Source: New Zealand Government
Three hundred overseas qualified teachers will be able to come to New Zealand under a new class border exception, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today.
“While the overall outlook for domestic teacher supply remains positive, I know that ECE services and schools continue to find certain locations and subjects difficult to recruit for,” Chris Hipkins said.
“This will give principals and services additional support, especially for 2022 recruitment, and complement existing teacher supply initiatives.”
The Ministry of Education will work with the education sector to ensure that ECE services and schools with the greatest recruitment needs get priority. The Ministry will invite applications for these teachers from September.
“Teachers who were already employed in New Zealand, but who left the country and were unable to return to their job due to the border closure may also be eligible,” Chris Hipkins said.
“A separate family reunification border exception is being created for the partners and dependent children of teachers who are already in New Zealand on temporary visas.
“A lot of families were separated when border restrictions were put in place to protect New Zealand from COVID-19 and we know this has been hard for them. We’re pleased we’re at last able to reunite teachers with their families.”
Teachers already in New Zealand will be able to request to bring in their partners and dependent children for the duration of their visa.
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