Minimum Wage in New Zealand: 2026 Rates, Types, and Am I Underpaid

As of 1 April 2026, the adult minimum wage in New Zealand is $23.95 an hour, up from $23.50 an hour the year before. The starting-out and training minimum wages are $19.16 an hour, set at 80 percent of the adult rate. Minimum wage applies to almost every employee aged 16 and over, whatever their age past that and whatever type of employment agreement they are on.

This is general information about New Zealand employment law, not legal advice. For your own situation, consult a lawyer or your local Community Law centre.

The three minimum wage rates

New Zealand has three minimum wage rates, all reviewed by the government and normally updated on 1 April each year.

Adult minimum wage: $23.95 an hour (from 1 April 2026, up from $23.50 an hour from 1 April 2025). This applies to every employee aged 16 and over who does not fit the starting-out or training criteria below.

Starting-out minimum wage: $19.16 an hour. This applies to an employee who fits one of the following: they are 16 or 17 years old and have not worked for their current employer for 6 continuous months; they are 16 to 19 years old and their employment agreement requires them to undertake at least 40 credits a year of industry training; or they are 18 or 19 years old and have received certain social security benefits for 6 or more continuous months without 6 continuous months of employment with one employer since. The starting-out rate stops applying once an employee has worked for the same employer for 6 continuous months, and it never applies to someone whose role includes supervising or training other workers.

Training minimum wage: $19.16 an hour. This applies to an employee aged 20 or over whose employment agreement requires them to complete at least 60 credits a year of a recognised industry training programme, typically an apprenticeship. It does not apply to someone trained informally on the job or to someone who supervises or trains other workers.

Both the starting-out and training minimum wages are fixed at 80 percent of the adult minimum wage, so they rise automatically each time the adult rate does.

Who the minimum wage applies to

Minimum wage law covers almost every employee working in New Zealand aged 16 and over, no matter how they are paid or what their contract is called. It applies to full-time, part-time, casual, and fixed-term employees alike, and it applies whether someone is paid hourly, salaried, by commission, or by piece rate: whatever the pay structure, it must work out to at least the applicable minimum wage for every hour actually worked. There is no minimum wage for an employee younger than 16. A small number of people can be paid less under a formal minimum wage exemption, most commonly some employees with disabilities who hold an exemption permit, and some people in specific institutional settings.

Minimum wage rates are before tax and before any lawful deduction, such as PAYE, a student loan repayment, or child support.

Am I being underpaid?

To check, divide your total pay for a period by the actual hours you worked in that period, then compare the result with the minimum wage that applies to you. Remember that time actually worked includes some time that is easy to leave out of the count, such as required training or a rostered but unpaid break that you are not actually free to leave. If regular allowances or commission are a genuine part of your pay for ordinary hours, they generally count towards the calculation; a one-off bonus generally does not.

If your pay works out below the minimum wage, you can call Employment New Zealand on 0800 20 90 20, and MBIE's free, confidential Early Resolution service can help you and your employer sort out the problem informally. If that does not resolve it, a claim to recover unpaid wages can be taken to the Employment Relations Authority, generally within 6 years of the date the wages should have been paid. Employers are required to keep wage and time records for 6 years, and an employee is entitled to see or get a copy of their own records.

Related employment topics

Minimum wage is only one part of an employee's pay. See our guides to annual leave and holiday pay and public holiday pay for how paid time off is calculated on top of ordinary wages. For the full picture of New Zealand employment law, visit the employment law hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum wage in New Zealand right now?

From 1 April 2026 the adult minimum wage is $23.95 an hour. The starting-out and training minimum wages are $19.16 an hour, fixed at 80 percent of the adult rate. These figures are reviewed and can change every 1 April, so check employment.govt.nz for the current rate.

Who gets paid the starting-out minimum wage instead of the adult rate?

An employee who is 16 or 17 and has not worked for their current employer for 6 continuous months, or who is 16 to 19 and required by their employment agreement to do at least 40 credits a year of industry training, or who is 18 or 19 and meets certain long-term benefit criteria. It stops applying after 6 continuous months with the same employer, and never applies to someone who supervises or trains others.

Does minimum wage apply to part-time, casual, or fixed-term employees?

Yes. Minimum wage law applies regardless of the type of employment agreement. A part-time, casual, or fixed-term employee aged 16 or over must still be paid at least the applicable minimum wage for every hour actually worked.

How do I know if I am being paid less than minimum wage?

Divide your total pay for a period by the actual number of hours you worked in that period and compare it with the minimum wage that applies to you. If the result is below the applicable rate, you may be underpaid.

What can I do if my employer is not paying minimum wage?

You can call Employment New Zealand on 0800 20 90 20 and use MBIE's free Early Resolution service to try to resolve it informally. If that does not work, a claim to recover unpaid wages can generally be taken to the Employment Relations Authority within 6 years of the date the wages should have been paid.