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Financial assistance

Primary and secondary teachers

If you are a New Zealand qualified, registered teacher returning here and you have been away from New Zealand for at least 20 school weeks (two school terms) prior to your arrival here, you may be eligible for an International Relocation Grant (IRG).

The level of grant paid depends on your term of employment:

  • $2,500  where your term of employment is for at least six weeks but less than two school terms;
  • $5,000 where your term of employment is for two school terms or more*.

* Primary teachers, to be eligible, must be placed in a full-time position.

If you do not complete the minimum period of employment under this scheme you may be required to reimburse the grant.  To receive the grant, you must be appointed to a position within three months of arriving in New Zealand (you will need to show your passport as evidence of arrival date) and then you must apply through your principal within eight weeks of commencing employment.

To see if you meet all of the eligibility requirements of this grant, please download the IRG application form from the Ministry of Education website.