Border to open to overseas teachers
Those with jobs here but who left NZ and got stuck may be able to return as well
The door is being opened to 300 overseas qualified teachers to come to New Zealand under a new border exception.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins says teachers already employed in New Zealand, but who left the country and were unable to return after the borders closed last year to almost all non-citizen or resident arrivals, may also be eligible, 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.
The Education Ministry would work with schools and early childhood education services to make sure those with the greatest recruitment needs got priority, Hipkins said.
“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.
“This will give principals and services additional support, especially for 2022 recruitment, and complement existing teacher supply initiatives.”
New Zealand teachers coming home from Covid-torn parts of the world had already dramatically eased the country’s teacher shortage as the new school year started in January.
The number of teaching vacancies in primary and secondary schools dropped by a third from 349 in January 2020 — just before the pandemic led to lockdowns and closed borders around the world — to 233 a year later, according to the ministry.
The staffing situation was “better than it’s been for many years”, because Kiwi teachers are not going overseas, many are returning and jobs teaching international students have disappeared as the border remains closed, Secondary Principals’ Association president Deidre Shea told the Herald in January.
We’re pleased we’re at last able to reunite teachers with their families.
Chris Hipkins