nirrade

Dear All,

Was hoping someone could explain the salary system in new zealand.

I am a qualified nurse (paediatrics and learning disability in england, i also have registration for RN Division 1 in NSW australia). However slight change of plan recently and my family are now looking at Rodney region in New Zealand.
However need to assess what type of salary i could expect to get.

I have worked for the NHS in England for 13 years (9 as a learning disability nurse and 4 years in paediatrics) I also have a Bsc(Hons) in health and social care, if this matters.

I was also wondering if like Australia, does New Zealand have salary packaging?

Any help would be greatly appreciated as i got no response when i posted these questions on the nursing section unfortunately.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

nirrade.

CAN2NZ

Salary packaging like they have in Australia is not common in New Zealand. Private sector employers do not provide benefits of any kind to employees. Please keep in mind that if you were emigrating to the USA, on an equivalent basis you would be locating to a state just behind Mississippi economically. I am not making that up, that is a economic fact. If NZ were part of the USA that is where it would rank in the state hierarchy. However, having worked in Mississippi, I sort of liked it for many things, just like here.

Bo-Jangles

That's a very misleading generalisation, lots of private sector companies do provide benefit packages, just not so common here to get a whole package deal of more than one or two thing. The whole range of usual expectations, from private health insurance, free parking, company vehicles and pension contributions are offered depending on who you work for and your position within the company. I know people who have subsidised private healthcare scemes, free life insurance cover, company car, petrol cards and non-contributory pensions. Remembering of course all employers are now obliged to contriibute to Kiwisaver, if you don't opt out.

Public sector are, as in most places, less likely to provide anything above and beyond pay, however you might be lucky enough to get to use the pool car on a needs must basis, or have a car provided with rural and community type roles. Working in healthcare you will get some free health screening, plus flu jabs and there is a low cost healthcare scheme for health professionals (a bit like HSA in the UK) http://www.accuro.co.nz/

There was a big hue and cry only the other week about ACC incentive scheme paying staff $250 per year to their staff: http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/acc-sta...reatment-33812 You never know it may catch on and become more popular sometime within the next 20 years. It's not like it doesn't come out of the total salary bill at the end of the year.

CAN2NZ

I don't think it is at all a misleading generalization. Most people in NZ work for small companies and most companies don 't provide any benefits. The question was about whether we have salary packaging like in Australia, well we don't often see that. Also, employers may allow you to direct some of your salary towards a car, but you often will be required to reimburse the company for FBT. The FBT regime in NZ works to discourage employers from providing benefits in kind and if you are in the situation of reimbursing for FBT, then it is often the case to just receive the money instead. I believe we had some information sent to us from NZIS when we were going through the process that commented on the fact that benefit were less common, but it was misleading as they are much less common. Public health workers may be different, but that is often the case for those who work in the public sector. You commented about rural practice, it would make sense that a car would be provided as it would be necessary to complete the work. You won't find too many employers who add vehicles as a "perk" of employment.