There are a number of ways employers can support their teachers to seek and maintain registration.
Remind them to complete the annual registration process
All teachers, regardless of their registration category, are required to complete a series of annual registration tasks and pay their annual registration fee by 30 September each year in order to maintain their registration.
The VIT issues a range of notifications and reminders about the annual registration process in the lead up to 30 September. Employers can help ensure their teachers remain registered (and avoid a late fee!) by reminding them to complete annual registration tasks by the due date.
Visit the Annual registration page to find out more.
If a teacher does not complete their annual registration tasks and make payment by 30 September each year, a late fee is applied and they are given a three-month grace period until 31 December. If they do not complete their annual registration tasks by 31 December, their registration may be expired or suspended and they will be removed from the Register of teachers. Visit the Annual registration page to find out more.
Support provisionally registered teachers moving to full registration
Graduate teachers, overseas trained teachers and those re-entering the profession after an extended period away are granted provisional registration for a period of two (2) years. During this time, it is expected that provisionally registered teachers (PRTs) will move to full registration.
Please note that as provisionally registered teachers have approval expiry dates that differ from the annual registration due date (30 September), their registration can be expired and they can be removed from the Register of teachers at any stage throughout the year. As such, it is important that employers monitor their teachers’ expiry dates throughout the year via their ‘all teachers’ list.
While practices may vary across workplaces, it is expected that employers will
- provide their PRTs with an experienced mentor to help them develop their proficiency of practice and guide them through VIT’s Inquiry process
- support their PRTs to form a Workplace Recommendation Panel – a group of experienced teachers within the workplace who can assess whether the PRT has met the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST), and
- provide a recommendation report via the Employer portal once their PRT has completed VIT’s Inquiry process and submitted their application for full registration.
Check out VIT's Workplace Panel Guide for more information about how a Workplace Panel is formed to support PRTs moving to full registration.
Visit the Moving to full registration page to find out more about this process.
Support experienced returning registered teachers returning to full registration
Teachers re-entering the profession after an extended period away may be eligible for experienced returning registration. Experienced returning registered teachers (ERRTs) have two (2) years to meet the experienced returning registration requirements and return to full registration.
Please note that as experienced returning registered teachers have approval expiry dates that differ from the annual registration due date (30 September), their registration can be expired and they can be removed from the Register of teachers at any stage throughout the year. As such, it is important that employers monitor their teachers’ expiry dates throughout the year via their ‘all teachers’ list.
The requirements are assembled into the 5-stage supported Return to Full Registration Pathway consisting of
- Child Safety
- Priority Standards
- Professional Practice
- Identified Learning
- Attestation
Stage 1 (Child Safety module) of the pathway requires an ERRT to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of their responsibilities as a teacher regarding child safety and wellbeing. Employers are encouraged to support their ERRT to complete the Stage 1 requirements as soon as possible.
Employers are also required to check in with their ERRT at regular intervals to ensure they’re progressing throughout the remaining stages. While practices may vary across workplaces, it’s expected that employers will
- provide their ERRT with opportunities to observe and be observed by an experienced colleague / fully registered teacher to assist in regaining their proficiency of practice and guide them through the Return to Full Registration Pathway
- review evidence of their ERRT meeting the Proficient Teacher level of the APST and completing at least 80 days in one or more Australian or New Zealand schools or early childhood services
- provide additional guidance, professional learning opportunities and resources to their ERRT should gaps in their proficiency be identified
- attest to their ERRT’s proficiency and provide a recommendation report via the Employer portal once their ERRT has completed the Return to Full Registration Pathway and submitted their application for full registration.
Check out the Experienced Returning Registered Teacher Employer Guide (coming soon) to find out more about supporting ERRTs returning to full registration.
Visit the Returning to full registration page to find out more about this process.
Initiate applications for permission to teach
Before an individual can apply for a grant of permission to teach (PTT), the employer wishing to fill a position through a grant of PTT must first initiate a PTT application.
The VIT will assess this application to ensure it meets the Permission to Teach Policy before advising an individual they can apply.
Please note: PTT grants are not available to early childhood teachers.
Those granted PTT are not registered as qualified teachers as they have not yet completed an approved initial teacher education (ITE) qualification.
Visit the Permission to teach page to find out more.
Employers can initiate an application for Permission to teach via the Employer portal.
Assist with teacher audits
When a teacher undertakes the annual registration process, they make legally binding self-declarations about the maintenance of their professional practice as well as their continuing suitability and fitness to teach.
To ensure compliance with legislation, VIT conducts audits which require teachers to verify declarations made in their annual registration application.
A teacher may ask their principal or early childhood leader to provide a signed letter or statement of service on official letterhead to assist them to validate their claims in respect to days teaching, equivalent practice or educational leadership.
Teachers who obtain casual relief teaching positions through a teaching agency may also request a signed letter or statement of service on official letterhead from the agency.
Visit the Audits page to find out more about the auditing process.
Last updated: 11 Dec 2025