Find an English course

You can enter your address to find English courses near where you live.

Learning English

English requirements for living in NZ

When you apply for a visa to move to NZ

You usually have to speak English, or enrol in English classes.

Different kinds of visas have different requirements.

Apply for a visa — English language

When you apply for citizenship

You need to be able to hold a basic conversation in English to get NZ citizenship.

Language requirements for citizenship

Children learning English at school

Your child must study English at school.

Many schools offer English as a Second Language (ESOL) classes. Ask your school for help.

Translation and interpreting services

If you need documents translated

To translate documents from English to another language, you follow the same process as translating into English.

Translating documents into English

If you need an interpreter

Lots of government agencies, councils and medical centres offer interpreters over the phone through the Telephone Interpreting Service. To get an interpreter:

1. Call or visit an organisation.
2. Ask for the Telephone Interpreting Service and the language you need — over 180 languages are available.

The Telephone Interpreting Service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.