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New Zealand Nursing & Midwifery Wages
Nursing & midwifery pay — current rates, penalties & allowances
Award / Agreement
Te Whatu Ora / NZNO Nursing & Midwifery MECA (2026–2027)
Current
AnnualHourly
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Roles & Wages
| Role | Pay Point | Mar 2026 | Mar 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
Registered Nurse RN | Step 1 (New Graduate) | $37.22 $77,667 / yr | $37.97 $79,221 / yr |
| Step 2 | $40.12 $83,725 / yr | $40.93 $85,400 / yr | |
| Step 3 | $42.50 $88,682 / yr | $43.35 $90,456 / yr | |
| Step 4 | $44.79 $93,458 / yr | $45.68 $95,328 / yr | |
| Step 5 | $49.54 $103,370 / yr | $50.53 $105,438 / yr | |
| Step 6 | $50.96 $106,344 / yr | $51.98 $108,471 / yr | |
| Step 7 | $52.43 $109,407 / yr | $53.48 $111,596 / yr | |
Registered Midwife RM | Step 2 | $40.59 $84,708 / yr | $41.41 $86,402 / yr |
| Step 3 | $43.00 $89,726 / yr | $43.86 $91,521 / yr | |
| Step 4 | $45.32 $94,561 / yr | $46.22 $96,453 / yr | |
| Step 5 | $50.13 $104,597 / yr | $51.13 $106,689 / yr | |
| Step 6 | $51.59 $107,642 / yr | $52.62 $109,795 / yr | |
| Step 7 | $53.05 $110,708 / yr | $54.12 $112,922 / yr | |
Community Midwife RM | Step 2 | $41.10 $85,769 / yr | $41.93 $87,484 / yr |
| Step 3 | $43.54 $90,854 / yr | $44.41 $92,671 / yr | |
| Step 4 | $45.89 $95,752 / yr | $46.81 $97,667 / yr | |
| Step 5 | $50.76 $105,921 / yr | $51.78 $108,040 / yr | |
| Step 6 | $52.98 $110,544 / yr | $54.04 $112,755 / yr | |
| Step 7 | $54.25 $113,207 / yr | $55.34 $115,471 / yr | |
| Step 8 | $56.84 $118,608 / yr | $57.98 $120,980 / yr | |
Enrolled Nurse EN | Step 1 | $34.35 $71,682 / yr | $35.04 $73,116 / yr |
| Step 2 | $35.85 $74,810 / yr | $36.57 $76,306 / yr | |
| Step 3 | $38.50 $80,337 / yr | $39.27 $81,944 / yr | |
| Step 4 | $39.72 $82,886 / yr | $40.52 $84,543 / yr | |
| Step 5 | $41.90 $87,433 / yr | $42.74 $89,181 / yr | |
Health Care Assistant HCA | Step 1 | $29.52 $61,603 / yr | $30.11 $62,835 / yr |
| Step 2 | $31.19 $65,073 / yr | $31.81 $66,375 / yr | |
| Step 3 | $33.07 $69,013 / yr | $33.74 $70,394 / yr | |
| Step 4 | $33.62 $70,148 / yr | $34.29 $71,551 / yr | |
| Step 5 | $34.56 $72,117 / yr | $35.25 $73,559 / yr | |
Mental Health Assistant MHA | Step 1 | $28.99 $60,500 / yr | $29.57 $61,710 / yr |
| Step 2 | $31.17 $65,036 / yr | $31.79 $66,337 / yr | |
| Step 3 | $33.48 $69,868 / yr | $34.15 $71,265 / yr | |
| Step 4 | $35.56 $74,204 / yr | $36.27 $75,688 / yr | |
| Step 5 | $36.57 $76,303 / yr | $37.30 $77,829 / yr | |
Nurse Practitioner NP | Nurse Practitioner | $67.21 $140,235 / yr | $68.55 $143,040 / yr |
| Nurse Practitioner | $70.71 $147,545 / yr | $72.12 $150,496 / yr | |
| Nurse Practitioner | $74.21 $154,856 / yr | $75.70 $157,953 / yr | |
| Nurse Practitioner | $79.97 $166,872 / yr | $81.57 $170,209 / yr | |
Designated Senior Nurse DSN | Grade 1 · step 1 | $56.01 $116,876 / yr | $57.13 $119,213 / yr |
| Grade 1 · step 2 | $59.65 $124,480 / yr | $60.85 $126,970 / yr | |
| Grade 2 · step 1 | $57.00 $118,941 / yr | $58.14 $121,320 / yr | |
| Grade 2 · step 2 | $58.98 $123,074 / yr | $60.16 $125,535 / yr | |
| Grade 2 · step 3 | $62.72 $130,866 / yr | $63.97 $133,483 / yr | |
| Grade 3 · step 1 | $59.97 $125,138 / yr | $61.17 $127,641 / yr | |
| Grade 3 · step 2 | $61.95 $129,277 / yr | $63.19 $131,863 / yr | |
| Grade 3 · step 3 | $65.77 $137,250 / yr | $67.09 $139,995 / yr | |
| Grade 4 · step 1 | $61.95 $129,277 / yr | $63.19 $131,863 / yr | |
| Grade 4 · step 2 | $63.93 $133,408 / yr | $65.21 $136,076 / yr | |
| Grade 4 · step 3 | $67.82 $141,508 / yr | $69.17 $144,339 / yr | |
| Grade 5 · step 1 | $63.93 $133,408 / yr | $65.21 $136,076 / yr | |
| Grade 5 · step 2 | $65.91 $137,541 / yr | $67.23 $140,291 / yr | |
| Grade 5 · step 3 | $69.15 $144,283 / yr | $70.53 $147,169 / yr | |
| Grade 6 · step 1 | $67.21 $140,235 / yr | $68.55 $143,040 / yr | |
| Grade 6 · step 2 | $70.71 $147,545 / yr | $72.12 $150,496 / yr | |
| Grade 6 · step 3 | $74.21 $154,856 / yr | $75.70 $157,953 / yr | |
| Grade 6 · step 4 | $79.97 $166,872 / yr | $81.57 $170,209 / yr | |
Senior Designated Midwife SDM | Grade 3 · step 1 | $56.57 $118,043 / yr | $57.70 $120,404 / yr |
| Grade 3 · step 2 | $60.25 $125,727 / yr | $61.46 $128,241 / yr | |
| Grade 4 · step 1 | $57.57 $120,128 / yr | $58.72 $122,532 / yr | |
| Grade 4 · step 2 | $59.57 $124,305 / yr | $60.76 $126,791 / yr | |
| Grade 4 · step 3 | $63.34 $132,179 / yr | $64.61 $134,822 / yr | |
| Grade 5 · step 1 | $60.57 $126,393 / yr | $61.78 $128,921 / yr | |
| Grade 5 · step 2 | $62.57 $130,573 / yr | $63.83 $133,184 / yr | |
| Grade 5 · step 3 | $66.44 $138,629 / yr | $67.76 $141,402 / yr | |
| Grade 6 · step 1 | $63.08 $131,626 / yr | $64.34 $134,259 / yr | |
| Grade 6 · step 2 | $64.58 $134,749 / yr | $65.87 $137,444 / yr | |
| Grade 6 · step 3 | $68.50 $142,934 / yr | $69.87 $145,793 / yr | |
| Grade 7 · step 1 | $65.04 $135,707 / yr | $66.34 $138,421 / yr | |
| Grade 7 · step 2 | $67.12 $140,049 / yr | $68.46 $142,850 / yr | |
| Grade 7 · step 3 | $69.84 $145,737 / yr | $71.24 $148,651 / yr | |
| Grade 8 · step 1 | $67.21 $140,235 / yr | $68.55 $143,040 / yr | |
| Grade 8 · step 2 | $70.71 $147,545 / yr | $72.12 $150,496 / yr | |
| Grade 8 · step 3 | $74.21 $154,856 / yr | $75.70 $157,953 / yr | |
| Grade 8 · step 4 | $79.97 $166,872 / yr | $81.57 $170,209 / yr | |
Caseload Midwife RM | Step 1 | $64.28 $134,136 / yr | $65.57 $136,818 / yr |
| Step 2 | $65.30 $136,265 / yr | $66.61 $138,990 / yr |
Hourly rates calculated as: Annual ÷ 52.167 weeks ÷ 40 hours. Annual equivalent shown beneath each rate.
Allowances
| Allowance | Unit | Amount |
|---|---|---|
On-call allowance Per hour on call during off-duty hours. Clause 10.1. | per hour | $8.00 |
On-call (public holiday) On-call rate on public holidays. Clause 10.1. | per hour | $10.00 |
Higher duties Performing a higher position/grade for a qualifying shift. Clause 10.2. | per hour | $3.00 |
Shift coordination RN, RM or EN assigned as shift coordinator for the majority of a shift. Clause 10.3. | per shift | $24.00 |
Telephone on-call Work-related call resolved over the phone while on call (no call-back), logged with a case note. Clause 10.6. | per call | $10.00 |
Meal allowance Qualifying shift worked more than an hour beyond the roster. Clause 10.7. | per occasion | $7.95 |
Nurse Practitioner PD allowance Professional-development allowance from 2 Mar 2026; accruable for up to 3 years ($18,000). Clause 28.2.7. | per year | $6,000.00 |
PDRP — Expert level RN Expert / Puna Rahi, RM Leadership and EN Accomplished. Added to base pay; attracts penal & overtime. Clause 28.2.9. | per year | $4,500.00 |
PDRP — Proficient level RN Proficient / Puna Whakatau, RM Confident and EN Proficient. Added to base pay; attracts penal & overtime. Clause 28.2.9. | per year | $3,000.00 |
HCA/MHA Merit 1 / Merit 2 $1,000 (Merit 1) or $2,000 (Merit 2), added to base pay. | per year | $1,000–$2,000 |
Penalty Rates
Weekend penal+50%
Extra 0.5× on ordinary hours from midnight Fri/Sat to midnight Sun/Mon. Clause 8.2.2(a).
Public holiday penal+100%
Extra 1.0× on ordinary hours worked on a public holiday, plus an alternative holiday. Clause 8.2.2(b).
Night penal+25%
Extra 0.25× on ordinary night hours (2000–end of rostered night duty, Sun/Mon to Fri/Sat). Clause 8.2.2(c).
Overtime — first 3 hrs150%
Time and a half for the first three hours of overtime (weekdays). Clause 8.2.1.1(c).
Overtime — after 3 hrs200%
Double time beyond three hours, and all night/weekend/public-holiday overtime. Clause 8.2.1.1(c)/(d).
Call-backOvertime, min 3 hrs
Paid at the overtime rate for a minimum of three hours. Clause 9.1.
Notes
- •Rates are the in-force Te Whatu Ora / NZNO Nursing & Midwifery MECA (1 Mar 2026 – 31 Oct 2027): +2.5% from 2 March 2026, then +2.0% from 2 March 2027.
- •Per-step figures are taken directly from the signed collective agreement; rates apply from 2 March 2026 (backdated where payroll rolled out later).
- •The enrolled-nurse top step includes the settlement’s $2,000 pay-scale adjustment, applied after the 2.5% increase.
- •Ordinary hourly rate = annual salary ÷ 2086 (CA cl. 8.2.1.1(a)); the hourly toggle here uses a 40-hour week as an approximation.
- •All figures are in New Zealand dollars (NZD). Lump sums ($1,000, or $1,300 for designated senior nurses) are paid separately under the settlement.
- •Source: Te Whatu Ora / NZNO Nursing and Midwifery MECA. Health New Zealand publishes its collective agreements at tewhatuora.govt.nz
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