Paying the Correct Amount of Tax in New Zealand – Let’s Go Over the NZ Tax Codes
Talking about tax is never a riveting subject, but a piece of information really worth knowing about is using the correct tax code for salaried work in New Zealand.
Tax codes are lettered codes that you need to put on the Tax Code Declaration form (IR 330) from the Inland Revenue Department (IRD), which your employer should give to you when you start a new job.
If you don’t fill out this form with the correct IRD number and tax code, you could end up being taxed significantly more than you need to. No one needs that cutting through their travel funds!
Note: This article is mainly focused on explaining the NZ Tax Codes to temporary workers in New Zealand such as working holidaymakers and other seasonal workers.
New Zealand Tax Keywords: What Does it All Mean?
Here are a few terms used by Inland Revenue when talking about tax codes. We’ll go through the main tax codes that usually apply to people on a working holiday or backpacking through New Zealand.
- Source of income – refers to salary, wages, weekly accident compensation payments, NZ Super, Veterans Pension or student allowance.
- Tax resident – you are a tax resident if you are in New Zealand for more than 183 days in a 12-month period.
- Annual income – is your yearly income, between 1-April to 30-March, before tax is deducted.
- Student loan – if you have taken out a student loan in New Zealand to fund your higher education.
© IRDThe New Zealand Tax Code Declaration Form
In any job working for a salary/wage, your employer will give you an IR 330 form to fill out your name, IRD number, tax code, and tick the relevant selection for your entitlement to work in New Zealand usually to state that you have a valid work visa before signing and dating.
The IRD number is your individual tax number, which you can read more about here. Your tax code could be M, CAE, NSW, SB, for example. We’ll go through all that in this article.
Once completed, return the form to your employer who will send the information to IRD and also keep the form in their records for seven years following their final wage payment to you.
© amenclinicsphotos ac on FlickrHow to Work Out Your Tax Code
With your IR 330 form, you’ll be given a flowchart to help determine your personal tax code. Make sure you refer to this flowchart or use the “Tax Code Finder” on the IRD website if you think you have an unusual case for being taxed in New Zealand. For now, we’ll go through the tax codes that apply the most to people on a working holiday in New Zealand.
© maxpixelMain Source of Income: M
The most common tax code among working holidaymakers is M. This means the job that the IR 330 form is for is your main/highest source of income, and:
- You do not need to pay off a New Zealand student loan,
- You do not have an annual income between NZ$24,000-$48,000,
- and are not entitled to Working for Families Tax Credits or NZ Super, Veterans Pension or any overseas equivalent.
© PixabaySecondary Income
If the IR 330 form is for a job that isn’t your highest source of income, then you need to supply a secondary income tax code. Your secondary income tax code is determined by how much your combined annual income is and whether you are paying off a student loan. As a working holidaymaker isn’t likely to have a New Zealand student loan, these are the likely secondary income tax codes.
- If your annual income from all sources is less than NZ$14,000 your tax code is SB.
- If your annual income from all sources is between NZ$14,001 and NZ$48,000 your tax code is S.
- If your annual income from all sources is between NZ$48,001 and NZ$70,000 your tax code is ST.
© PixabayOther NZ Tax Code Options
There are a few other tax code options for specific occupations in New Zealand, which may well apply to people on a working holiday, especially if working in farming for a wage. These are as follows:
Casual Agricultural Workers
These are casual seasonal workers working on a day-to-day basis for up to three months, including shearers and shearing shedhands. The tax code is CAE.
Election Day Workers
The tax code is EDW.
Recognised Seasonal Workers
This refers to people employed under the Recognised Seasonal Employers Scheme in the horticulture or viticulture industries, with a valid visa or Recognised Employer Work Policy permit.
Schedular Payments
This tax code is for independent contractors, not employees. Refer to the list of types of contractor work on page four of the IR 330 form in order to fill out your scheduler payment activity on the first page of the IR 330 form. The tax code is WT.
Special Tax Code
Youll need a special tax code certificate for this and will need to attach a copy to the IR 330 form. The tax code is STC.
More About Taxes in New Zealand
If you simply cant get enough of those taxes… take a look at these articles:
Sources:
The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across New Zealand and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:
- MBIE Immigration and Workers Rights (Working rights in New Zealand - Updated [2024])
- Immigration New Zealand (Visa and immigration advice - Updated [2024])
- Stats NZ (Statistics and travel data - Updated [2024])
- Council websites (Local travel advice region by region - Updated [2024])
- New Zealand Customs Service (Customs and Biosecurity - Updated [2024])
- Tourism Export Council New Zealand (Tourism trade association - Updated [2024])
- TIA (Independent tourism association - Updated [2024])
- Tourism New Zealand (General travel advice - Updated [2024])
Our editorial standards: At NZ Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.
