Minimum wages

A minimum wage is the lowest remuneration that employers can legally pay their workers—the price floor below which workers may not sell their labour. In New Zealand there are three different kinds of minimum wage. These are ‘adult’, ‘starting-out’ and ‘training’. There is currently only minimum wage for people under 16 years old, however when you turn 16 you must be paid minimum wage of either adult, starting-out or training.

Adult Minimum Wage
For adults over the age of 16, living in New Zealand, the minimum wage is $20.00 an hour before tax and $800.00 before tax for a 40-hour week. Your employer has to pay you adult minimum wage if you have worked for them for 6 month, as well as if you supervise or train other workers.

Starting-out minimum wage
The minimum wage for workers who are classed as ‘starting-out’ is $16.00 an hour before tax and $624.00 before tax for a 40-hour week. Find out more information here.

Training minimum wage
The minimum wage for those who are classed as ‘training’ workers is $16.00 an hour before tax and $624.00 before tax for a 40-hour week. To be classed as a training worker you need to be 20 years old or above. You need to be under an employment agreement with the company and have to do at least 60 credits a year of industry training.