Children and young people are loved, safe and nurtured
The Government has committed to progressively increase the minimum wage to $20 by April 2021. The minimum wage increased from:
- $15.75 to $16.50 per hour in April 2018
- to $17.70 per hour from April 2019
- to $18.90 per hour from April 2020
- and to $20 per hour from April 2021.
Overall, the increase is estimated to boost wages paid in the New Zealand economy by $306 million a year, with more than 240,000 workers experiencing a lift of approximately an extra $48 per week before tax for employees on a 40-hour working week.
A further increase to the minimum wage, to $21.20 per hour, took effect on 1 April 2022.