Employment Benefits & Salaries

Employment benefits and terms vary from country to country and from organisation to organisation. What may be 'standard' in your present environment may not be in another. When contemplating overseas experience psychologists often find that there will be both gains and losses in terms of current employment conditions. It is therefore important to consider whether the employment benefits offered would suit your current needs.

The following are typical employment terms and benefits that you can expect to find in New Zealand. If you are offered a position you will be forwarded a copy of an employment contract, along with a formal letter of offer. The contracts must contain a number of key clauses. These include: a procedure for personal grievances, disputes procedure, a term with an expiry date for collective agreements, wages, hours of work, holidays, sick leave entitlements. Some employers may negotiate additional specific terms such as assistance with relocation. Sex, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disabilities cannot be discriminated against, and strict laws enforce this.

Migrating

to New Zealand

Salaries, Benefits & Working Conditions

Psychologists Salaries

New Zealand employment law requires that all employment contracts are reviewed and renegotiated every three years. This is when general wage rises and changes of conditions will occur.

Criminal Justice Psychologists - New scale due 2007

Level	Salary Range
New Graduate Psychologist	NZD$51,148
Intermediate Psychologists	NZD$57,283 or $64,957
Senior Psychologists	NZD$71,867 or $78,779
Principal Psychologists	From NZ$85,000

Psychologists based in Auckland, Wellington & Hamilton are currently paid a $2,400 in recruitment allowance added to base. Annual psychologist practising certificate are paid and fifty percent of one professional organisation membership.

Health Services Psychologist - Valid to June 2009

Level	Salary Range
New Graduated Psychologist	NZD$53,716
2-5 Years of Clinical Experience	NZD$56,304 - $64,177
6-9 Years of Clinical Experience	NZD$67,911 - $74,460
Consultant Psychologists	NZD$77,612 - $90,245

Educational Psychologists - Valid to June 2008

Level	Salary Range
New Graduated Psychologist	NZD$46,560
2-5 Years of Clinical Experience	NZD$50,340 - $57,560
6-9 Years of Clinical Experience	NZD$60,050 - $67,800
Senior Psychologists	NZD$69,800 - $74,500

Work Hours

Typically 40 hours per week for full time positions. A number of employers offer flexi start and finish times.

Holiday Entitlement

New Zealand holiday legislations sets the minimum annual leave at 20 days per year. Some employers offer 25 days. Other employers may offer an extra weeks leave after a certain number of years continuous service.

In addition to annual leave there are eleven days of Public holidays (bank holidays) each year in New Zealand . Four of these days are during the summer Christmas and New Year period and as some employers totally close over these two festivals they may award their staff up to three days extra holiday termed 'Departmental Holiday'

Sick Leave Entitlement

A few employers offer unlimited sick leave entitlement, however, most offer around 8 days per year which may be accumulated to a maximum of between 80-260 days.

Professional Development

All New Zealand employers we deal with promote and support professional development. Some clearly stipulate professional development terms in their employment contracts, such as the following example from a Health Service employer;

five professional development days per year and a NZ$2,500 allowance. Days and allowance can be accumulated up to a period of three years.

Psychologists Practise Certificates

Most employers we deal with will fund yearly practise certificates. This currently costs NZ$595.00

Relocation Expenses

Some employers may contribute to some level of relocation expenses. This needs to be negotiated directly with the employer at the time of a job offer.

Private Practise

In terms of income and tax breaks part time private practise can be lucrative in New Zealand. Some employers allow their employees to practise privately outside work hours, providing there is no conflict of interest or impact on work performance. Permission to undertake private work should be negotiated with the employer first.

A Note About Medical Benefits

Professionals from countries such as the USA may expect to negotiate health benefits as part of a remuneration package. In New Zealand this does not occur as there is a universal health and disability system funded from the general tax system. People who obtain a residency or work visa (valid for 2 years or more) have access to the same publicly funded services as New Zealand citizens. New Zealand also has a universal accident insurance system for injury in or outside of work.

See our Cost of Living section for more details on New Zealand's public funded medical care.

A Note About Pensions

Many foreign nationals are used to negotiating retirement packages or will have such schemes included in their salary. Again only a few New Zealand employers provide access to such schemes.

New Zealanders do not yet have to pay any compulsory retirement contribution during their working life and the universal pension is funded out of income taxes. The retirement age is 65, at which time a small pension is received. Most pensioners do not rely solely on the state for pension but have made provision through private retirement funds or by realising assets to see them through. The rate of pension is currently at 65% of the average wage.

A Comment on the New Zealand Currency Exchange Rate

Overseas psychologists typically convert the above salaries into their local currencies. Comparing salaries via currency exchange provides a crude and inaccurate analysis. While New Zealand currency may not go far in the UK or USA it does in New Zealand. Generally New Zealand Psychologists consider that they are well paid and live most comfortably. Newly qualified graduates find their starting salary well above the average wage, which is around NZ$34,000.

We suggest that to make a justified comparison the equation needs to include benefits such as employment conditions, living costs, access to government funded health and accident insurance schemes and other benefits along with lifestyle issues.

The New Zealand economy is currently receiving favourable reviews and the currency has been showing a progressive upward trend.

Living Costs in New Zealand

Having considered employment benefits, the cost of living will be another consideration. For details use the following link to our web page on 'Living Costs'