wolkediane@aol.

Hi,
we are presently looking at moving t New Zealand but cost of living is an issues. We are both nurses & worried about pay, whether we will survive? We have 2 children & would have about 150K to move over with is this enough?
My husband is in a management position in Learning Disabilities on 32k & I work part-time on an orthopaedic ward earning 10k.
Can anyone help all the cost of living info seems so different i.e. houses prices etc!

Rob&Marisa

Salary Scales for Registered Nurses in New Zealand


SALARY

There are five steps or grades for Registered Nurses and 4 levels which are performance related. The step offered to you will be based on your length of service, for example a new graduate would start on Step 1 and a RN with over 5 years experience would start on Step 5. The levels are negotiated with your charge nurse.

AUCKLAND:
The following is the Nurses and Midwives Multi-Employer Collective Agreement, which will now cover Auckland, Counties Manukau and Waitemata District Health Boards, and has been agreed with the NZ Nurses' Organisation.

REGISTERED NURSE SALARY LEVELS

Step Salary Per Annum
Step 5 level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 $48,370.00 $46,870.00 $44,970.00 $44,370.00
Step 4 Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 $45,695.00 $44,195.00 $42,295.00 $41,695.00
Step 3 Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 $43,545.00 $42,045.00 $40,145.00 $39,545.00
Step 2 Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 $41,140.00 $39,640.00 $37,740.00 $37,140.00
Step 1 Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 $37,252.00 $35,752.00 $33,852.00 $33,252.00
*These Payrates are valid from 01/12/2002 + 2%


The following is the MercyAscot Collective Employment Agreement Payrates for Nurses and Midwives which will cover employment at Ascot Integrated Hospitals.

REGISTERED NURSE SALARY LEVELS

Step Salary Per Annum
Step 5 $46,943.00
Step 4 $44,925.00
Step 3 $42,906.00
Step 2 $40,784.00
Step 1 $38,723.00
*These rates are valid from 19/09/2002


The following is the Hutt Valley District Health Board Collective Employment Agreement Payrates for Nurses and Midwiveswhich will cover employment at Hutt Valley District Health Board Hospitals

REGISTERED NURSE SALARY LEVELS

Step Salary Per Annum
Step 5 $38,877.00
Step 4 $36,828.00
Step 3 $34,931.00
Step 2 $32,806.00
Step 1 $30,631.00
*These rates are valid from 01/07/2002





CHRISTCHURCH:
The following is the Canterbury District Health Board’s Nurses and Midwives Collective Agreement, which will now cover Christchurch and has been agreed with the NZ Nurses’ Organisation.

REGISTERED NURSE SALARY LEVELS

Step Salary Per Annum
Step One $30,044.00
Step Two $33,697.00
Step Three $37,443.00
Step Four $40,060.00
Step Five $42,623.00
Clinical Nurse Specialist $47,376.00


Employees who work afternoon duty, night duty, weekend duty or public holiday duty shall be paid a Duty Allowance as follows:
Step Afternoon Duty(per hour) Night Duty(per hour) Weekend or Public Holiday Duty (per hour)
Step One $11.52 $28.81 $57.61
Step Two $12.92 $32.31 $64.62
Step Three $14.36 $35.90 $71.80
Step Four $15.36 $38.41 $76.82
Step Five $16.35 $40.87 $81.73
Clinical Nurse Specialist $18.17 $45.42 $90.85
*These rates are valid from 01/02/2003

DUNEDIN:
The following is the South Island Nurse and Midwives Collective Agreement, which will now cover Dunedin and has been agreed with the NZ Nurses’ Organisation.

REGISTERED NURSE SALARY LEVELS
Step Salary Per Annum
Step 6 $41,282.00
Step 5 $38,561.00
Step 4 $36,574.00
Step 3 $34,349.00
Step 2 $32,072.00
Step 1 $29,932.00



WELLINGTON:
The following is the Capital & Coast District Health Board’s Nurses and Midwives Collective Agreement, which will now cover Wellington and has been agreed with the NZ Nurses’ Organisation.

REGISTERED NURSE SALARY LEVELS
Step Salary Per Annum
Step One $30,631.00
Step Two (A) $33,705.00
Step Two (B) $39,590.00
Step Three $41,730.00
Step Four $43,870.00


Employees who work weekend duty or public holiday duty shall be paid a Weekend Allowance as follows:
Step Midnight Friday/Saturday 12 noon Saturday First 3 hours(per hour) Saturday morning (after completion of 3 hours); 12 noon Saturday to 12 midnight Sunday/Monday. Public Holidays (where applicable)(per hour)
Step One $5.995 $11.989
Step Two (A) $6.836 $13.672
Step Two (B) $7.608 $15.217
Step Three $8.166 $16.332
Step Four $8.585 $17.171
*These rates are valid from 01/11/2001
GISBORNE:
The following is the Tairawhiti District Health Board’s Nurses and Midwives Collective Agreement, which will now cover Gisborne and has been agreed with the NZ Nurses’ Organisation.

REGISTERED NURSE SALARY LEVELS

Step Salary Per Annum
Step One $33,682.00
Step Two $35,864.00
Step Three $37,812.00
Step Four $39,917.00
Step Five $42,027.00


Employees who work weekend duty, night duty or public holiday duty shall be paid Penalty Rates as follows:
Nights Weekends Public Holidays
Penalty Rates Time + 1/4 Time + 3/4 Double Time + 1 Day in Lieu
*These rates are valid from 30/04/2002


*Please note these rates are subject to variations and can be slightly different in other health care facilities.

Pollster

And with 150k you would be able to buy a fantastic house outright ( so no mortgage) and have a bit to spare, I would think.

Also nurses are needed out there so I wouldn't have thought getting a job would be a problem.

wolkediane@aol.

binman

New to this site and relatively new to computers! My wife and I are both nurses working in mental health with two littlies. Wife works half my hours and we earn about 90000 pa. I would assume that your 150K is in pounds .If that is the case you will be sitting pretty. The Mason clinic in Auckland are hoping to open a forensic unit in the near future for people with learning disablities. The Clinic has a reputation as being a good place to work although in reality it isnow a small hospital. Hope this is of some use. Good luck BINMAN

wolkediane@aol.

Thanks Binman
My hubby has got a job with Nelson Marlborough Health Board as a unit co-ordinator community homes aiming to be out there for mid May.

Roger

Hi,
My wife and I were on about £80K between us in management positions in NHS and BUPA. Now we take home about $1200 each per fortnight, working weekends, unsocial etc.

We both do four days per week (32 hours). Working five days didn't have much effect on the pay due to the tax levels, and the shift are more unsocial here. 7am till 3pm, 2.30pm till 11pm and 10.45pm till 7.15am. Having two days off after five nights isn't much fun when you sleep one of them.

The pay is poor and the Kiwi Health system incredibly mean in comparison with the NHS - yep it is true. A bit less leave, longer hours, no pension, little study leave, little sick leave. However most Kiwis are on similar poor salaries.

Regions vary in the salaries - Hawkes Bay nurses are threatening strikes for comparable money as Auckland.

We manage okay, go out to restaurants, weekends away etc. Paying $350 rent a week so when we move into our $480K mansion we will be able to save for pensions, holidays etc.

NZ is a great place to live if you bring money from the UK. If not you won't be able to buy much of a place with a nurses salary.

Nelson is fabulous. However prices are high.

All the best.
Roger

Jack The Lad

This is a thread I started earier on this year:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...hreadid=201481

Hope it helps

binman

Wonderful. Nelson is a lovely area. Many years ago when we left the UK I had a look around what was then the mental handicap unit in Nelson.It was impressive but getting a job there was very difficult. Yes house prices have gone up considerably in the area but with what you are taking over you should be fine. I sure you will enjoy it there. Good luck BINMAN

wolkediane@aol.

Thanks Binman
we carn't wait now off to NZ house next week to sort the visa.Had an email from someone in Nelson saying property is not selling now so things are calming down! Just hope the exchange rate continues an upward trend and we'll be fine.The hosp are sorting us out somewhere to rent initially so that's good. Have found this & ***** so helpful I feel where halfway there!

Roger

Been to a union meeting today. Most staff willing to strike. Wishing parity with Auckland salaries. Nelson is better than Hawkes Bay too.

However I would thoroughly recommend NZ. Excellent Lifestyle. Mountains & Sea. Fab food. Friendly locals. Even a pub selling Guiness in my locale.

Give it a go.
Roger

wolkediane@aol.

well i must admit we are looking forward to the move all i seem to do here in my role at present is stop services due to budget crisis. The whole lifestyle change is just what our family needs. Our 11 year old cannot wait and the 4 year old thinks he is going to live in a jungle! i dont know where he got that idea but kids have a crazy imagination. I think the only strugle now will be to keep doing my job for the 3 months of my notice but thats what i have to do. I think that through the whole move both expat sites have been a god send and now i just want to be on the other side passing on tips to others. Strange as it may seem but i watched the film logans run the other night and thought of sanctuary it must just go to show how my job is sending me mad. But enoug of that thanks for your hel and advice.