Joy Victoriano’s son can now cycle to school in Tokoroa. Getting the family to that point took a much longer journey: from the Philippines to Las Vegas, then through applications to more than 100 New Zealand schools.
The Filipino maths teacher eventually secured five interviews and a job at Forest View High School. Her two sons joined her in New Zealand. In Nikki Macdonald’s 3 October 2026 report, Victoriano described enjoying cycling, camping and fishing with her family.
She had 12 years of teaching experience, including five in the United States, yet finding work remained difficult.
Over five years, the Teaching Council registered 13,486 overseas-trained teachers, including 3,426 from the Philippines. Registration totals do not show how many people moved here or found classroom jobs.
The report cited a projected secondary-teacher shortage of 710 in 2026. Recruitment difficulties differed between schools and regions; some principals received many overseas applications while others struggled to cover classes.
Victoriano’s experience puts a family and a lengthy job search behind those figures.
Source: Nikki Macdonald, The Post / Waikato Times, 3 October 2026. English summary updated on 11 October 2026.
