Minimum wage reviews
This page provides the Cabinet papers and regulatory impact analyses for previous reviews of the minimum wages.
On this page
The Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety is required by law to review the minimum wages annually, to take effect 1 April each year.
2025 minimum wage
The 2025 minimum wage will be $23.50 per hour from 1 April 2025.
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Minimum Wage Order 2025 – Minute of Decision [PDF 329KB]
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Minimum Wage Order 2025 [PDF 257KB]
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Minimum Wage Review 2024 [PDF 1.1MB]
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Minimum Wage Review 2024: Setting the 2025 rates [PDF 374KB]
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Minimum Wage Review: Setting the 2025 rates – Minute of Decision [PDF 183KB]
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Review of MBIE’s Minimum Wage model [PDF 558KB]
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Peer Review Report on Motu’s Review of the MBIE Minimum Wage Model [PDF 329KB]
2024 minimum wage
The 2024 minimum wage is $23.15 per hour.
2023 minimum wage
The 2023 minimum wage was $22.70 per hour.
2022 minimum wage
The 2022 minimum wage was $21.20 per hour.
2021 minimum wage
The 2021 minimum wage was $20 per hour.
Minimum wage review, December 2020 [PDF, 1.5 MB]
Minimum wage 2021 Cabinet paper [PDF, 350 KB]
Minimum wage review 2020 – Minute of Decision [PDF, 138 KB]
2020 minimum wage
The 2020 minimum wage was $18.90 per hour.
Minimum wage review, December 2019 [PDF, 1.2 MB]
Minimum wage 2020 Cabinet paper [PDF, 786 KB]
Minimum wage 2020 regulatory impact statement [PDF, 5.5 MB]
2019 minimum wage
The 2019 minimum wage was $17.70 per hour.
Minimum wage review, November 2018 [PDF, 1.2 MB]
Minimum wage 2019 Cabinet paper [PDF, 456 KB]
Minimum wage 2019 regulatory impact statement [PDF, 512 KB]
2018 minimum wage
The 2018 minimum wage was $16.50 per hour.
Minimum wage 2018 Cabinet paper [PDF, 359 KB]
Minimum wage 2018 regulatory impact statement [PDF, 230 KB]
2017 minimum wage
The 2017 minimum wage was $15.75 per hour.
Minimum wage 2017 Cabinet paper [PDF, 93 KB]
Minimum wage 2017 regulatory impact statement [PDF, 1.4 MB]
2016 minimum wage
The 2016 minimum wage was $15.25 per hour.
More information on wage rates
Current and historical minimum wage rates(external link) — Employment New Zealand
More information about the minimum wage(external link) — Employment New Zealand