitate the process):

Multiserve April Kennedy email relief@multiserve.co.nz (primary schools only)
Oasis Martin Strang email martin@oasis-edu.co.nz
Select Education Helen Bell email hbell@selecteducation.co.nz
Education Personnel Melanie Inglis email melanie@edperson.co.nz (secondary positions)
Vicky Campbell email cv@edperson.co.nz (primary positions

For all trained primary and secondary teachers, an International Relocation Grant of NZ$4000 is available ($5000 for NZ trained teachers returning), if a full time position is taken up within three months of arriving in New Zealand.

Work permits are currently granted automatically for any secondary teacher who is NZ registered and has formal proof of a job offer. The same now applies for primary teachers with at least three years experience. To employ a primary teacher with less than three years experience, schools may have to prove to the Immigration Service that no suitable NZ teacher is available to fill the position. However as the position in Auckland is quite tight, it is likely that even applications from primary teachers with less than three years service would receive favourable consideration. It is certainly worth a try. Another possibility for people under 30 years of age is the Working Holiday Scheme - this is very simple and can be checked on www.immigration.govt.nz

You can download the application for a work permit from www.immigration.govt.nz Your form must be accompanied by the form NZIS1113 which the school principal has to complete. You must also attach your letter of appointment. If the principal is uncertain of any of this, direct him / her to me. Australian teachers do not require a work permit. If you intend eventually applying for residency and you have sufficient time, you should investigate applying for a work to residency visa.

Please be aware that if you plan being in New Zealand for more than 6 months, depending on the country you are coming from, you may need a TB test. Also there are more stringent general health checks being considered. Please see the Immigration Service website for details (www.immigration.govt.nz).

[sophiedb]

Thanks for this :)

[tea drinker]

Thanks for that Helen!
Have put the info in a safe place.

Just to clarify...in the long email when it talks about the NZ school filling in NZIS1113 and letter of appointment...the email says

if the principal is in any doubt

'direct him/her to me'

Who is 'me'?

Presume it is a nice person at teachnz but is there a named person or dept to contact?