New Zealand offers a skilled, English-speaking workforce and light employer on-costs, with a distinctive trial-period option. All-in employer cost runs around 1.04x the gross salary. Here is what to know before your first New Zealand hire.
Employment runs under the Employment Relations Act and the Holidays Act, with mandatory written agreements, good-faith obligations, and KiwiSaver enrolment. A short trial period is available to smaller employers.
Employer on-costs are light, mainly the KiwiSaver employer contribution and the ACC levy that funds accident cover.
New Zealand funds most social support from general taxation, so employer payroll on-costs are limited to KiwiSaver and ACC.
Employees pay income tax under the PAYE system plus their KiwiSaver and ACC share, withheld at source. Withholding is the employer's responsibility, which under EOR means ours.
*All figures are estimates from public sources (2025-26), pending ops verification - same basis as the EOR cost calculator. Not tax or legal advice.
Compliant New Zealand employment agreement, payroll, and KiwiSaver, handled. One invoice, flat $499 per month.