There are many jobs needed in New Zealand and New Zealand’s Ministry of Business and Innovation (MBIE) regularly review the skills shortage lists to meet the changing demands of the labour market.

The MBIE just recently completed their latest review and on 8 May announced that aged care registered nurses and teachers will be added to skills lists as of 28 May 2019. The move was applauded as it is seen as a positive step towards addressing chronic staff shortages.

To give hopeful applicants a better idea of working in New Zealand as aged care registered nurses or teachers, we’ve compiled a guide addressing four key factors for each occupation:

• Job description
• Salaries
• Working conditions
• What New Zealand expects of their nurses and teachers.

Nurses are up first and then we move on to teachers.

Aged Care Registered Nurses

Aged care registered nurses provide care to elderly people. Work places can range from residential facilities to hospitals and the patients’ home.

1. Job description

Aged care registered nurses are responsible for the health requirements of their patients. This includes:

• Managing health conditions.
• Managing medication and treatment schedules.
• Maintaining medical records.
• Administering nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients.
• Taking action when sudden health changes occur.
• Educating patients and their families and community groups about health needs, long-term effects, and prevention of accidents and illness.

Often aged care registered nurses are also in management positions at residential care homes or assist in the managing of homes.

2. Salaries

Registered nurses earn between NZ$24,26 and NZ$34,38 per hour, with the average hourly rate sitting at NZ$28,59.

3. Working hours

Registered nurses in New Zealand work shifts of 8 to 12 hours at hospitals, rest homes, or nursing homes. Nurses working in the community or at medical centres usually work 40 hours per week.

4. What New Zealand expects of registered nurses

The expectations of New Zealand’s healthcare industry is no different to others around the world. Nurses are expected to have:

• Excellent nursing skills and knowledge of different nursing methods.
• The patient’s best interest at heart, advocating on their behalf.
• Good communication and problem-solving skills.

Registered nurses must also have the ability to:

• Work under pressure and remain calm in emergencies.
• Show compassion, and relate to people from various cultures and backgrounds.
• Be patient and helpful.

Teachers

The MBIE added early childhood, primary scool and secondary school teachers to New Zealand’s skills shortage lists. As such, we’ll discuss each one separately.

Early Childhood Teacher

Early childhood teachers educate and care for young children in kindergartens or children centres.

1. Job description

Early childhood teachers may do some or all of the following:

• Educating and care for babies and children.
• Helping prepare meals, clean and tidy up, give medicines, and change nappies.
• Planning daily programmes, learning experiences and routines for children..
• Making or adapt learning resourse.
• Implementing New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum.
• Assessing and recording the learning and development of each child.
• Discussing children’s progress with their parents or caregivers as well as other education professionals.
• Running workshops for parents and caregivers.
• Preparing budgets, order supplies, and helping manage the early childhood centre.

2. Salaries

Starting salaries for early childhood teachers range from $36,000 to $47,000 annually depending on qualifications. Experienced early childhood teachers in senior positions can earn between $60,000 and $85,000 per year.

3. Working hours

Early childhood teachers work between 35 and 40 hours a week.

4. What New Zealand expects of early childhood teachers

Early childhood teacher in New Zealand must have knowledge of:

• Different teaching methods and learning styles.
• The early childhood curriculum.
• Behaviour management techniques.
• Safety and emergency procedures.
• Food preparation and hygiene.
• Child learning and development, including early literacy and numeracy.

These teachers must also be:

• Skilled at communicating with children and adults from a range of backgrounds and cultures.
• Enthusiastic, open-minded and able to motivate children.
• Creative and adaptable.

Primary School Teachers

Primary school teachers is responsible for the education of children between the ages of five and 13 at primary or intermediate schools.

1. Job description

The responsibilities of primary school teachers include:

• Planning, preparing, and presenting lessons.
• Teaching a wide range of subjects.
• Keeping up to date with curriculum changes and assessment methods.
• Helping children to develop their social skills and behaviours.
• Leading a curriculum area within the school.
• Getting involved in extracurricular activities.
• Doing lunchtime playground duty or road patrol duty.

2. Salaries

The annual salaries for primary school teachers range from NZ$47,000 to NZ$74,000 with the average yearly salary sitting at NZ$54,000.

3. Working conditions

Primary school teachers are usually dealing with children from about 8am until 3.30pm. Often primary school teachers will work outside these hours on admin work, meetings, and extracurricular activities.

4. What New Zealand expects of primary school teachers

New Zealand expects primary school teachers to have a knowledge of:

• Different teaching methods and learning styles.
• The New Zealand school curriculum.
• Child development, including learning difficulties and how to deal with them.
• Behaviour management techniques, such as establishing boundaries.

These teachers must also be able to:

• Communicate with children and adults from a various backgrounds and cultures.
• Enthusiastic, open-minded and able to motivate children.
• Creative and adaptable.

Secondary School Teachers

Secondary school teachers educate students between the ages of 13 and 18 and teach one or more subjects.

1. Job description

The responsibilities of secondary school teachers include:

• Planning, preparing and presenting lessons.
• Setting and marking assignments and tests.
• Assessing students’ work for national qualifications.
• Attending departmental and staff meetings.
• Being involved in extracurricular activities.
• Keeping up to date with curriculum changes and assessment methods.

2. Salaries

Secondary school teachers earn between NZ$48,000 and NZ$81,000 per year depending on experience, with the average annual salary sitting at NZ$68,000.

3. Working conditions

Secondary school teachers work regular school hours, but often work additional hours to plan lessons, assess work, and assist with extracurricular activities.

4. What New Zealand expects of secondary school teachers

New Zealand requires their secondary school teachers to have knowledge of:

• Different teaching methods and learning styles
• The curriculum subjects they teach.
• Classroom management skills.
• To keep up to date with best teaching practices.

Secondary school teachers must also be able to:

• Communicate with students and adults from a range of backgrounds and cultures.
• Positive, open-minded, and able to motivate young people.
• Understanding, tolerant, and good at listening.

For more advice on jobs needed in New Zealand, contact us

Finding out more about the various jobs needed in New Zealand as well as work visas and their requirements is as easy as booking a consultation call with our licensed advisor. You’ll get all the advice you need and get to ask any questions you have.

 

Source: www.careers.govt.nz

New Zealand’s Ministry of Business and Innovation (MBIE) regularly reviews the country’s skills list to meet the changing needs of the job market. On Wednesday, 8 May, the MBIE announced the completion of the 2018/2019 review together with the changes that’ll be made to the skills lists.

The MBIE has decided to rename one skills list and will be adding certain occupations to the skills lists. These changes will all come into effect on Monday, 27 May. Below we discuss the changes.

The Regional Skill Shortage List (RSSL) replaces the Immediate Skill Shortage List

The MBIE has renamed the Immediate Skill Shortage List to now be the Regional Skill Shortage List (RSSL). While the occupations on the list stays virtually the same, the number of regions have been increased from 6 to 15.

According to Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway, ‘these changes were the first step in the Government’s plan to streamline and regionalise the skills-based visa system.’ In particular, Immigration New Zealand wants to encourage ‘the regional dispersion of immigrants to places other than Auckland and the main centres’.

Teachers and aged care registered nurses added to skills lists

The New Zealand Aged Care Association has applauded Immigration New Zealand’s decision to add aged care registered nurses to the Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL). The Association believes that this is positive step towards addressing chronic nursing shortages.

It’s not just registered nurses that are needed in New Zealand. There is also a teacher shortage. So much so, in fact, that Immigration New Zealand launched an intensive recruitment drive at the end of last year. The goal was to attract 400 teachers from overseas for the 2019 school year.

Considering the above, it is not surprising that MBIE has added Early Childhood Teacher, Primary School Teacher, and Secondary School Teacher for all regions to the new Regional Skill Shortage List.

Other occupation changes to skills lists were:

• Extending the ‘Construction Project Manager Roading and Infrastructure’ listing on the LTSSL to include ‘Construction Project Manager’.
• Amendments to the Construction and Infrastructure Skill Shortage List (CISSL):
  • Adding Building Associate.
  • Extending Plumber (General) to all regions.
  • Removing Stonemason for the Canterbury regions. The occupation will remain for Auckland and Northland.

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The New Zealand Government has set themselves a goal for the start of 2019 – to recruit 400 teachers from overseas to fill shortages in schools.

Why has the Government set themselves this goal?

New Zealand is struggling with severe teacher shortages, hence the goal set for 2019.

These shortages, as reported in the New Zealand Herald, are due to ‘a slump in domestic teacher trainees, exacerbated in Auckland by high housing costs which are driving many teachers out of the city.’

School principals are welcoming the initiative, but some will keep a keen eye on developments, as not everyone is confident that recruiting from overseas will be enough to fill all the gaps.

Teachers required across the board

The Government wants to recruit both primary and secondary school teachers, as teachers are in desperate need at all levels. The focus is not only on attracting overseas-trained teachers, but also on bringing New Zealand teachers home.

Eligible teachers may receive an Overseas Relocation Grant

New Zealand has established an Overseas Relocation Grant (ORG) that supports teachers with the costs of relocating to New Zealand. Nearly 200 teachers have already been approved for an ORG.

How does the ORG work?

The ORG was established to assist teachers who commence teaching in New Zealand from 13 December 2017 to 30 June 2019.

The New Zealand government approves a maximum of 100 grants per financial year. This means 100 grants for the period 13 December 2017 to 30 June 2018, and a further 100 grants from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

The ORG will:

• Reimburse actual and reasonable expenses up to a minimum of NZ$7,000 for each New Zealand-trained teacher and up to a maximum of NZ$5,000 for each overseas-trained teacher.
• Be non-taxable. This has been confirmed by Inland Revenue.

Who are eligible?

To be eligible for the Overseas Relocation Grant, you’ll have to meet the following criteria:

• Be registered and certified by the Education Council of New Zealand.
• Be employed in a full-time position that is either permanent or fixed term (of at least 12 months).
• Has never received an ORG or has received an ORG only once in a 5-year period.
• Did not teach in New Zealand between 13 December 2016 and 12 December 2017.
• Commenced employment on or after 13 December 2017, and up to 30 June 2019.
• Is employed to teach in a state or state-integrated school.

Payment criteria

To receive payment, you must do the following:

• Apply for the grant within three months of commencing employment. The school must provide evidence of this. The Government will consider applications received after three months on a case-by-case basis.
• Provide proof of expenditure of all actual and reasonable relocation costs. The specific amount of the grant will be based on this evidence.

Once all the requirement is met, 50% of the grant will be deposited into the nominated account after 10 weeks of teaching. The final 50% is deposited after 30 weeks of teaching.

Read more about the grant here.

Take the first step

If you are a teacher and you’d like to take advantage of this opportunity, the first step is finding out if you qualify for emigration to New Zealand.

Ready? Book a consultation call with our licensed advisor. You’ll not only find out if you’re eligible to teach in New Zealand, you’ll also discover your visa options, how the application process, and the costs involved.

New Zealand has announced a range of changes to the post-study work rights for international students.

These changes have been made for a number of reasons. Most significant, is New Zealand’s desire to reduce student exploitation and to encourage study in all regions.

The changes also support the government’s broader plans for a high-quality international system in order to generate educational, economic, social and cultural benefits to New Zealand.

What are the changes?

The most significant change to the post-study work rights for international students is the removal of post-study work visas to be sponsored by a specific employer.

Other changes include:

• One-year post-study open work visa: For students studying Level 4 – 6 and non-degree Level 7 qualifications. Graduate Diploma graduates who are working towards registration with a professional or trade body gets an additional year.
• Two-year post-study open work visa: For students studying Level 4 – 6 and non-degree Level 7 qualifications outside Auckland. This is provided the study is completed by December 2021. At this point, the post-study work rights revert to a one-year post-study open work visa for students studying Level 4 – 6 and non-degree Level 7 qualifications. Graduate Diploma graduates who are working towards registration with a professional or trade body again gets an additional year.
• Three-year post-study open work visa: For degree Level 7 or above qualifications.
• International students studying Level 8 qualifications must be in an area specified on the Long Term Skills Shortage List in order for their partner to be eligible for an open work visa, and in turn the couples’ dependent children to be eligible for fee-free domestic schooling.
• A 3-year, time-limited incentive to study outside of Auckland.

What will the effects of the changes be?

On the positive side, the New Zealand government hopes that the post-study work rights changes will reduce the exploitation of students by unscrupulous employers, education providers, and agents.

The changes will hopefully also have a positive effect on New Zealand by:

• Attracting international students studying at higher levels.
• Contributing the skills and qualifications New Zealand needs;
• Supporting the government’s wider economic goal of growing the regions; and
• Ensuring a high-quality international education sector.

However, it has been estimated that first-time student visas will see a drop in the range of 1200 to 600. Based on the desire to attract students studying at higher levels, though, this could be a knock New Zealand is willing to take.

When are the changes coming into effect?

The changes to the post-study work rights will come into effect on 26 November 2018. The changes will not affect:

• Current post-study work visa holders;
• Current students who are undertaking a qualification that, once completed, will meet the current qualification requirements as set out in current immigration settings.

Questions? Call us

If you have any questions on the post-study work rights, please do not hesitate to contact us. You Our advisors have all the answers to your questions about student visas and their requirements.

New Zealand is experiencing a critical teacher shortage. The situation is expected to worsen in 2018, which means qualified teachers are needed in New Zealand urgently.

The background

The situation in New Zealand has been described as ‘alarming’. A survey of secondary school teachers have revealed that 570 jobs are vacant and 700 positions are filled by unqualified staff.

A high school principal told New Zealand’s 1 NEWS NOW, “We are needing to appoint people to positions with qualifications that are outside of their area of expertise or outside the level that they are used to teaching at as well.”

Book an assessment with us immediately if you are a teacher

The teacher shortage opens up opportunities to teachers from abroad who wants to work in New Zealand. If this is you, we want to hear from you!

How can we help make your dream come true?

The first step is doing an immigration eligibility assessment to find out if you qualify to live and teach in New Zealand.

Should the result be positive, our advisers can explain the way forward and assist you with your visa application. We’ll also assess the rest of your family and help with their visas too.

Why do we start with an assessment?

It’s because we have to find out if you qualify for a visa. You cannot work in New Zealand without a visa.

The assessment also protects you from spending money on a dream that’s not possible. People have lost thousands in savings in applying for visas they do not qualify for.

These people usually dealt with unqualified or fraudelent immigration advisers or attempted to do points score calculations on their own.

Here’s how you book your assessment

It’s so simple. All you have to do is book a consultation call online or contact us by calling +21 (0) 20 28 200.

You’ll speak to one of advisers directly, who’ll first do a pre-assessment to reveal any migration options open to you. From here you can decide if you’d like to proceed with a comprehensive assessment.

Our advice?

Do the assessment as soon as possible. As mentioned, the teacher shortage is acute and teachers are needed in New Zealand urgently. The sooner you get an application in, the better. You may have a bigger chance of success now than you would have at any other time.

PLEASE NOTE: THE ESSENTIAL SKILLS WORK VISA WAS REPLACED BY THE ACCREDITED EMPLOYER WORK VISA IN 2022.

Skilled migration to New Zealand is looking different as of today due to changes made to the essential skills work visa as well as the skilled migrant visa.

To understand the changes, you need to understand how the rules worked up to now and how the rules have now changed.

We’re going to keep our explanation as simple as possible, but it does get complicated!

We encourage you to email us or call us on +27 (0) 21 202 8200 to have a chat instead. It is now more important than ever to work with a professional!

Old rules vs new rules

To qualify for an essential skills work visa up to now, you must have met certain skill level requirements. INZ determined whether or not you met these requirements by evaluating:

• Your occupation’s ANZSCO level.
• Your work experience and qualifications.
• Your salary. Specifically – Is it market related?

In cases where the outcome showed that you do qualify for an essential skills work visa, the visa was then issued for up to 5 years.

Now INZ is adding a fourth qualifier to establish skill your level:

• Your hourly remuneration.

That’s not all that’s changing though – INZ has also introduced three skill bands.

Together all of these qualifiers determine how long you will be permitted to stay in New Zealand. (Keep in mind that the essential skills work visa is only a temporary visa.For residency you have to qualify under the skilled migrant category.)

Diving into the skill bands and remuneration requirements

There are now three skill bands as mentioned. These are:

• Lower-skilled.
• Mid-skilled.
• Higher-skilled.

Remember – your remuneration and ANZSCO occupation level will determine in which skill band you fall.

Here is how this will work:

Remuneration	ANZSCO 1 – 3	ANZSCO 4 – 5
NZ$35.24+ per hour	HIGH	HIGH
NZ$19.97 – NZ$35.24 per hour	MID	LOW
Less than NZ$19.97 per hour	LOW	LOW

Here’s what these classifications mean:

We already mentioned that the skill bands will determine how long you’ll be allowed to stay in New Zealand.

BUT your skill band will also determine the type of visa your partner or dependent child(ren) will be able to apply for on the basis of their relationship to you:

Skill band	Maximum visa length	Maximum number of visas (renewals)	Eligible to support partner/child visa
Higher-skilled	5 years	Unlimited	Yes, partner work, student or visitor visa
Mid-skilled	3 years	Unlimited	Yes, partner work, student or visitor visa
Lower-skilled	1 year	Up to 3 years	Yes, but only visitor visas

Let’s explain this:

You can renew your visa, as many times as you like, for 5 or 3 years on the higher-skilled or mid-skilled bands respectively. You visa status supports your family’s applications to work, go to school or simply visit you.

The lower-skilled band is different though.

Let’s take a closer look at the lower-skilled employment band

Should you qualify for an essential skills work visa on lower-skilled employment, it will be subject to the following:

• Your visa is only valid for one year and may only be renewed for up to 3 years.
• Once you’ve held an essential skills work visa for 3 years, you must spend 12 consecutive months outside of New Zealand BEFORE you can make another application for an essential skills work visa for lower-skilled employment.
• Your partner and children are only eligible to apply for visitor visas based on their relationship with you. If your family would like to also live in New
• Zealand while working or going to school they MUST apply for their own New Zealand visas. This means your family will have to make applications for work visas, student visas and meet the requirements for the visas in their own right.

Are these essential skills work visa changes all bad news?

No, not necessarily.

Even if you qualify under the lower-skilled band, you’ll still be allowed to make an application for another type of visa or an essential skills work visa based on mid-skilled or higher-skilled employment.

How, you ask? You might get promoted or get a raise during your employment period, both of which could qualify you for one of the top two skill bands.

What if I’ve already submitted my essential skills work visa application?

The essential skills work visa changes discussed here are only applied to applications made on or after today, 28 August 2017.

Special arrangements are in place to provide for family members of current essential skills work visa holders who will now fall under the lower-skilled skill band.

Please chat to one of our advisers about this if you are concerned that you’ll be affected. Our number is +27 (0) 21 202 8200.

 

Skilled migrant visa changes that were first announced on 19 April 2017 are now coming into effect on 28 August 2017. This includes changes to the essential skills visa, also implemented on the same day.

These changes affect many aspects of the skilled migrant visa policy, including:

• The way that ‘skilled employment’ and ‘work experience’ are assessed and awarded points.
• The points awarded for work experience, qualifications and age.
• Some points are also being removed:
  • Points for employment, work experience and qualifications in identified future growth areas.
  • Points for qualifications in areas of absolute skills shortage.
  • Points for close family in New Zealand.

We understand that this amount of change in one of the most popular visa categories could raise a lot of questions and concerns. This is why we’re going to do two things for you now:

1. Answer some of the questions that you’re probably asking yourself.
2. Give a summary of the changes.

Afterwards you are more than welcome to call us on +27 (0) 21 202 8200 for a more detailed discussion.

Questions and answers on the skilled migrant visa changes

Is it all bad news for me?

No, not necessarily.

As per the New Zealand government, there will be an impact on some people in lower-paid employment. However, the changes expand the definition of skilled employment to allow some people to gain residence who have previously been unable to claim points for their employment in New Zealand.

How will this be possible?

People who are not currently considered to be in skilled employment because their job is not an ANZSCO skill level 1, 2 or 3 occupation will be able to claim points for their job if they meet the relevant remuneration threshold.

What particular types of applicants benefit from the changes?

The changes to the visa put more focus on:

• Skilled work experience;
• More recognition of skill levels in the 30 – 39 age group; and
• High remuneration levels.

Why is the skilled migrant visa changing?

Immigration New Zealand has said in their statement that the changes have been made to:

‘improve the skill composition of people gaining residence under the Skilled Migrant Category and ensure we attract migrants who bring the most economic benefits to New Zealand’.

Has the process for applying for residence under the skilled migrant visa changed?

No, the application process has not changed.

I have already submitted my skilled migrant visa application but it has not yet been finalised. What will happen to my application if it’s not decided until after the changes come into effect?

Your application will not be affected by the changes. Because it was submitted before the changes come into effect, your application will continue to be assessed under the instructions in place at the time you made your application.

Summary of the skilled migrant visa changes

The changes to the skilled migrant visa include:

• The introduction of remuneration thresholds as an additional means of defining skilled employment:
  • Jobs at ANZSCO skill levels 1, 2 and 3 must be paid at or above NZ$23.49 per hour. This equates to a salary of NZ$48 859 per year based on a 40 hour week.
  • Jobs that are not ANZSCO skill level 1, 2 or 3 must be paid at or above NZ$35.24 per hour. This equates to a salary of NZ$73 299 per year based on a 40 hour week.
• More points available for work experience. However, points will only be awarded for work experience that is skilled.
• Ten (10) points will be awarded for skilled New Zealand work experience of 12 months or more.
• No additional points will be awarded for work experience of two years or more.
• Points for recognised level 9 or 10 post-graduate qualifications (Master’s degrees and Doctorates) will increase to 70 points.
• Points for people aged 30 – 39 years will increase to 30 points.
• Points will only be awarded for partners’ qualifications if the qualifications are either a:
  • Bachelor’s level degree or higher; or
  • Post-graduate (level 9 or 10) qualification.
• Points will no longer be available for:
  • Employment, work experience and qualifications in identified future growth areas.
  • Qualifications in areas of absolute skills shortage.
  • Close family in New Zealand.
• Applicants who meet the health, character, English and selection point requirements BUT who do not have either skilled employment or a higher degree gained in New Zealand, will be invited to apply for a ‘job search visa’ to enable them to find ongoing skilled employment in New Zealand.
• There will be greater flexibility for offshore applicants to travel to New Zealand within the 12 month validity of their ‘job search visa’.