Working in New Zealand: NZ$23.95 an Hour Minimum
Cross-agency · employment
Quick answer
New Zealand's adult minimum wage is NZ$23.95 an hour from 1 April 2026, which is NZ$958 for a 40-hour week. It applies to everyone aged 16 and over, and Employment New Zealand states that temporary migrant workers have the same minimum employment rights as New Zealand workers.
Every figure on this page is from Employment New Zealand's own published documents.
Last verified 1 source, listed below
Minimum wage rates and types1. PHGuides is independent and not affiliated with any agency.
New Zealand’s adult minimum wage is NZ$23.95 an hour from 1 April 2026, and the sentence that matters most to an OFW sits alongside it in Employment New Zealand’s own words: temporary migrant workers have the same minimum employment rights as New Zealand workers.
The rates
All figures are before tax, effective 1 April 2026.
| Type | Per hour | 8-hour day | 40-hour week | 80-hour fortnight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | NZ$23.95 | NZ$191.60 | NZ$958 | NZ$1,916 |
| Starting-out | NZ$19.16 | NZ$153.28 | NZ$766.40 | NZ$1,532.80 |
| Training | NZ$19.16 | NZ$153.28 | NZ$766.40 | NZ$1,532.80 |
Minimum wage rates apply to all employees working in New Zealand aged 16 and over, and are set by the government and reviewed each year.
The gap between the adult rate and the other two is NZ$4.79 an hour, which over a 40-hour week is NZ$191.60. That subtraction is arithmetic on the published figures rather than a number Employment New Zealand prints.
The rule that protects a migrant worker
Temporary migrant workers have the same minimum employment rights as New Zealand workers. This includes being paid at least the minimum wage.
That is the whole point of the page. A visa status does not create a separate, lower wage floor.
An employee aged 16 or over must be paid at least the minimum wage for every hour worked, unless the minimum wage does not apply to them. And where the employment agreement promises more, the higher agreed rate is what must be paid: the minimum is a floor, not a ceiling.
If you are underpaid
Employment New Zealand publishes a number for it.
| Report underpayment or exploitation | 0800 20 90 20 |
| How it is handled | Employment New Zealand states concerns will be handled in a safe environment |
It invites reports both from the worker and from anyone who knows a worker being exploited.
What this page does not tell you
It does not tell you what a nurse, caregiver or labourer actually earns in New Zealand. The minimum wage is the legal floor for any job; occupational pay is set by the employment agreement and, in the health sector, by collective agreements this page does not reproduce. No New Zealand government body publishes a single “salary for Filipinos” figure, so none appears here.
It also does not cover visas. Entry and work rights are Immigration New Zealand’s decision, under rules that change independently of the wage rates above. The work visa requirements guide explains why the Philippine government controls the exit documents but not the visa.
The Philippine side
Whatever New Zealand allows, the Philippine requirements still apply: an Overseas Employment Certificate, OWWA membership, and a licensed agency or a qualifying direct hire.
The OEC guide covers the exit certificate and its fees, the recruitment agencies guide covers checking a licence before you pay anyone, and the deployment bans and placement fees guide covers when a placement fee may not be charged at all.
Take PEOS before applying. It is free, it is online, and its country information module exists for exactly this decision.
Related
The nurse salary in New Zealand guide covers the 7 step collective agreement scale for nurses, the PEOS guide covers the free pre-employment seminar, the work visa requirements guide covers what DMW controls and what it does not, and the OEC guide covers the certificate every departing worker needs.
Frequently asked questions
- How much is the minimum wage in New Zealand?
- The adult rate is NZ$23.95 an hour from 1 April 2026. That is NZ$191.60 for an 8-hour day, NZ$958 for a 40-hour week and NZ$1,916 for an 80-hour fortnight, all before tax.
- Do migrant workers get the same minimum wage?
- Yes. Employment New Zealand states plainly that temporary migrant workers have the same minimum employment rights as New Zealand workers, and that this includes being paid at least the minimum wage.
- Are there lower rates?
- There are 3 types of minimum wage: adult, starting-out and training. The starting-out and training rates are both NZ$19.16 an hour, which is NZ$766.40 for a 40-hour week. The adult rate applies unless you fall within one of the other two.
- Who does the minimum wage apply to?
- All employees working in New Zealand aged 16 and over. An employee aged 16 or over must be paid at least the minimum wage for every hour worked, unless the minimum wage does not apply to them.
- What if my employer agreed to pay more?
- The higher rate is what you are owed. Employment New Zealand states that where an employee has agreed to a higher pay rate in their employment agreement, they must be paid at that rate. The minimum wage is a floor, not a cap.
- When do the rates change?
- The rates are set by the government and reviewed each year. The figures on this page are effective from 1 April 2026, so check for the next review before relying on them.
- What if I am being paid less?
- Employment New Zealand asks anyone who thinks they are being paid less than the minimum wage to report it by calling 0800 20 90 20, and says the concern will be handled in a safe environment. It also invites reports of workplace exploitation.
- Is a New Zealand work visa covered here?
- No. Visas are Immigration New Zealand's decision and their rules are not reproduced on this page. On the Philippine side you still need an Overseas Employment Certificate and the usual DMW clearances.