Montessori schools in New Zealand often have positions available for Montessori trained teachers. A diversity of Montessori qualifications has been acceptable in New Zealand Montessori schools.

Individual schools will make their own assessment of the suitability of the Montessori qualification you hold.
Montessori Aotearoa New Zealand does not assess qualifications.
 
The New Zealand Ministry of Education have requirements for teaching qualifications that may affect your ability to get a work permit or get New Zealand residency.

People holding Montessori diplomas are usually able to obtain work permits to teach for a specified time in a New Zealand Montessori early childhood centre or school. However Montessori diplomas are not recognised for New Zealand teacher registration, but may sometimes be recognised for NZ residency, depending on immigration quotas!

The New Zealand Ministry of Education want to improve the level of qualifications held by people working in early childhood centres, including Montessori early childhood centres.

From 31 December 2007 the 50% teacher registration requirement came into effect. This means teacher-led, centre-based early childhood services are required to have  50% of the total "regulated staff" to hold an ECE teaching qualification recognised by the New Zealand Teachers Council for the purposes of teacher registration.
 
A centre is required to meet this 50% teacher registration requirement under the licensing requirements for early childhood education services and government funding for the centres is tied to the number of qualified and registered staff.

By 2012, 80% of teaching staff in teacher-led services will be required to be registered teachers. People holding Montessori diplomas alone, may get work in a Montessori early childhood centres, but will not count towards the government funding received by the centre.

Montessori diplomas are not considered equivalent to a New Zealand Diploma of Teaching or a Bachelors degree  which are three-year programmes and are not recognised for New Zealand teacher registration.

All primary teachers in New Zealand are required by law to be registered with the New Zealand Teachers Council.

Most Montessori primary classes catering for the 6-12 year age group are part of New Zealand state primary schools.

In order to receive adequate teacher funding Montessori primary classes usually need people with teacher training qualifications, in addition to Montessori training. Additional qualifications may be recognised by New Zealand government departments for teacher registration and residency purposes. 

Full teacher registration is required for New Zealand permanent residency. The New Zealand Teachers Council is usually able to appraise teaching qualifications from Canada, Ireland, UK, Australia and South Africa. Qualifications from other countries may need to be assessed by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.