Every permanent teaching staff member employed in any of the free public schools for nine months or more, in any year shall be a citizen of the United States, except that any citizen of any other country, who has declared his intention of becoming a United States citizen and to whom there has been issued a teaching certificate in accordance with law, may be employed as a teacher so long as he holds a valid teacher's certificate and a teacher of foreign languages who has been a resident of the United States for less than 10 years and who is not a citizen of the United States may be employed in such capacity.
The requirement of citizenship shall not be construed to apply to a teacher from a foreign country who is enrolled with an approved international agency which operates a teacher placement program or teacher exchange program.
N.J.S. § 18A:26-1