New Zealand is currently experiencing a significant shortage of teachers. The good news is that this shortage presents a fantastic opportunity for those looking to move to New Zealand, as teaching is listed under the Tier 1 Green List Category for residence. If this is something you’re interested in, we set out the pathway here.

1) The first step would be to enrol in a Graduate Diploma in Teaching, which typically takes one year to complete.

2) Apply for your student visa as soon as you’ve been accepted into the course. This visa allows you to study full-time in New Zealand and even work part-time during your studies.

3) Upon successful completion of the course, you will then be eligible for a 12-month Post-Study Work Visa. This work visa is designed to give graduates time to find a job offer.

4) Once you secure a job offer, you can apply for residence through the Straight to Residence (Green List Tier One) visa. This is one of the fastest ways to obtain residence in New Zealand.

There are other benefits to this pathway too, like being able to support your partner and children for visas in line with yours. They can join you right from the Student Visa stage if they meet some basic criteria. We can help you with the entire process to ensure you and your family members are eligible, and so that all stages of the process flow smoothly.

Of course, this is a general overview of a potential pathway to your new life in New Zealand. There may be other options open to you if this one doesn’t suit. We would recommend talking to us for more details about your needs and circumstances so that we can guide you. If you would like to learn more, please contact us at immigrationteam@queencitylaw.co.nz