Get ready for minimum wage increases.
The adult minimum wage will rise to $23.95 an hour from 1 April 2026.
Get ready for minimum wage increases
Minimum wage rates increase on 1 April. Check that your payroll system is ready to pay your employees the correct rate next month.
Effective 1 April 2025, New Zealand’s adult minimum wage will increase by 45 cents, from $23.50 to $23.95 per hour, a 1.9% rise.
The starting-out and training minimum wage will increase from $18.80 to $19.16 per hour.
These updated rates apply to all employees aged 16 and over before tax and deductions.
The adult minimum wage will rise to $23.95 an hour from 1 April 2026.
What to do now
Take this opportunity to review your business processes, employment records and systems.
- Check that your payroll system is ready and updated for the 1 April changes, whether you have a manual or computer-based system.
- Re-calculate and update your budgets and cashflow as the increase may have an impact, including on items such as ACC levies, KiwiSaver contributions and holiday pay.
- Check if you need to adjust other pay rates to keep things fair.
- Consider reviewing your pricing strategy.
Due to minimum wage rates increase on 1 April, take this opportunity to review your business processes, employment records and systems.
Currently the minimum wage in New Zealand is $23.50 NZD/Hour.
Just for information, back in 2006 the minimum wage was as low as $10.25 NZD/Hour.
The weekly increase will look like:
For 40 hours week:
Gross income: from $940.00 to $958.00
Net income: from $762.60 to $776.61
For 45 hours week:
Gross income: from $1 057.50 to $1 077.75
Net income: from $850.47 to $863.70
For 50 hours week:
Gross income: from $1 175.00 to $1 197.50
Net income: from $927.24 to $941.94
