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Teaching in Australia: The process explained updated 2015


rikamarie

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Hi All

A few years ago I wrote a post on teaching in Australia: The process explained. Some of those links are outdated and since the post is still helping teachers until this day, I thought I would do an updated version to help everyone out.

Here is an explanation for teachers from South Africa who want to teach in Australia. There might be information here and there that might be/might not be applicable to your process. Also, teachers who have been through the process, please feel free to add to this post!

Step 1

Apply for unabridged birth and marriage certificates.

Step 2

Complete the Academic IELTS (International English Language Testing System) test through The British council or Language Lab

British Council: http://www.britishcouncil.org.za/ielts

Language Lab: http://www.ihjoburg.co.za/

You have to achieve a score of at least 7.0 for Reading and Writing and a score of at least 8.0 for Speaking and Listening.

Step 3

Complete your skills assessment through AITLS (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership).

Application forms can be found on the AITLS website: http://www.aitsl.edu.au/assessment-for-migration and must be submitted in hardcopy.

Step 4

Once you have completed the IELTS and the Skills assessment you can lodge an EOI (Expression of interest) on skillselect.

http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Work/Skil

If you however don't have enough points (60 minimum), you can apply for the state sponsored visa 190.

State sponsonsorships:

Western Australia

Northern Territory:

South Australia:

Queensland:

New South Wales:

Victoria:

Tasmania:

Australian Capital Territory:

Please check the state's eligibility for sponsorship application.

Step 5

Once you have state sponsorship and an invite from Skillselect, you can start filling in the form for the visa application itself.

Double and triple check all the information on the application form.

Make sure you have supporting documents for all the information on the application!

Submit and pay for the application. You should receive confirmation that the DIBP has received your application and payment.

Step 6

After a few days, your online application page should change, now you can start uploading all your documents onto the DIBP website.

Make sure all documents are certified properly and clearly. Upload colour scans of your documents.

Apply for police clearance certificates.

There will be a link on your application "Organise health assessment". Click the link, fill in all the information honestly and select a med centre near you to book your medicals.

Step 7

Your case officer is assigned. You case officer will email you (sometimes they don't!) to let you know what documents he/she still needs and then you sent the outstanding documents directly to them. Each CO is different though, some don't make contact at all. Some contact you from the beginning and answer quickly, others don't.

If your medicals get referred, then you will have to wait about 3 months for them to clear. If they are cleared and all the documents are submitted to the DIBP, it shouldn't be long before you receive that GOLDEN email one morning, presenting you with your visa grant notice!

Step 8

Once you have your visa, you should register with the Teacher Registration Board in the state that you are planning on moving to.

Western Australia

Northern Territory

South Australia

Queensland

New South Wales

Victoria

Tasmania

Australian Capital Territory

Once your application is complete you will receive your registration card/letter in the mail.

Step 9

Early Childhood teachers... apply to have your qualifications assessed through ACECQA to be able to teach in this field.

You can start applying for jobs while still in South Africa, you won't necessary hear back as there are so many applicant applying. Early Childhood teachers can have a look at getting a job at a daycare centre for a start. School teachers, it is preferred that you are in Australia when applying.

Applying for jobs

Most private schools advertise on Seek.com.au and all the specifics of the position will be on the advertisement.

For government schools, have a look at each state's gov website. Application writing can be tricky but there are guides available on the gov websites to help you. Only put relevant information in your resume regarding your field. Don't waste space on useless information. Seek.com.au also have great tips on resume and cover letter writing.

Western Australia

Northern Territory

South Australia

Queensland

New South Wales

Victoria

Tasmania

Australian Capital Territory

Step 10

Apply for your Working With Children Check card at the post office, you need a school to sign this application for you before you can apply.

Western Australia

Northern Territory

South Australia: Under the Children's Protection Act (Section 8B) people in SA who work in jobs which require regular contact with children are required to obtain police clearance before they commence employment.


A National Police Certificate application form is available from the South Australian Police Department.

Queensland

New South Wales

Victoria

Tasmania: Currently there are no legal requirements for people working with children to undertake a police check in Tasmania, however, organisations which require employees and/or volunteers to work with children may have their own policies in this regard.


In 2005 the Commissioner for Children Tasmania released a consultation paper discussing proposals for the Government to introduce screening procedures for Tasmanian organisations who want to employ people to work with children.

Australian Capital Territory

A few extras

Some teaching positions require you to have a supervisor certificate. Here is the link to the application

Good luck everyone.

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Some of the Teacher Registration Boards require you to attend a face to face training before registration so don't take it personally if they tell you that you need to be here to register.

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Also just a note regarding teacher registration. If you know which state you will be going to, and you are able to register with the relevant registration board online, do it as soon as possible after receiving your visa. The IELTS results are only valid for two years and are required for the teacher registration. We received our visa at the beginning of this year but are not sure of our eventual departure date just yet. Last week was two years since I had received my IELTS results. I wasn't planning on registering so soon as I didn't see much point until we get there. Luckily I happened to do a bit of research a couple months ago and realised that it would be best to register before the two years is up so that I don't have to go through the whole process of doing IELTS again. I was successfully registered with the Western Australian Teachers Board 3 days before the results expired! So glad I don't have to go through all of that again!

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Also just a note regarding teacher registration. If you know which state you will be going to, and you are able to register with the relevant registration board online, do it as soon as possible after receiving your visa. The IELTS results are only valid for two years and are required for the teacher registration. We received our visa at the beginning of this year but are not sure of our eventual departure date just yet. Last week was two years since I had received my IELTS results. I wasn't planning on registering so soon as I didn't see much point until we get there. Luckily I happened to do a bit of research a couple months ago and realised that it would be best to register before the two years is up so that I don't have to go through the whole process of doing IELTS again. I was successfully registered with the Western Australian Teachers Board 3 days before the results expired! So glad I don't have to go through all of that again!

Wow, thank goodness you didn't have to go through it again! Thanks for the input on the post!

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  • 4 months later...

Thanks a lot for the information @rikamarie, however I have a question about the working with children/ blue card. I am a secondary school maths and science teacher. I recently got registered with the Queensland College of Teachers,  and upon clicking on one of the links in Step 10, I found the following:

An exemption card is not required.
Registered teachers and police officers are exempt from requiring a blue card when they work with children as part of their professional duties.
Please note that for registered teachers, this exemption only applies when they are providing services at a school or boarding facility.
For other types of services, such as working in a child care centre, private tutoring or volunteering at a sporting club, registered teachers must apply for an exemption card.
(please see attachment).

Does thIs mean that as a registered teacher working at a school I will not need to apply for a blue/exemption card, unless I have private tutoring sessions?

Also, do you have any suggestions of how I may get my resume "Ozzified"?

 

 

 

Apply-for-an-exemption-card.pdf

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  • 5 months later...

Hi

 

Can anyone provide a detailed breakdown of the process for NSW?

 

My wife has her BEd (Early Childhood Development) and is looking at teaching years 5 (ages 7 - 8).

 

We are going to submit our Visa application soon as we have our invite but i need to know the process once we have the approval and who/where/what etc needs to be done for my wife to apply for a teaching position in NSW.

 

Any help would be appreciated :) 

 

Thank you,

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  • 2 months later...

Ok so we have finally received our Visa Grants!!! :) 

 

I have been doing more research and for NSW you cannot do anything until you land in NSW as you need to be present to prove your ID document validity.

 

So looks like no option but to leave without any hope of securing a job from here as an Early Childhood Teacher or Primary School Teacher :( 

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1 hour ago, Deezo said:

Ok so we have finally received our Visa Grants!!! :) 

 

I have been doing more research and for NSW you cannot do anything until you land in NSW as you need to be present to prove your ID document validity.

 

So looks like no option but to leave without any hope of securing a job from here as an Early Childhood Teacher or Primary School Teacher :( 

 

You are not alone. Certain things are mandatory, and have to be done here, doesn't matter where you are coming from, private schools are more flexible, but it's often not what you know, but who knows you. All of the teachers I know in these rolls were placed there by staff recommendations.

 

There is also a glut of primary and early childhood teachers here in Sydney at the moment, it's hard to "break in". We currently employ one as an au pair once/twice a week because she had to content with coming later in the year, couldn't find a full-time post and is currently teaching morning's in an ESL school while applying for roles for next year.

 

There are jobs out there, but be prepared, there are many teachers and not nearly enough schools (at least in Sydney, which swells by the day) and that you'll need to be proactive in trying to secure employment.

 

Cheers

 

Matt

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Thanks for the surprisingly sad news this morning ;) 

 

Oh well i guess we need to do what we can in the end... its too late to turn around now and because we are stuck on a 190 we cant really look elsewhere for the next 2yrs anyway!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello All, 

 

On the brink of my 189 - waiting for criminals and Health to come back.... hopefully then the registration can begin......

Please can teachers assist me here, In terms of quality of life moving from SA to Oz - what can teachers expect?

I know the salaries etc - more of less any way for both countries and the holidays etc are the same ( more or less)

 

So what I am asking essentially is the following - in SA - teachers are on the bottom of the log when it comes to paid professionals - in fact it is tough to survive on a teachers salary and every year gets tougher as there is no real progression in pay unless one gets a promotion post - in other words very stagnant - (Inflation + 1 % Increase) 

 

Please can some one enlighten me as to what lifestyle I can expect on a teachers salary in Oz  with the above statement in mind.

 

If any one could offer advise in perhaps a way to secure employment before departure from SA.

 

Thanks 

 

 

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Teachers are considered to earn a good wage here.  Obviously the money goes further in say Adelaide compared to Sydney though.  However it's not really the salary here that affects lifestyle.  It's the ability to get a full-time permanent position.  Teaching has fallen victim to many contract positions rather than permanent so year-to-year (or even term-to-term) there isn't that certainty.  EVENTUALLY people get permanency but it takes some doing and hanging in there, taking relief teaching as and when you can at first.

 

As for being able to secure employment before leaving RSA:  I seriously doubt it - sorry.  Teacher registration in most states requires a face-to-face portion that can only be done here and, without a teacher registration number on your application, you are wasting everybody's time. 

 

Australia also has a glut of teachers at the moment so there is absolutely no need for anybody to hire an overseas teacher (sorry again).  I was going to say that maybe if you were moving to the back of beyond where there are few teachers you might stand a chance, but then again without teacher registration you don't stand a chance. 

 

The reason there is a glut of teachers is that many teachers who had reached retirement age did not retire when they normally would have because of the GFC and what it did to their superannuation (pension) savings.  Many older teachers have had to stay in the work force to let their superannuation recover/grow again.  So new graduates have been waiting in the wings for a few years now, with every vacancy having tens of applicants.  People do eventually find something, but it is not the straight forward situation of see vacancy, apply, get job.  Relief teaching through possibly an agency would get your foot in the door and let you become known to schools.  It is then that you stand the best chance.  Sorry not to be able to paint a rosy picture but you do need to be prepared for the current situation.

 

 

Edited by RYLC
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Hi @TeachinginSA

 

I have to agree with @RYLC as those are the same things i have heard about and read up about :( 

 

Teachers get paid well (a lot better than SA) and once you are permanent and work your way up various bands you can earn more than a doctor in some private schools. The quality of education or the children i cannot comment on as my wife is a teacher and we only land on the 22nd Jan but what i can say is depending on the state you are looking to move to your likelihood of getting a job from SA is very slim.

 

My wife is a grade 3 teacher here in SA and is currently teaching remedial but she has a BEd Early Childhood - Foundation Phase and we are busy having this assessed by ACECQA as it seems she may only be able to teach ages up to 5 years old. In SA she can teach up to the age of 10 with our school system. So we may have to accept what she can get for now and then when she finishes her honours then she can look for work in Remedial again.

 

There are some facebook groups in Sydney etc that you could join and then ask questions directed at teachers as well.

 

All the best with the process :) 

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O my goodness, thanks for the replies, thats a real gut punch ooooch , did not realize there is so little work available...... With unemployment at the low levels it is  

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1 hour ago, TeachinginSA said:

O my goodness, thanks for the replies, thats a real gut punch ooooch , did not realize there is so little work available...... With unemployment at the low levels it is  


Yes, national unemployment levels in Australia are about as useful for a specific job enquiry, as national sunlight tolerance in South Africa is for determining if you need to put on sunscreen... Statistics can be quite duplicitous like that, tell you loads, but only if you remember all the applicable assumptions. I also don't know how many people are employed in jobs that align with their education, because I'm quite sure a PhD who logs regular hours serving up fish and chips would be considered 'employed'.

Nah, better to ask people in the sector what work looks like, even if it's not what you want to hear, it's bound to be more realistic. I'm sorry that these odds are not currently in your favour. [Rather know in advance, all the better to prepare a strategy to beat them!]

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Yip, sounds like a bit of a bummer, well No use moaning about it now, just have to make the best of it , already spent a small fortune trying to get there, cant turn around now! 

 

When I studied teaching in SA they also told me that there is no work...... Still I stuck with it, sure Ill find something ?? guess one just has to try, maybe there is a post some where in the sticks that no one else wants. 

 

I really cant understand why the DIBP will make 5000 possible immigrationpositions available   and put it on the scarce  skills list , if it is clearly not a scarce skill....

 

When you say its hard to find permanent work, are you referring to the Cities or all over? 

 

Thanks again  

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Hie

A couple of months ago i was in the same situation with you @TeachinginSA. Believe me you will be fine. Maybe it depends with which state you are going to, but i am sure you can't be given a visa to come here to be unemployed. In Queensland, for example, you just have to be prepared to go rural, there are jobs there, even their websites say so. And the rural is not that kind of rural you picture now, no, its a developed first world "rural". There is competition in the city so I would suggest to let the job availability determine where you live for a start. You can always gather enough points to transfer once you are permanent (and its easier once you go rural).

Do all your paperwork and registrations and things will go better than you expect.

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It definitely depends on the state but @TeachinginSA didn't specify a state.  WA for example expect you to "do your time" in a small town a long way from Perth. South Australia works on the school knowing you which is why relief teaching works well.  Otherwise it goes on word of mouth so you need social connection.  My husband is a teacher now so this is from first hand experience in our family.

 

My advice about a lot of states needing face-to-face portion of the teacher registration process still stands. Perhaps Queensland is different but since this is a general response and no state was specified it would be incorrect to tell @TeachinginSA that everything will be fine when experience says not and Qld is only one of many states and territories.

 

There will always be those who got into a job easily (sounds like you are one) but I am on a lot of forums and even locals lament the seemingly impossible task of getting a permanent teaching post.  I wanted to give @TeachinginSA more than just the scenario for the lucky few because otherwise, without the background info, he may apply and apply and start to feel down about HIMSELF when it's not the case that there is anything wrong with his resume.  It might be the employment landscape and he needs to know so that he can change tactics or start from a different angle.

 

Just as a side note: you say that you were in the same situation a couple of months ago.  What you may not know is that Term 3 (when you arrived) is peak employment season for teachers.  Almost all vacancies and interviews happen in Term 3 as schools prepare for the following year and current teachers give their term's notice if they are leaving.  So you arrived in "peak season" and based on that may feel that there are plenty of jobs. #Justsayin

 

 

 

Edited by RYLC
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Maybe its good to hope for the worst. Maybe its also good to hope for the best. Maybe some get into jobs easily, or maybe one can be readily employable if they have all in place.

I refer to Queensland: you can do your teacher registration offshore, and when onshore, you will be left with applying for teacher employment. This minimises your period of unemployment, but then again, all our experiences differ.

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Hi there all, 

 

Thank you all for your valuable input, it means a lot to me. 

 

Believe me I have done my research regarding Jobs , Sept there was plenty , now very little. 

 

Sorry I should have been more precise in my first post in order to avoid confusion. 

 

I really would have loved to go to NSW, however I found out that you have to be in Oz to register ....? pity there seems to be plenty posts for my field? Maybe plenty of competition too?  (Bostes)

 

So my reasoning - Queensland is next to NSW , 2 big states next to each other.... ?And I contacted QCE and they confirmed I can register online- so I aim to start there. 

 

Ill consider Victoria and S A  but there seems to be a little more hoops to jump through, (first aid exams and refresher courses etc) 

Im weary of W A only because its so far from everything else , having to travel to other states for interviews will be a nightmare.  And not sure about NT. 

 

And YES - I plan to go Rural ..... I think id love it- was raised in a small town, (now in PTA) . 

 

Tell me Goodmorning , did you contact schools directly? The Queensland Teaching dept or an agency for employment.

 

Rylc, thanks for your advise, it makes sence that it is better to let the schools know you, get a foot in the door through relief work, work hard , and maybe if something comes up they will look at you, this is definitely an option as well. 

 

Im just trying to get as much info from actual people in the industry as the internet can be very conflicting . E.G

1st article = major shortage , 2nd article teachers cant find work...... You get what im saying.

 

You mention that both your families are involved in teaching , please advise if you dont mind sharing. 

 

If in a rural setting - is a teacher salary sufficient for a decent life?  I have no idea what is a decent salary in Oz . 

Obviously its all relative - decent to some is not decent to others . But your ideas would be valuble - so for example , will it be enough for me and my wife to live a decent life.... In S A its not?

What are the extra mural programs and expectations like , are you expected to coach sport like in SA , are you paid for it? Etc etc. 

 Can you please decribe a typical day at school, from morning meeting till end of day.

 

thanks again for your input, its awesome to be able to get 1st hand information 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I came across this link and would so appreciate any feedback from those in the know.

1) What can I do from South Africa beforehand from the point of view of registering with South Australian teachers department? Can I do parts of it so long and just complete the face to face things when arriving?

2)Do you need to be registered to teach in private schools?

3)Anyone teaching in Adelaide with any useful tips?

4) How long will I have to wait before registration goes through and I can look for work on average?

5)There are plenty of early learning jobs advertised for Goodstart and G8. Are these almost like a daycare type setup? Horrible hours, poor pay, etc?

 

Thanks for any input!

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Hi @HJL

 

I cant comment on South Australia but i know the ACECQA is a must for any Early Childhood Learning Teachers and that can be done from South African and takes 8 - 12 weeks to be processed.

 

In NSW we couldn't complete the registration with BOSTES but we started so once we arrive in Sydney in January then my wife can do Working with Children Clearance (WWCC) and then we can finalise the BOSTES Registration.

 

For now that was all we could do im afraid and hence we we cant apply for any jobs for my wife from here :(  

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Thanks @Deezo . I ended up emailing the South Australian Teachers Board and they have already responded. So efficient! So I'm in the same boat as your wife it seems. I can start the process partially, but also need to do that 7 hour face to face course before completing the registration.  They do a whole new assessment of qualifications which takes 6 weeks. All the same documents are submitted that were submitted for the skills assessment along with the certificate for that face to face course once it's done. So will have to complete once there. Oh well, just another little bump in the road. Nothing we can't get over.?

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Oh well... i guess some things in life are easier than others!

 

But we just have to remain positive that everything will work out in the end and we will find something when we arrive ;)  

 

All the best with the next steps :) 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Also at the end of the visa process. CO asked for more job info.

Letter to reference employment, which I acquired. 

2 a contract, which is turning into a potential headache. The only contract the GDE provides is a letter of appointment and a letter to indicate absorption, both are a single page.

is this sufficient?

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  • 3 weeks later...

Seems the appointment letter was all I needed.

Hopefully I'll be landing in Queensland on the 3rd or 2nd of April.

Any teachers who know about possible openings? 

Applied for teacher registration today. 

Edited by Gerhard11
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