During 1999 some 44,000 new jobs were created and there were around half this many during 2000.
Executive salaries vary across the market however as a guide a middle / senior executive employed in an accounting / sales / engineering field could expect to earn between $60,000 and $100,000 per annum plus benefits. Benefits generally include subsidised superannuation, medical insurance and in many cases use of a company car or an allowance for an employee supplied vehicle. Nurses and teachers with 10 years experience could expect earnings of $35,000 to $45,000 per annum. People in the trades or technical fields can expect earnings of around $35,000 -$40,000 before taxation .
New Zealand salaries and wages are not high by international standards, however they are at a level where middle executives enjoy a pleasant life style. The average wage is $34,000. Where a gross household income is $80,000 or more that household is in the top 5 % of income earners.
The minimum wage is $7.50 per hour or $300.00 per week. There is a minimum youth rate which must be paid to all young people under the age of 20. The youth rate is $3.75 per hour. We would comment that less than 3% of the population are employed at these levels and those that are work in unskilled areas. By December 1999 the average male earned $18.73 per hour and the average female $15.98. There were around 1.8 million people
in full or part-time work.
The Employment Contracts Act legislation that was enacted in 1991 was considered to be both radical and innovative in terms of labour law. The Act governs the employment of all workers in New Zealand, however there are a number of other statutes which also impact on conditions of employment.
The Act required all employees and employers to have contracts with each other. By July 2000 the new Centre Left Government will have repealed this Act and replaced it with the Employment Relations Act. This new Act introduces the concept of “good faith bargaining” (try testing that concept in a Court of Law!!), unions as the only allowed bargaining agents for collective contracts and one or two other changes which will likely change nothing at all!
The contracts must contain a number of key clauses. These include:
a procedure for personal grievances
a disputes procedure
a term, with an expiry date for collective agreements
wages, hours of work, holidays, sick leave entitlements.
The Law sets the minimum for annual leave, sick leave, statutory holidays, minimum wages etc., it is up to the employee to negotiate better conditions than the minimum.
Sex, marital status, religion, age, disabilities cannot be discriminated against, and strict laws enforce this.
Taxation In New Zealand:
Personal Income Tax Rates
First $ 38 400.00 19.5%
$38 400.00 to $ 59 000.00 33% > $ 60 000.00 39%
Company Tax Rates
Not surprisingly those self employed that can register as companies now are. Prior to 1 April 2000 the top marginal tax rate was 33% (equal to the company tax rate).
All worldwide income is taxable whether your funds/capital and investments are held in New Zealand or elsewhere. There are penalties for those not declaring offshore income if the Tax Department catches you. However where New Zealand has a double tax agreement you will receive a tax credit on the tax paid at source and you will not pay tax a second time on it in New Zealand.
New Zealand operates a consumption tax on all goods and services consumed here. Called the Goods and Services tax it is levied on everything (except private house sales and financial services) at a rate of 12.5 %.
There are also a raft of less significant taxes such as fringe benefit, entertainment and ACC which we will not detail here. There is no capital gains tax.
Suffice it to say that Mr. and Mrs. Average New Zealander pay around 28 % of their income in either direct or indirect taxes. This is much lower than in most other developed countries.
To have a net income of $30000.00 per year means a gross household income of around $45 000.00. Here is a list of occupations and what they might expect to earn per annum in
New Zealand dollars.
|
Admin clerk |
30,171 |
|
Receptionist/date entry/typist |
28,321 |
|
Accounts clerk |
29,359 |
|
Customer services clerk |
30,323 |
|
Sales rep/commercial traveller |
35,966 |
|
Accountant (1-5 yrs experience) |
54,364 |
| Accountant
(qualified 5 yrs +) |
68,752 |
|
Human Resources/Personnel Officer |
46,448 |
|
Marketing/Business Development Manager |
78,086 |
|
Production Supervisor |
43,644 |
|
Production worker (semi skilled) |
25,440 |
|
Machinist, apparel |
22,000 |
|
Warehouse/Store person (unskilled) |
21,789 |
|
General Manager (under 50 employees) |
83,578 |
|
General Manager (50 - 199 employees) |
101,567 |
|
Managing Director (50 - 199 employees) |
127,513 |
|
Fitter Welder and Fitter Turner |
36,819 |
|
Information Systems Manager |
74,443 |
|
System controller/Administrator |
54,064 |
| Analyst/Programmer
and computer systems engineer |
52,932 |
|
Information Services Officer and computer operator |
37,973 |
|
Software Engineer |
55,378 |
|
Electronics technician |
39,347 |
|
Library Manager/senior librarian/qualified librarian |
45,415 |
|
Carpenter/Joiner |
33,302 |
|
Civil Construction worker |
30,460 |
|
Shop Manager (single outlet) |
40,749 |
|
Salesperson (skilled) |
24,375 |
|
Checkout operator |
18,426 |
|
Driver (general road transport) |
28,552 |
|
Home Assistant |
23501 |
|
Staff nurse/Registered Nurse |
39,468 |
|
Nurse aide/Hospital aide |
24,236 |
|
Cook |
28,280 |
|
Kitchenhand |
20,029 |
Minimum
Wage Rates_
In New
Zealand you are entitled to at least the minimum wage if
you are 16 years old or over. The minimum wage rates (NZ$
per hour before tax) is 4.20 for youth (16 - 19 years) and
7.00 for adults (20 years and over).
Average
hourly earnings
By
December 2000 the average male earned $18.73 per hour and
the average female $15.98. There were around 1.8 million
people in full or part-time work.
-
Average
Annual salaries by profession
|
Admin
clerk
|
$30,171
|
|
Receptionist/date
entry/typist
|
$28,321
|
|
Accounts
clerk
|
$29,359
|
|
Customer
services clerk
|
$30,323
|
|
Sales
rep/commercial traveller
|
$35,966
|
|
Accountant
(1-5 yrs experience)
|
$54,364
|
|
Accountant
(qualified 5 yrs +)
|
$68,752
|
|
Human
Resources/Personnel Officer
|
$46,448
|
|
Marketing/Business
Development Manager
|
$78,086
|
|
Production
Supervisor
|
$43,644
|
|
Production
worker (semi skilled)
|
$25,440
|
|
Machinist,
apparel
|
$22,000
|
|
Warehouse/Store
person (unskilled)
|
$21,789
|
|
General
Manager (under 50 employees)
|
$83,578
|
|
General
Manager (50 - 199 employees)
|
$101,567
|
|
Managing
Director (50 - 199 employees)
|
$127,513
|
|
Fitter
Welder and Fitter Turner
|
$36,819
|
|
Information
Systems Manager
|
$74,443
|
|
System
controller/Administrator
|
$54,064
|
|
Analyst/Programmer
and computer systems engineer
|
$52,932
|
|
Information
Services Officer and computer operator
|
$37,973
|
|
Software
Engineer
|
$55,378
|
|
Electronics
technician
|
$39,347
|
|
Library
Manager/senior librarian/qualified librarian
|
$45,415
|
|
Carpenter/Joiner
|
$33,302
|
|
Civil
Construction worker
|
$30,460
|
|
Shop
Manager (single outlet)
|
$40,749
|
|
Salesperson
(skilled)
|
$24,375
|
|
Checkout
operator
|
$18,426
|
|
Driver
(general road transport)
|
$28,552
|
|
Home
Assistant
|
$23501
|
|
Staff
nurse/Registered Nurse
|
$39,468
|
|
Nurse
aide/Hospital aide
|
$24,236
|
|
Cook
|
$28,280
|
|
Kitchenhand
|
$20,029
|
New
Zealand Average Earnings
|
Average
hourly earnings
|
$18.30
|
|
Private
sector hourly earnings
|
$17.20
|
|
Public
sector hourly earnings
|
$22.10
|
|
Male
earnings
|
$19.60
|
|
Female
earnings
|
$16.50
|
|
Average
total weekly earnings
|
$698.40
|
|
Average
weekly hours worked
|
38.20
|
Weekly
Wages by Employment Sector
|
Accommodation
/ cafes / restaurants
|
$450
|
|
Retail
|
$469
|
|
Personal
Services
|
$643
|
|
Health
and community services
|
$656
|
|
Cultural
and recreation services
|
$659
|
|
Construction
|
$706
|
|
Transport
/ storage / communication
|
$723
|
|
Manufacturing
|
$731
|
|
Forestry
and mining
|
$755
|
|
Education
|
$757
|
|
Wholesale
trade
|
$773
|
|
Property
and business services
|
$782
|
|
Government
administration and defence
|
$876
|
|
Finance
and insurance
|
$932
|
|
Electricity,
gas and water
|
$978
|
|
|
