Primary School Teacher

[MarkMo]

Hi,

We have submitted our ITA with 155 points.

The principle applicant is a qualified secondary school teacher (with NZQA recognition and an NZ registered teacher number given) who's work experience is in primary schools. She is planning to get a primary school teaching job.

What is confusing is that that while secondary teachers are on the Long Term Skills Shortage list, her experience in in Primary, which is on the short Term Skills List.

To add to the complexity, when we submitted the EOI we ran a publishing company and she did all the design work (previous degree qualification) and the editorial on two magazines and she put this down as her main occupation when applying. Since that point we've sold the business - and she has returned to teaching, so has had to amend the details when submitting the ITA.

Do you think we'll get residency? We're about to complete on selling our house and we're thinking we may be rejected? Should we back out of our house sale?

[sueshelswell]

Firstly its all very different out here - I was a PE advisor - 2ary, but most of my advisory work was in primary in the UK (new PE strategy). I tried to apply my PR for both sectors, but rapidly realised one only. As I had been a 2ary teacher for many years, I decided to apply as a 2ary, not 1ary teacher. Suddenly life was easier!
After 20 yrs + 2ary, then 1ary, followed by PE advisor and National PESSCL officer, I found myself here as the bog standard PE Teacher - but at least i can now start again - teaching is so similar, it just has different labels! I guess my advice? Get your residency on teaching, teach, look, learn, then take your job the way your skills allow!
Hope this helps - what I will say is at 51yrs and 10 years away from teaching - into advisory and consultancy - I needed to work here to pick up again - this way I have taken the Kiwi way on board!

[MarkMo]

Thank you for that insight.

I think we're going to get ourselves out there on work visas while the ITA is looked at and we wait of a decision on PR. It will be better if, even with that many points, I have a job offer - wether in primary or secondary.

I think taking a step back down the ladder is probably a good thing initially so that one can take in the NZ lifestyle and enjoy that before taking on a higher pressure and more time consuming role.

It sound like you're enjoying life down under... we lookforward to it ourselves!

Cheers.
Jessica