‘I can see why you have a skills shortage’: Survivor contestant on the cost of moving to New Zealand

Wednesday, 5 February 2025

Ally Kettle is an experienced teacher, artificial intelligence expert, and contestant in an upcoming season of Survivor Australia.

And she wants to make New Zealand her home.

But the 31-year old Australian - who has 10 years’ experience in the classroom - has nearly reached her wits’ end fighting for a fair salary in Aotearoa.

“Survivor was absolutely the hardest thing I have ever done in my life… prior to trying to earn more than $61,000 as a teacher in New Zealand,” she said.

Kettle previously spent a year living and working in Queenstown, developing short, 10-week technology courses for the Queenstown Resort College.

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‘You have a skills shortage for a reason’

Now - aware of New Zealand’s teacher shortage and wanting to avoid the media rigmarole that comes with being a reality TV contestant - she has decided to move back.

“I know you have a shortage, and I thought that in making New Zealand my home I could contribute to fixing that,” she said.

“But moving from Australia to Auckland has been the most expensive, outrageous and long process that I have ever experienced - and that includes moving to South Korea, where I couldn’t even speak the language.

“I can see why you’re losing teachers. You have a skills shortage for a reason.”

As a teacher registered in Victoria, Kettle expected a relatively easy migration.

Australian teachers can apply for registration and a practising certificate with the Teaching Council under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Agreement, and do not need to provide proof of their qualifications.

Things became more difficult when Kettle received her salary assessment.

Despite 10 years experience in the classroom, Kettle was placed on a salary of $61,000 - less than half what she was earning in Australia.

“I knew I was going to be taking a pay cut, but if I knew my salary was going to be cut in half I would not have rented the house that I did, or bought the car I have,” she said.

In a statement, the Ministry of Education’s education workforce leader, Anna Welanyk, said she would not expect a teacher with Kettle’s experience to be placed on that salary.

What teachers get paid

“The minimum rate of pay for trained teachers is either $61,329 or $64,083, depending on their qualifications. Teachers can be paid a maximum base salary of $97,920, if they have eight years or more experience,” she said.

“This can then increase to $103,086 if they hold relevant further qualifications… We would not expect a trained teacher with 10 years’ experience to be placed on the entry step of the trained scale after their final salary assessment.”

The salary assessment Kettle received was labelled as “interim”, and did not take into account her statements of service at previous schools - which she provided in her application. When contacted, a ministry employee told Kettle the statements had not complied with requirements as her current principal had signed them with a stamp - not by hand.

“I went back to her and we sent in the replacement copies a couple of weeks ago. I was hoping that would bump my salary up to reflect my experience, which would be way better while I wait for NZQA to verify my degrees,” Kettle said.

“But they told me it would take six to 10 weeks to reconsider the statements, given their backlog. The only change was the hand-printed signature.”

Extra cost to verify qualifications

To have additional qualifications taken into account for the salary assessment, overseas-trained teachers need to have them verified by the NZQA.

“On top of the costs of moving here - flights, bond, rent in advance and a new car - it costs $746 to have a masters degree verified,” she said.

Kettle has two masters degrees - meaning the total cost of verification to ensure she receives a salary that reflects them is nearly $1500.

“New Zealand has a teacher shortage. I cannot see how it is considered good enough to have teachers moving here and starting school out-of-pocket, and unable to afford food, rent and fuel.”

“I chose to move to New Zealand, I get that,” Kettle said. “But this is why you can’t get teachers to move here, when you’re pinned against Australia.”

Natasha Lucy moved from New Zealand to Queensland to teach last year. She described the move across that side of the Tasman as “pretty painless”. Under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Agreement, the process for registration was largely similar to Kettle’s.

But having her qualifications taken into account for a salary assessment was substantially easier - and cheaper.

“I only took on a permanent role this year. When I did, I just sent my qualifications and Novopay sent a statement of service, which I was able to forward onto the teaching council here. My understanding is that I will be paid at the beginning teachers’ rate until they process my documentation,” she explained.

Lucy is hoping that process does not take too long.

“I know the process in New Zealand is exceptionally long, from when I was starting as a teacher in 2020. It took months for Novopay to back pay me once I started working to match my qualifications.”

New Zealand does offer a $10,000 relocation grant for teachers wanting to move here. It covers anything from registration fees, to moving costs and accommodation support.

However, these are capped at a certain number each year, and must be applied for after receiving certification and securing a job in a state or state-integrated school.

Kettle says that is well and good, but the upfront costs to become a teacher in New Zealand will be prohibitive for some.

“The NZQA verification process takes up to 10 weeks. So I am $5000 out-of-pocket with moving costs, registration fees and NZQA fees, and I have to wait nearly three months to find out if they will move me to a salary that is anywhere near what I was earning in Australia,” she said.

“I wanted to move over here to stay. But I am nearly at the stage where I am ready to go back to Australia.”