A handful of early tasks will get your finances running smoothly. Most can be started before you arrive and completed in your first few weeks.
Kettle on. About 4 minOpening a bank account
The major banks are ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank and Westpac. You can usually start the process online before you arrive and activate the account in person once here. You’ll typically need your passport, work or resident visa, and proof of a New Zealand address. Ask for online banking and a debit card at the same time.
Your IRD number & getting paid
Every worker needs an IRD number from Inland Revenue. Apply online once you have a NZ address and bank account; processing usually takes around 7–10 working days. Give the number to your payroll team as soon as it arrives so the correct PAYE tax code is applied. Wages are commonly paid fortnightly into your NZ account.
KiwiSaver & sending money home
KiwiSaver is a government-supported retirement scheme, and the eligibility rule catches people out. Inland Revenue is explicit: you cannot join if you hold a temporary, visitor, work or student visa. You need to be a New Zealand citizen or entitled to live here indefinitely, and to be living here. So on an Accredited Employer Work Visa you are not in it and are not auto-enrolled — that changes when you move to residence. Once you are in, contributions are a set percentage of your pay (commonly 3%, 4%, 6%, 8% or 10%), with employers contributing on top. Inland Revenue — joining KiwiSaver.
Sending money overseas: banks can transfer internationally, but specialist services such as Wise or OFX are often cheaper and faster. Always compare the exchange rate and fees before moving larger amounts.
Apply for your IRD number as soon as you arrive — almost everything else in your financial setup depends on it.
Tax, ACC & insurance
Income tax is deducted automatically through PAYE, so for most people there’s nothing to file. You’re taxed on income from New Zealand and overseas once you’re a tax resident — Inland Revenue (IRD) has clear calculators if you want to check where you’ll sit.
ACC — the Accident Compensation Corporation — gives everyone in New Zealand no-fault cover for injuries, whether they happen at work, at home or on the ski field. It’s funded through levies and government, and applies to residents and visitors alike.
- Insurance — ACC covers injury, but not illness or your belongings. Many newcomers take out health, contents and life cover; Immigration New Zealand publishes a migrants’ guide to what’s worth considering.
- KiwiSaver — you become eligible once you hold residence, not before, and it is one of the simplest ways to build long-term savings from that point.
Work for a partner or family member
If a partner is job-hunting, New Zealand has a healthy market and a few trusted places to start.
Ethicare Resourcing
This chapter is part of a bigger guide — and we’re here for the rest of it
We place healthcare professionals across New Zealand and Australia, and stay with the move through registration, visas and the first months after you land.