Tayyaba Khan
International ECE teacher | Tāmaki Makaurau
"I came to New Zealand to do my Master of Teaching and Learning in early childhood education in February 2025. After my studies ended in November and I got my registration in December, I had already started applying for jobs.
"My experience so far is that it’s been nearly, nearly impossible to find one. It’s been terrible. I have applied for more than 70 jobs.Losing pay parity for relievers and beginning ECE teachers plays a huge role in making it more difficult to earn the median wage, now that employers no longer have to honour previous experience or qualifications when deciding your starting pay step.
"Employers are fully aware that they have a lot of teachers over here looking for a job, and they don’t want to pay much. Then, you also need an accredited employer. It’s disheartening. I have paid around $60k in fees, and much more than that to come here.
"Now I have been able to find a job as an ECE teacher, but not at the median wage – until I work my way up to becoming a team leader. New Zealand is nice, but it’s very hard. The Government needs to be upfront and realistic about the challenges of finding work that meets the visa requirements."