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Teach English in
New Zealand

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Living in the land of wide open spaces is a must for any TEFL teacher who considers themselves a nature lover. New Zealand is a country full of national parks and protected areas where you can discover the natural beauty of your surroundings, and undoubtedly meet a few sheep – there are 9 sheep for […]

Living in the land of wide open spaces is a must for any TEFL teacher who considers themselves a nature lover. New Zealand is a country full of national parks and protected areas where you can discover the natural beauty of your surroundings, and undoubtedly meet a few sheep – there are 9 sheep for every person living in New Zealand! Whether you’re into exploring the quiet, peaceful beauty of the great outdoors, or enjoying more adventurous pursuits such as bungee jumping, whale watching, water sports, and sky diving, this is a country that will quench your thirst for life in the great outdoors.

If we’ve sold the country to you, you might wonder whether there are actually any opportunities for teaching English abroad in this paradisiacal location, given that it’s an English-speaking country. However, plenty of foreign students, drawn by the many benefits of living in this beautiful country, come to New Zealand to study, creating opportunities for TEFL teachers to work here. Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington are where you’ll find the most opportunities, but they sometimes crop up in more rural locations too, and of course there are many summer schools that spring up to accommodate predominantly Asian children who want to learn English. Pay is typically good for TEFL teachers, but the cost of living can be high .

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Teach English Online in New Zealand

Teaching English online is a great way to find students at a time to suit you – wherever you are in the world, there will be someone wanting to learn English during your peak hours! However, it’s undeniable that the Asian market is one of the biggest when it comes to TEFL customers, and so being available to teach when these students are free will give you plenty of choice when it comes to jobs.

If you’re living in New Zealand, the time difference between yourself and the Asian market isn't significant. Picking up some online teaching is a great way to supplement your income if you can only find part-time work, or if you just want to do some paid work on the side of some volunteering. As many TEFL gigs in New Zealand are part-time or short-term contracts, looking into doing some teaching online is a great idea.

To teach TEFL online in New Zealand you aren’t limited to local companies and can teach with any online school you like. When searching for online teaching work, think about the following things: do you want to teach kids, teens, adults or all three? Do you want a job that has a minimum commitment (sometimes as low as 4 hours per week, but many schools ask for 8 to 10 hours as a minimum)? Do you want to work with a company that finds your students and prepares your lesson materials or do you want to go freelance?

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Volunteer in New Zealand

English Language Partners  works with refugees and migrants in New Zealand to help them perfect their English and also adapt to Kiwi life. Volunteers, who must complete a basic training course, will become home tutors for their students, and must commit up to two hours per week to tutoring, for at least six months.

Seek Volunteer has a number of education-based volunteering opportunities, which could be a great first experience of teaching for a newly-qualified teacher. If you want to get some experience under your belt while living in an idyllic setting, one of these positions could be just right for you.

If you’re interested in volunteering in New Zealand, you’ll find that most volunteering opportunities are environmental-focused and there are relatively few when it comes to teaching English. However, you might find that it’s easier to make connections and seek out students if you’re on the ground. With over 1,000 refugees arriving to New Zealand every year, you’re sure to find opportunities for teaching English once you get some current, local information.

To find out more about volunteering as a TEFL teacher, click here .

TEFL jobs in New Zealand

The school year in New Zealand runs from February to December, meaning that if you’re looking for a full-time job, the peak times for hiring are in November and December. However, much work is on short-term (often renewable) contracts, especially around summer school season, so you can often find short-time or part-time work at any time of year, perfect for those on a working holiday visa (available for those aged 18-30). Saying that, from time to time there are shortages of full-time teachers in New Zealand and a flurry of jobs appear, but as a foreigner, expect your qualifications and experience to be scrutinized before you’re granted an interview. Most positions are filled with local applicants, so you’ll have to prove your worth to be considered .

The Coromandel Outdoor Language Centre  in Waikato offers a unique teaching experience to international visitors.

As well as hosting volunteers, English Language Partners  hires part-time TEFL teachers. You need a degree, TEFL qualification and experience. $38 – $50 per hour.

English New Zealand  accepts applications from qualified TEFL teachers.

The NZQA lists Education Organizations  of all sorts across New Zealand.

EduExperts  (Auckland and Hamilton) is a subsidiary of Crimson Education. They accept applications by email. You need to be a NZ registered teacher (or equivalent).

New Zealand has many excellent International Schools , most of which offer the International Baccalaureate. There are a handful of language immersion schools, such as the French immersion kindergarten.

The Marine Training Centre  (MTC) in Kiribati often has opportunities for TEFL teachers – not clear if positions are voluntary or paid. Email vsa@vsa.org.nz

Nelson English Centre  have a focus on academic excellence, and two thirds of their permanent teachers have higher level ESOL specific diploma qualifications.

The New Zealand Language Centres Ltd (NZLC ) is one of the largest language schools in New Zealand. They teach Gereral English, IELTS, young learners, business English, Cambridge exams and more.

Tasman International Academies  seeks qualified and experienced EFL teachers. Email info@tasman.ac.nz

TESOLANZ  is a good place to find current job listings in New Zealand. They also post about upcoming events and news in the TESOL sector.

The Wellington English Language Institute  is part of the Victoria University of Wellington. They look for highly qualified staff, follow the ‘careers’ link to find out about current vacancies at the university.

World TEFL lists ESL schools in New Zealand.

Country Avg. monthly salary Degree required Start of term Teaching experience Housing & flights included Suitable for non-native English speakers Age restrictions
Teach in New Zealand NZD 4,000 - NZD 8,000 January Not usually None