WELLINGTON, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- As primary and middle school teacher shortage exacerbates in major New Zealand cities such as Auckland, the government is welcoming overseas teachers into Kiwi classrooms.

The Ministry of Education estimates there is a shortage of 850 teachers in 2019.

The ministry's recruitment agencies have received more than 7,300 overseas teachers' applications to teach in New Zealand, and have selected nearly 1,000 applicants for further interviews, according to the ministry.

The agencies are arranging the teachers to attend the interviews and complete the requirements to come to New Zealand.

The ministry is also working on increasing the number of Kiwi teachers, such as attracting more people into the education sector, said Ellen MacGregor-Reid, the ministry's deputy secretary for Early Learning and Student Achievement.