New financial packages have been announced to entice teachers to take jobs at regional schools, including $10,000 to help cover stamp duty costs when buying a home.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the NSW Government is committed to removing barriers for teachers and helping them make the move to a country town.
“Regional, rural and remote communities are an incredible place to live, work, and raise a family,” Mr Toole said.
“That is why we are providing additional support to help cover the costs of teachers moving to our communities, and support to help them buy a home so they can put down roots.”
Treasurer Matt Kean said the stamp duty incentive was another way to attract teachers to the regions and help them buy their dream home.
“Teachers will be able to claim back up to $10,000 in stamp duty, helping them buy a home close to where they work,” Mr Kean said.
“This is another incentive for teachers to take up a position in the bush on top of other first home buyer assistance.”
Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said offering additional support for teachers after they’ve relocated was the logical next step.
“Once we’ve helped a teacher move to a regional, rural or remote school, we need to do everything we can to make sure they become part of the community,” Ms Mitchell said.
Ms Mitchell said a new Support for Rural Beginners program has also been introduced to provide hundreds of early career teachers with access to a range of supports to help them settle into their community and make local connections.
“We want to reduce the level of social isolation experienced by new teachers who have moved to the country and improve retention by encouraging them to build a sense of belonging in their communities,” Ms Mitchell said.
“The program includes a one-off financial incentive of $600 to be used towards building social connections such as registering with a local sporting team, signing up for art classes or even having coffee with new friends.”
To be eligible for the program, teachers must be within their first five years in the classroom and have recently moved to teach in a regional, rural or remote school in the principal networks of Barwon, Deniliquin, Far West, Griffith, Gundagai, Mitchell, Mooki, Narrandera, Temora, Wagga Wagga, West Wyalong, Western Plains, as well as selected Connected Communities schools.
Expressions of interest in the program are now open on the Support for Rural Beginners program page.
NSW has the most comprehensive rural and remote incentives scheme in Australia and, subject to eligibility, teachers can access up to $40,000 on top of their base salary annually, plus an additional $20,000 recruitment bonus. The NSW Liberal and Nationals Government has also invested more than $20 million in teacher housing in priority areas. In 2022, the incentives program supported 1,700 teachers in regional, rural, and remote schools.
Teachers who are first home buyers already receive stamp duty relief under the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government’s First Home Buyer Assistance scheme and the First Home Buyer Choice scheme, and may receive an additional $10,000 under the First HomeOwner Grant scheme.
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