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Employment rates and thresholds: New Zealand

The New Zealand numbers an employer needs in one place: pay floors, contributions, leave and termination minimums. Each row carries its source.

What are the key New Zealand employment rates for 2026?

The adult minimum wage is NZ$23.95 an hour from 1 April 2026, the compulsory employer KiwiSaver contribution is 3.5%, and New Zealand charges no payroll tax and no social security tax.

The New Zealand numbers, each with its source

Pay floors

Item2026 figureSource
Adult minimum wageNZ$23.95/hour from 1 Apr 2026Employment New Zealand
Starting-out and training wageNZ$19.16/hour (80% of adult)Employment New Zealand

Employer contributions

Item2026 figureSource
KiwiSaver employer minimum3.5% of gross pay (4% from 1 Apr 2028)Inland Revenue
ESCTDeducted from the employer contribution, not added on topInland Revenue
ACC work levyIndustry-rated; 2026/27 average NZ$0.69 per NZ$100, excl GSTACC / MBIE
Payroll tax / social securityNoneNZ Government

Leave and holidays

Item2026 figureSource
Annual holidays4 weeks after 12 monthsEmployment New Zealand
Sick leave10 days from 6 months' service; accumulates to 20Employment New Zealand
Public holidaysUp to 12 (11 national including Matariki + 1 regional)Employment New Zealand

Termination

Item2026 figureSource
NoticeNo statutory minimum; the agreement governs (2-4 weeks common)Employment New Zealand
Redundancy compensationNone by statute; contract onlyEmployment New Zealand

Thresholds and caps

Item2026 figureSource
Unjustified dismissal grievance thresholdNZ$200,000+ remuneration on new agreements (from 21 Feb 2026)Employment New Zealand

Cross-market context for every one of these figures: employer costs, notice periods, redundancy pay, sick pay and annual leave, all six markets side by side.

Where Compono fits

Rates and thresholds are the part of employment you can look up. Whether the people those rates buy will perform is the part you cannot, and it is where most hiring cost actually hides. Compono gives you the people data to make hires you can defend in any market.

See how it works

Common questions

Where do these New Zealand figures come from?

Every row links its government source: Employment New Zealand. We checked each figure against that source in July 2026 and note the effective date where a rate changed recently.

How often do these rates change?

Most reset annually. We review the full table each year and after major legislative changes, and the last-reviewed date in the footer tells you exactly where you stand.

How current are these figures?

Every figure on this page was checked against the named government source in July 2026. We review the whole set annually and after major legislative changes, and the sources section lists the exact page we verified each market against.

This page is general information, not legal advice. We check figures annually and update them on a best-efforts basis, but employment rules change and we cannot promise everything here is current or complete. Before you act on it, confirm the detail with Employment New Zealand or your own adviser. Last reviewed July 2026.