Irish teachers are moving to Australia because the pay and conditions are more “lucrative”, a secondary school teacher in Dublin has said. 

Catholic schools in Victoria are currently running a recruitment drive in Ireland, offering top salaries and reimbursement costs for those willing to move Down Under. 

Irish qualifications are recognised in every State and territory of the country and Peter told The Hard Shoulder he understood why so many of his peers are leaving. 

“It’s definitely very lucrative in relation to what’s being offered,” he said. 

“Great opportunities and I always said as a country, we’re great at educating people but, at the same time, we’re just as good at getting them to jump on the next boat or plane”. 

Peter described his profession as “getting more and more challenging” due to the rising cost of living. 

“You kind of feel that you’re in a tunnel to be a teacher in the education system at the minute,” he said.  

“It’s quite limited in regards to the opportunities.” 

'You’re taxed a lot less'

OzTeach founder David Trainor mainly helps place teachers in Victorian schools and said there is increased demand for the organisation’s service. 

“In recent years, with the cost of living crisis that’s gripping Ireland, there’s a lot of people who are deciding to maybe spend a couple of years in Australia,” he said. 

“I know Dubai has been very popular and other places [are too] but Australia, certain parts at least, are trying to put the hard sell on to attract teachers over.” 

BNX6M7 Agile Wallaby (Macropus agilis) in the Mary River Wetlands. Mary River National Park, Northern Territory, AUSTRALIA.

Pay for teachers varies from State to State but is overall “comparable”. 

“The salary of a teacher after two years experience would be about €50,000 of the equivalent there in Victoria and in Ireland, you’re talking about €45,000,” he said. 

“That maybe augments a bit after 11 years, we might be talking €72,000 in Victoria and €61,000 [in Ireland]. 

“The difference is you’re taxed a lot less; they don’t have things like the USC and tax rates wouldn’t be as high. 

“So, your take home [pay] feels a lot more than what you’re earning in Ireland.”

Main image: A teacher.