Priority Staffing Status

Priority Staffing Status is automatically granted to all decile 1 to 4 state and state integrated primary, secondary and area schools in the following areas:

• Northland
• Auckland
• Tokoroa
• Gisborne
• Wairoa
• The West Coast of the South Island.

Priority Staffing Status is also granted to schools that are able to demonstrate a severe difficulty in recruiting for a specific teaching position.

Applying for Priority Staffing Status

Schools from areas other than those outlined above may apply for Priority Staffing Status for a specific position.

Applications can be made using the Discretionary Priority Staffing Status (DPSS) application form available in the Resourcing forms section.

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Gaining approval

To gain DPSS approval, schools outside of the defined areas need to demonstrate that:

• they have advertised nationally at least twice (including once in the Education Gazette)
• no suitable New Zealand trained teacher could be appointed.

Please attach a photocopy of the advertisements to your DPSS application.

Period of status

Once the DPSS has been approved, the position attracts Priority Staffing Status for three months. This does not constitute approval for Priority Staffing Status for the school – only for the teaching position.

Appointment to the position

The teacher appointed to the DPSS teaching position must be formally appointed before the expiry of the Priority Staffing Status (three months). An extension of the Priority Staffing Status period may be sought in writing from the Reimbursements Section, Education Workforce Group.

Retrospective approval

Where a school can demonstrate that the required advertising was completed, DPSS may be applied for retrospectively after a teacher has been appointed.

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Priority Staffing Status grants for school boards

Boards that have positions that attract Priority Staffing Status may claim:

• a Finder’s Fee where a board incurs costs associated with the recruitment of a teacher from overseas to a position of 20+ school weeks (or two school terms) and the teacher is approved for an International Relocation Grant. The position must be full-time for primary, or 0.5 FTTE or greater for secondary in a state or state integrated school; or
• a National Recruitment Allowance to meet a board’s recruitment expenses, where a teacher living in New Zealand relocates their household effects to the new housing district to take up the new teaching position of 20+ school weeks (or two school terms). The teaching position must be a full-time position for primary, or 0.5 FTTE or greater for secondary in a state or state integrated school. The teacher must be approved for a National Relocation Grant; or

Priority Staffing Status grants for teachers

Teachers appointed to positions that attract Priority Staffing Status may apply for:

• a National Relocation Grant if the teacher was living in New Zealand and will need to relocate their household effects to a new housing district to take up a new appointment; and/or

Note: New Zealand trained and qualified teachers returning from overseas cannot apply for this allowance.