THE registration of new teachers to the Northern Ireland workforce is "threatened with increasing delays" because of lack of staff to process applications.
The General Teaching Council (GTCNI) has to register a teacher who wants to be employed in a school in the north.
Teachers pay an annual fee of £44 to the body to be registered to enable them to work in a school in Northern Ireland.
However, the BBC reported an internal memo has revealed that staffing "is presently a critical issue on the GTCNI registration team".
It added that registration staff worked "additional hours during August and September in evenings, weekends and for part-time staff working additional days.
"Currently there is no policy in place to pay overtime for these additional hours worked and staff only have the option of taking time off in lieu.
"The registration of new teachers to the NI workforce is now threatened with increasing delays because of lack of staff to process applications."
It is thought that the registration of just under 200 teachers has been delayed due to the staffing problems.
The memo comes as it was also revealed that the Sam Gallaher, Chief Executive of GTCNI, is due to stand down next April.
The Department of Education in Northern Ireland was contacted for comment.
