Process for Teaching in New Zealand

In order to teach in New Zealand, there are four external agencies that you will need to engage with. By working with ep.education, we can help you navigate these processes and answer any questions you may have.

1.Have your qualifications assessed by NZQA

Watch our video guide to complete your IQA application.

If your qualifications are not exempt from assessment, you will need to submit an International Qualifications Assessment(IQA). To find out if your qualification is exempt from assessment visit the NZQA Pre-Approved List.

Purpose of International Qualifications Assessment

The New Zealand Qualification Authority’s role is to assess international qualifications against New Zealand qualifications (including some teaching qualifications). This means that some overseas teachers must have their qualifications evaluated to determine if they are comparable to an approved New Zealand initial teacher education qualification.

An NZQA Recognition Report is required by the New Zealand Teaching Council and for salary assessment purposes to ensure that you are paid at the correct level (unless your qualifications are on the NZQA pre-approved list of exempt teaching qualifications). To find out about applying, go to the International Qualifications Assessment (IQA) section on the NZQA website. Complete the teaching addon, the cost is roughly $746NZD. Online applications can be accessed by Clicking Here. Applications generally take several months (from the date that a complete application is received) to complete.

Check whether you only require your undergrad degree to be assessed by NZQA. You may or may not require the teaching add-on.

Australian teachers NOTE: Due to the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Agreement, you do not require an NZQA assessment for teacher registration. However, if you are going to be working in a state school in New Zealand, you may require one for salary assessment purposes. Without this, you will be paid as an untrained teacher

When Submitting your Application to NZQA

Check that you have included all of the documents required for an International Qualifications Assessment(IQA)

Make sure you send legible, coloured, scanned digital copies of all documents
Upload each of the documents as prompted by the online application process. Follow the prompts and read the help features as you progress with your online application
All files must be in PDF format
File size is limited to 5MB per file
One file must be uploaded per document type (e.g. one file for an award certificate, one file for transcripts etc)
Applications are not complete until all requires information is included and payment submitted via the online application
Include translations to the corresponding qualifications (if applicable)

Ensure that everything requested is included in your application. Otherwise you will be contacted via email and your application cancelled.

NOTE: a substantial number of teacher applications to NZQA do not include all the required information and this delays the application.

International Qualifications Assessment Outcomes

There are two likely outcomes on for your NZQA Recognition Statements:

Your qualification does contain core knowledge requirements of a New Zealand initial teacher education qualification.
Your qualification does not contain core knowledge requirements of a New Zealand initial teacher education qualification.

If your qualification is assessed as ‘does not contain core knowledge requirements of a recognised New Zealand teaching qualification, you may have to apply for teacher registration through the Discretionary Pathway for Overseas Teachers. It is worth looking at the requirements for this pathway in case you need to apply this way.

2. Apply for teacher registration with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand

Watch our video guide to completing your teacher registration application

All practicing teachers in New Zealand (including relief/supply teachers) must be registered with the New Zealand Teaching Council and hold a current practicing certificate. These are administered by the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand.

New Zealand Teacher Registration

Without New Zealand teacher registration and a current practising certificate you cannot be paid as a trained teacher in schools in New Zealand. An overseas trained teacher applying to teach in New Zealand for the first time should complete an application form on the Hapori Matatū | Online Community platform.

If your qualifications are exempt from being assessed by NZQA, you will need to register with the New Zealand Teaching Council and apply for a current practicing certificate. Should you have secured a teaching role, practicing certificates are valid for 3 years and must be renewed once they have expired.

Unless your qualification is exempt from assessment, the Teaching Council will require a copy of your NZQA Recognition Report, to complete your application. Being that the Teaching Council has moved to an online application form, you can provide scanned certified copies of your documentation.

When Submitting your Application for Teacher Registration

To complete your application on the Hapori Matatū Online Community platform, check to make sure that you have the following documents:

Proof of Identity: If you are living overseas at the time of completing this form complete the Proof of Identity currently residing overseas form.
Police Check: An Overseas Police Check will need to be completed for any country that you have spent 12 months or more within the past 10 years. For New Zealand the Teaching Council will complete one on your behalf
- For the United Kingdom International Child Protection Certificate (ICPC) they ask for the ‘Name of School or Organisation’ requesting the police check. Send this letter add your name and DOB. The answer is New Zealand Teaching Council.
Language Competency Evidence: Select one of the following options listed on the Teaching Council page and provide the evidence required
Education: You will be required to provide the following documentation as part of your application
- Teaching Qualification Certificate and Transcript
- Underpinning Qualification Certificate and Transcript (if applicable)
- Qualification Translations (if applicable)
- NZQA IQA outcome (if applicable)
- Practicum Placement (if your qualification is listed on the NZQA pre-approved list)
Teaching Experience: This refers to your paid teaching work experience after gaining your teaching qualification.
Professional Status: You can provide evidence of any professional status that is issued/recognised by a professional teaching body(such as Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in the United Kingdom)

Types of Practicing Certificates in New Zealand

Tōmua | Provisional Practising Certificate

You are a recently qualified teacher, or are new to the New Zealand teaching profession
You need to complete an induction and mentoring programme, supported by a fully certificated mentor teacher, before they can be assessed using the Standards | Ngā Paerewa to be issued with a full practising certificate

Tūturu | Full Practising Certificate (Category One)

You are an experienced teacher
You have recent teaching experience
You have recently been endorsed as meeting all the Standards | Ngā Paerewa

Pūmau | Full Practising Certificate (Category Two)

You are an experienced teacher
You are not currently able to be endorsed as meeting all the Standards | Ngā Paerewa because of your teaching role type

For more information regarding the different types of Practicing Certificates in New Zealand visit the Registration and Certification Teaching Council of Aotearoa

Australian Trained and Registered Teachers

3. Gain the right to work in New Zealand

Visa details are available on the Immigration New Zealand website. Once you have New Zealand registration you can legally teach in New Zealand with a valid right to work.

Work Visa

You cannot apply for a work visa until you have New Zealand teacher registration and a current practising certificate. If you meet immigration criteria set by Immigration New Zealand and have a job offer and the required forms for teaching work from a New Zealand school, then you can apply for a work visa. You can find out more information by Clicking Here.

NOTE: Under New Zealand law only a licensed immigration adviser is allowed to provide immigration advice. EP is not a licensed immigration adviser. However, we can assist the school with preparing the paperwork required for a work visa application.

Working Holiday Visa

If you meet the age requirements and are from a qualifying country, you may be able to enter New Zealand on a working holiday visa. This means that you can take on shorter term teaching roles. EP can assist you with finding daily relief (supply) teaching work in Auckland and Wellington or fixed -term relieving position nationwide.

NOTE: Under New Zealand law only a licensed immigration adviser is allowed to provide immigration advice. EP is not a licensed immigration adviser.

Immigration Partners

One of our Immigration partners, Migration Associates, also organise Webinar & Seminars on working and living in New Zealand. These seminars allow you to find out more about the New Zealand lifestyle, meet others that are looking to make the move and, more importantly, have all of your questions answered in person and in an intimate setting.

If you are serious about moving to New Zealand, we encourage you to speak to their team. They also offer Free Visa Evaluations. You may find this useful to get an understanding of your eligibility for a temporary or permanent visa, the costs and time-frames. It is important to note that you are under no obligation to use them or any other Licensed Adviser, however we encourage you to seek immigration advice from a Licensed Immigration Adviser to understand your visa eligibility.

4. Complete a Salary Assessment

In New Zealand in a state or state-integrated school, you will need to submit a Salary Assessment to Education Payroll (formerly Novopay) to ensure that you are paid at the correct salary rate.

If you start working in New Zealand prior to the completion of your Salary Assessment, you will initially be paid on a lower salary. Depending on the outcome of your IQA report from NZQA and the date you are granted teacher registration, you may be back paid.

NOTE: As soon as you have applied to the Teaching Council or if you already hold a practicing certificate this application needs to be submitted. Teachers mention that this is the most difficult stage of relocating. It can take several months to have your salary assessed correctly and, in the meantime, you may need funds to support yourself whilst living in New Zealand.

Salary Assessment

You apply for a salary assessment via EdPay Portal. You can apply while waiting for your teacher registration and visa to be processed as long as both have been submitted and your qualifications have been assessed by NZQA (if you require an IQA).

Watch the Teacher (applicant) video

The salary assessment process – submitting an application (video opens in Vimeo.com. 9.25mins)
Then submit your application via the Teacher login page
(automatic access with your Education Sector Login the same one used for your Teaching Council application)

For a salary assessment, you will need statements of service from all schools/teaching agencies you have worked for. This can be in the form of a reference as long as it contains the following:

On official letterhead from your previous employer
Hand signed by your previous employer (principal or headteacher)
Has the exact start date (dd/mm/yyyy) and exact end date (dd/mm/yyyy)
Is written after your last day of service or is accompanied by a letter from you stating you are happy for the service to be calculated up until the date of the letter. Then obtain a letter after you last day of service
States full-time or part-times - if part-time or casual, it must include hours worked per week or total hours overall
A description of service

Statement of Service Template

Salary Scale

Salary Scale

New Zealand teachers at state and state integrated primary, secondary and area schools are paid on an incremental step scale, according to their qualifications and their years of teaching experience (as assessed by Education Payroll Salary Assessment Unit).

Independent schools typically pay their teachers directly. Some schools pay on the state pay scale and some set their own salary rates (these are generally slightly higher than state rates).

Base Salary Scale for Teachers

To give you an idea of what your salary might be, here is the New Zealand teacher’s salary scale as of October 2023. The amount you can be paid depends on your qualifications and experience. Your overseas teaching experience is also taken into account.

Teachers enter the salary scale at different steps depending on their qualifications. The salary assessment uses six qualification groups, each one with a minimum and a maximum salary step. You move up one step on the salary scale for each full year of teaching experience as assessed by Education Payroll (EdPay formally known as Novopay) as part of your salary assessment.

To Access the Full Salary Scales

Once you have been teaching for 7 years, you reach the top of the base scale. Teachers who take on extra responsibilities can be allocated management units (MU). Each unit is worth $4,000pa. Schools receive a certain amount for ‘units. Boards can allocate units as a permanent or fixed-term addition to a teacher’s salary. For a full explanation of teacher pay, go to the New Zealand Ministry of Education website.