I qualified to teach in the UK. Can I work in an Irish school?

I recently qualified as a maths teacher in the UK and would love to return home to teach. While I gained qualified teacher status, I didn’t complete my induction as I had to return home for family reasons. Can I still apply for registration in Ireland?

Your timing is good for a number of reasons. First, many schools are crying out for teachers, especially in key subject areas at second level.

Second, the Teaching Council recently announced some changes to the registration process for teachers who qualified outside Ireland.

Usually, a teacher who qualified abroad has to obtain the status of being “fully qualified” before being eligible to apply for registration, which usually means a teacher education qualification, plus a period of induction.

However, until February 1st, 2024, all primary and post-primary teachers who have qualified outside Ireland are eligible to apply for registration and complete their induction here in Ireland.

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For this time-bound period, these teachers can apply for registration without having this period of induction completed. The council will continue to operate its standard processes for fully qualified teachers who qualified outside of Ireland.

This change is aimed at increasing the supply of registered teachers who are available to fill vacancies, including supervision and substitution roles.

The measure will make it easier for those who studied in the UK to return to Ireland to teach. The average processing time for out of State applications is just more than 10 weeks, once all necessary documentation has been provided.

Teachers who register will be required to complete induction (Droichead) and evidence of qualified teacher status must be provided from the authority in the country where you completed your qualification.

If you are applying for primary level registration, you must have a primary-focused teacher education qualification for four to 12-year-olds which is comparable to the standard of Irish graduates. The Irish language requirement w ill be applied as a condition of registration.

If applying for post-primary registration, applicants must have a post-primary focused teacher education qualification for 12 to 18-year-olds and meet the requirements for a post-primary curricular subject. The history and structure of the Irish education system requirement will be applied as a condition of registration.

[ My daughter wants to be a primary teacher but is weak at Irish ]

Teachers may be registered on a conditional basis for a maximum of three years while this requirement is being fulfilled. Once registered, you seek employment through online platforms (educationposts.ie, publicjobs.ie, individual ETB websites), or by contacting schools directly. Further information is available on the Teaching Council’s website on how to apply for registration under this regulation.

The council operates a fast-track summer registration process each year to ensure the newly qualified teachers are registered in advance of the new school year.

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For example, some 3,600 had their registrations finalised by the Teaching Council in 2022. The same process for 2023 graduates will commence in July.

Teaching Council-registered teachers can also substitute in both primary and post-primary once vetted through the council.