Consultation open for Teaching Council fees and levy changes

Consultations for proposed changes to Teaching Council fees and levy charges from 2025 to 2028 are now open.  

The council reviews their fees and levy every three years. For this period, they are proposing an increase to the practicing certificate fees from $464.37 to $501.74. This represents an 8 percent increase on the levy set in 2022. Other increases include applying as an overseas teacher, application fee for Limited Authority to Teach (LAT) and the cost of a review in cases where applicants did not meet criteria for registration and certification. 

Read the latest print edition of School News online HERE.

The changes would become effective from 1 July 2025, and the adjustments are to ensure the Council can meet costs of delivering services in line with inflation and changes to the volume of applications, particularly in the overseas teachers and LAT categories. 

The fees and levy is described by the council as “paying for the functions we must carry out for the teaching profession.” The funds are used to provide services for teachers such as the Contact Centre.  

Part of the fees and levy increase stems from the end of Government funding for additional Teaching Council staff to process overseas teachers’ applications.  

PPTA Te Wehengarua President Chris Abercrombie said the government should take responsibility for its decision to hire overseas staff to address teaching shortages rather than investing in training New Zealand teachers.  

“The Government has deliberately chosen to hire overseas teachers to address teacher shortages, rather than ensuring an adequate supply of New Zealand teachers, so it should continue the funding of staff to process overseas applications for as long as it takes. There is no way the profession should be paying for this.”  

Abercombie said teachers supported National Party policy that registration fees should be paid for by the government. He said it would make part of their claim in collective agreement negotiations later this year.  

“In the meantime, I would strongly encourage all teachers to have their say on the proposed fee increase.”

The full consultation document for fee and levy increases and other materials can be found here. 

The consultation period ends on Wednesday 2 April.  

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