NZ 2026 Payroll Readiness Check

Three mandatory changes hit every NZ payroll on 1 April 2026. Use this tool to check your compliance status and calculate the exact impact on your pay run.

In force from 1 April 2026 — check your first April pay run now
$23.95
Adult minimum wage
↑ from $23.50/hr
3.5%
KiwiSaver default rate
↑ from 3% (employee + employer)
$1.75
ACC earner levy (per $100)
↑ from $1.67 per $100
$19.16
Starting-out / training wage
↑ from $18.80 (80% of adult)
16–17
KiwiSaver employer obligation
New: employer must now contribute for 16–17yo KiwiSaver members
$156,641
ACC max liable earnings
↑ threshold for ACC calculations
Readiness score 0 / 10 complete
Work through the checklist below. Tick each item as you complete it.
Employer compliance checklistClick to mark complete
Pay impact calculator

Enter an employee's details to see the exact April 2026 change to your payroll costs and their take-home pay.

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Your managers and payroll staff can ask questions like "What's the correct KiwiSaver rate for a 17-year-old casual?" and get a cited answer from your own documents.

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