Overseas secondary school teachers are in high demand in New Zealand, with the government announcing a fast-track residency programme to address workforce shortages. Starting in May 2024, secondary school teachers will be moved to the Straight to Residence pathway on the Green List of in-demand roles. This provides a simplified and prioritised process for eligible teachers to apply for permanent residency.

The transition from the Green List Work to Residence programme to the Straight to Residence pathway offers improved certainty and a more straightforward procedure for overseas secondary school teachers. Eligible applicants will be able to apply for residency directly from abroad, without the need first to gain work experience in New Zealand.

Shortages of secondary teachers, particularly in specific regions and subject areas such as Science, Technology, and Mathematics, have been an ongoing concern for the New Zealand education system. By moving secondary school teachers to the Straight to Residence pathway, the government aims to fill the likely shortage of secondary school teachers in the short to medium term.

Under the new system, eligible overseas secondary school teachers can apply for the Straight to Residence pathway visa if they have an offer of employment from an accredited employer, without the requirement to work in New Zealand for two years first. This change allows them to come to New Zealand on a work visa now and then apply for the Straight to Residence Visa, or apply directly from outside the country.

The Straight to Residence Visa offers successful applicants the opportunity to live, work, and study in New Zealand, with the ability to include their partner and dependent children aged 24 or younger in their visa application. Older dependent children under 24 must be single, without children of their own, and solely financially supported by the applicant.

This initiative by the New Zealand government is expected to attract a pool of highly skilled and experienced secondary school teachers from around the world, helping to address the persistent challenges faced by the country's education system. By fast-tracking the residency process for this in-demand profession, New Zealand aims to secure the talent needed to provide quality secondary education for its students.