Four steps to complete

Come prepared

We’ve outlined in this section, the steps you need to complete to take up a teaching job in New Zealand. To avoid frustration and make things as easy as possible, complete everything before you leave home – and bring several certified copies of ALL documents with you!!

If you’ve locked your originals away in a relative’s attic, it’s rather difficult to retrieve them when they're miles away and when the New Zealand Qualifications Authority requires original documents before proceeding with a qualification evaluation.

It’s also particularly important to obtain a police clearance before you leave.  It’s so much easier to pop in to your local police station while you're still there so they can issue it. If you leave it until you arrive in New Zealand, you may experience considerable delays as overseas requests go to a central point for processing.

The four steps you need to complete

There are four steps that overseas teachers must complete if they wish to teach in New Zealand.  We suggest you carry out the steps in this order to make your move to New Zealand easier.

If you are serious about coming to New Zealand in the near future, then view steps 1 and 2 as an investment and get the process started and completed.  It would be useful to have these completed when you start applying for jobs.  Principals will take the fact that you have made this investment as an indication that you are serious about a job here, but it also means that you won't experience delays waiting for the steps to be completed.

Remember it’s far easier to sort documentation, police clearance and other requirements out before you leave the country.

Step 1: Have your qualifications assessed

Step 2: Register with the New Zealand Teachers Council

Step 3: Apply for a job

Step 4: Obtain a work permit