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Lloyd Connect is connecting qualified early childhood teachers and educators with upcoming roles across Victoria, including opportunities in regional communities where qualified candidates are in high demand.
Eligible positions may include generous Victorian Government financial incentives to help you make the move. With our experienced recruiters supporting you throughout the recruitment process, you can explore working in Victoria before committing to a particular role or location.
This campaign is aimed at Australian and New Zealand citizens or candidates with long-term rights to live and work in Australia. Not a citizen? Explore the visa pathways available.
Working in Victoria is an opportunity to experience a different early childhood environment, develop your career and discover a new part of Australia.
Most roles are expected to be based in regional and rural Victoria, where qualified early childhood teachers and educators are particularly needed. Some metropolitan opportunities may also become available.
Specific locations, salaries and employment conditions will be shared as each vacancy is confirmed.
The Victorian Government offers financial incentives to attract qualified early childhood teachers and educators into funded kindergarten programmes. The amounts available differ for teachers and educators, and depend on the role, the service and your individual circumstances.
Candidates who meet the criteria for both types of incentive may receive both payments.
A relocation supplement of between $1,000 and $8,000 is also available to eligible incentive recipients who relocate more than 100 kilometres to take up a role, whether moving from interstate or New Zealand. The relocation supplement is only available to candidates who qualify for an incentive.
The amount offered will depend on the position, location and individual eligibility.
Incentives are offered through Victorian Government programmes and are subject to eligibility criteria, availability and programme conditions. They are not guaranteed for every candidate or position.
Amy Graham is a Senior Recruitment Consultant with Lloyd Connect.
Having relocated overseas herself, Amy understands what it is like to relocate to a new location. She will be your first Lloyd Connect contact.
There is no pressure to apply for a particular position. Amy’s role is to understand what you are looking for and introduce opportunities that could genuinely suit you.
Many of the available early childhood roles will be located outside Melbourne in regional and rural Victorian communities.
Each location is different, and relocating to a regional community is a significant decision. Lloyd Connect will provide clear information about the role, employer and location so you can decide whether the opportunity suits your career, lifestyle and family circumstances.
Moving locations can be an exciting career step, but we understand that it is also a big commitment.
You may be considering the cost of relocating, leaving family and friends, finding accommodation or adjusting to life in a smaller regional community.
The first step is simply the registration form. Amy will then be in touch for a confidential conversation about what you are looking for and whether a Victorian opportunity could be right for you.
If you have long-term rights to live and work in Australia, we’d love to hear from you.
Register your interest. Tell us about your qualifications, experience, preferred roles and relocation timeframe, and attach your CV.
Amy will call to learn more about you, discuss your eligibility, answer your initial questions and schedule an interview with one of our consultants.
As vacancies are confirmed, our team will introduce roles that align with your experience, preferences and plans.
If you would like to pursue a role, Lloyd Connect will support you through the employer application and interview process.
Once you accept a position, you can complete any outstanding registration or qualification requirements and make your relocation arrangements.
Diploma and Certificate III-equivalent qualifications must be recognised at the applicable Australian level. Eligibility will depend on the candidate’s individual qualification and the requirements of the position.
Early Childhood Teachers must hold the appropriate Victorian Institute of Teaching registration before commencing in a teaching position.
Depending on your current qualification and registration status, you may need to have your qualification assessed or recognised before applying for Victorian registration.
Educators may need to have their qualification assessed by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority, ACECQA, if it is not already recognised as an approved qualification.
Lloyd Connect cannot complete these applications on your behalf, but we can explain which requirements have been specified for a particular opportunity.
Specific early childhood teaching and educator vacancies will be added here as they become available.
Registering now allows us to learn more about you and contact you when a suitable position is confirmed.
Lloyd Connect has been connecting people and organisations for 10 years and has been recognised nationally for its work in early childhood recruitment.
from more than 220 reviews on SEEK
Candidates and employers recognise the team’s communication, personalised service and supportive approach.
If you are a qualified early childhood teacher or educator and are considering working in Australia, we would love to hear from you.
Registering takes about five minutes. Have your CV handy. You will be asked to attach it. We will then be in touch to arrange a confidential conversation.
Most opportunities are expected to be in regional or rural Victoria, particularly in communities where qualified early childhood teachers and educators are in high demand.
Some metropolitan roles may also become available. Each confirmed vacancy will clearly state the location, position, salary, available incentive and expected commencement date.
Lloyd Connect is currently inviting expressions of interest ahead of early childhood roles expected to become available throughout Victoria.
Specific positions, locations, salaries and incentive amounts will be published as vacancies are confirmed. Registering now allows us to contact you when an opportunity matching your experience and preferences becomes available.
Most positions are expected to commence in early 2027, although exact dates will depend on each vacancy and employer.
Registering early gives you time to explore suitable roles, complete any qualification or registration requirements and consider the practical details of relocating.
No. Candidates are responsible for completing and paying for their own Victorian registration, ACECQA qualification assessment and required compliance checks.
Lloyd Connect can provide information about the requirements specified for a particular vacancy, but cannot complete registration or qualification applications on a candidate’s behalf.
You do not have to be open to regional Victoria to register, but most opportunities are expected to be in regional or rural communities.
Candidates who are open to regional living are likely to have access to a wider range of positions and higher financial incentives. You can still register if you would prefer a metropolitan opportunity.
Yes, financial incentives may be available for eligible early childhood teachers and educators who accept selected positions in Victoria.
Depending on the vacancy and individual eligibility, incentives may range from AUD $9,000 to $50,000 before tax. Additional relocation support may also be available to eligible candidates moving from New Zealand.
The amount, payment conditions and eligibility requirements vary between roles. Any available incentive will be confirmed before you apply for a specific position.
Yes. You can register whether you are considering moving on your own, with a partner or with your family.
Candidates remain responsible for their own relocation and accommodation arrangements.
No. Registering your interest does not commit you to moving, applying for a position or accepting an offer.
It begins a confidential conversation with us about your experience, preferences and potential opportunities. You can decide whether to proceed once you know the role, location, employer, salary and available incentive.
Yes, a New Zealand-qualified early childhood teacher may be eligible to work in Victoria, provided they obtain the required Victorian Institute of Teaching registration.
Teachers who currently hold full or provisional teacher registration in New Zealand may be eligible to apply for the corresponding Victorian registration through mutual recognition. Eligibility depends on the individual’s qualification and current registration status.
Learn about registration for interstate and overseas teachers
Some New Zealand early childhood qualifications are recognised in Australia, while others must be assessed by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority, ACECQA.
Candidates can search the approved qualifications list to see whether their qualification is already recognised. If it is not listed, they may be able to apply to ACECQA for an individual qualification assessment.
Yes. Early Childhood Teachers must hold the appropriate Victorian Institute of Teaching registration before commencing an Early Childhood Teacher position in Victoria.
You do not need to have completed your Victorian registration before registering your interest with Lloyd Connect. However, the required registration must be obtained before you begin work.
Learn how to register with the Victorian Institute of Teaching
New Zealand citizens with a valid New Zealand passport generally do not need to apply for a visa before travelling to Australia.
When entering Australia, eligible New Zealand citizens can be granted a Special Category visa, subclass 444. This visa allows them to live, study and work in Australia, provided they meet the relevant entry and eligibility requirements.
Australian citizens living in New Zealand already have the right to live and work in Australia.
Read the Australian Government information for New Zealand citizens
Information last reviewed: August 2026. Registration, qualification, work-rights and incentive requirements may change. Candidates should confirm their individual eligibility with the relevant government authority.
Register your interest today and we will contact you to arrange a confidential conversation.
Registering your interest does not guarantee employment or eligibility for a financial incentive. All opportunities are subject to vacancy requirements, qualification recognition, registration, employer selection and applicable Victorian Government programme conditions.
Please note: Lloyd Connect is unable to assist with visa pathways. The following information is for informative purposes only and it is your responsibility to go through the visa application process yourself or with a registered Australian migration agent.
If you do not already hold Australian work rights, the Victorian Government offers free visa nomination to skilled migrants whose skills are needed in the state. Nomination is a mandatory requirement for two skilled visas and adds points to your visa application.
A permanent visa allowing you to live and work anywhere in Victoria, including Melbourne. Victorian nomination adds 5 points to your points test.
A five-year provisional visa for living and working in regional Victoria, with a pathway to permanent residency after at least three years. Nomination adds 15 points.
Neither visa requires a job offer or employer sponsorship, and neither requires you to have employment in Victoria before you arrive.
Submit an EOI to the Department of Home Affairs through SkillSelect.
Submit an ROI on the Live in Melbourne portal using your SkillSelect EOI number.
If selected by the Victorian Government, apply for nomination through the portal.
If nominated, apply to the Department of Home Affairs, who make the final decision.
The nomination itself is free, but the pathway overall is not. A visa application charge applies when you lodge your visa with the Australian Government, with further charges for each family member included in your application. Visa charges are reviewed every 1 July, so check the Department of Home Affairs website for the current amount.
You should also budget for a skills assessment, an English language test, health examinations, police certificates and any document translation you need.
Not at present. Victoria’s 2025–26 programme closed to new Registrations of Interest on 28 April 2026, and the 2026–27 programme has not yet opened. The Victorian Government has not announced an opening date and will publish details when they become available. As a guide, the 2025–26 programme opened in early October 2025.
You can still prepare in the meantime. Your SkillSelect Expression of Interest can be submitted or updated at any time, and you can complete your skills assessment and English test so you are ready when the programme opens.
If you already submitted a Registration of Interest during the 2025–26 programme, it remains under consideration for the remaining nomination places.
Your SkillSelect Expression of Interest is issued instantly and stays valid for two years. Registrations of Interest are considered during the programme year, and nomination applications take approximately 20 business days. Visa processing times are set by the Department of Home Affairs and vary.
Skilled migration typically takes considerably longer than a standard recruitment process.
Eligibility depends on your occupation appearing on the eligible skilled occupations list, which does not include every early childhood role. You will also need a skills assessment in that occupation. Check the current list before starting the process.
No. Lloyd Connect is a recruitment agency, not a registered migration agent, and cannot provide immigration advice or lodge applications on your behalf. Skilled migration is assessed entirely by government.
We are happy to talk with you about early childhood roles in Victoria and what employers require.
Skilled migration information is provided as a general guide only and is subject to change. Points, eligibility criteria, occupation lists, programme dates and fees are set by the Australian and Victorian Governments. Lloyd Connect is not a registered migration agent. Confirm your individual circumstances with the relevant authority or a registered migration agent.