Do I need to fill in an EOI?

[keely]

Hi,

I am getting really confused and seem to be going around in circles between NZQA website and immigration.

I am a UK trained teacher (currently teaching in Thailand) looking to move to NZ in the future. I know that I need to get my qualification assessed with NZQA but do I need to fill in an EOI aswell??

I know this question has probably been asked and answered somewhere on this forum but my eyes are becoming crossed from looking!!

Keely

[dbonnett]

Yes - The Expression of Interest is the first official step in applying to Immigration New Zealand to work/live here. As part of the process, you will need to prove your qualifications and experience and the NZQA assessment is one aspect of that, along with documenting your work history, medicals etc. Having a determination from NZQA won't gain you the right to work or live here but it may be a necessary component of getting there.

Hope that helps.

[JandM]

And you will need to register with NZTC before INZ will consider you qualified. http://www.teacherscouncil.govt.nz/os/

[keely]

Thanks for the replies.

I understand that I need to get the NZQA assessment and then register with the teaching council and am in the process of this.

Once I have that assessment do I still need to register an EOI? or can I apply for jobs and then apply direct for a work visa rather than the EOI?

[JandM]

Once I have that assessment do I still need to register an EOI? or can I apply for jobs and then apply direct for a work visa rather than the EOI?

You COULD do that, as far as INZ are concerned, but I think you're less likely to be successful in applying to schools. Many teachers have found it hard enough to get a job even WITH Residence (end result of the SMC process) already in hand so they could start at once. And if you were hoping to get a work visa, you'd be applying, saying they'd have to wait for you to go through the visa process.

Unless maybe you are in the age-group to get a Working Holiday Visa, so you COULD start at once - ?

[buraddo]

There will be nothing stopping you applying for jobs, but from what I've seen here it can be a real challenge finding a teaching job when you're not in the country as head teachers seem to like to lay eyes on you, plus the visa application process (first EoI, then you may be invited to apply, the whole process takes a minimum of a month in the very best case scenario).

The operation manual found here identifies Teachers as a job requiring registration.

The most likely scenario would be to apply for registration with NZTC. You can then use this registration as the basis for your visa application and if I am not mistaken (at least this happened in my case) you then shouldn't need to go through NZQA because your professional body has already said that your qualifications are suitable. What kind of teacher are you (ie: early education; secondary school, etc.)?

[keely]

I am secondary trained teacher but have been working with children with special educational needs which tends to be all age schools.

[buraddo]

Unfortunately the only teacher positions that are on the Long Term Skill Shortage List are for Special Education Teachers nec (Conductor (Conductive
Education Practitioner)) (241599). Secondary school teachers were removed from the list last November due to a lack of demand.

Like JandM said, are you young enough to qualify for a Working Holiday Visa?

[keely]

I am currently 28 but my husband is older. Obviously we would be looking to move together but he has no qualifications that can be used to qualify.

I do have enough points on an EOI to qualify for automatic selection from the pool so I'm not too worried about that I just wasn't sure what process I needed to follow!!