Auckland, New Zealand – 24 February 2026 – Salary growth across New Zealand remains minimal despite stabilising business conditions, with 42% of professionals reporting they feel underpaid, according to new research released by global talent solutions partner Robert Walters.
The findings come from the firm’s latest Salary Guide, which surveyed over 5,500 white‑collar professionals in ANZ across 12 industries.
Pay rises failing to keep pace with living costs
While 57% of New Zealand professionals received a pay rise in 2025, most increases fell within a modest 2.5%-5% band. Against the backdrop of continued cost‑of‑living pressure, many workers say these increases have had limited real impact.
This is reinforced by a significant perception gap:
42% of employees feel underpaid yet 83% of employers believe salaries are keeping pace with rising costs
Cautious optimism ahead
Nearly 67% of employers intend to offer salary increases in 2026, while 56% of professionals expect to receive one.
Shay Peters, Robert Walters Australia and New Zealand CEO, said the stabilising market gives organisations an opportunity to revisit remuneration.
“As businesses come out of last year’s restructures, organisations have an opportunity to reassess remuneration. Where salary increases are not feasible, employers must focus on career progression, flexibility, and skills development.
It’s no secret the movement of New Zealand talent to Australia is well underway. Dissatisfaction around pay is a high retention risk, especially as overseas markets are actively targeting New Zealand talent.”
With 58% of New Zealand professionals open to relocating this year, retention needs to be a big focus for employers this year.
Regional dissatisfaction highest in Canterbury
The research reveals significant regional variation in how employees perceive their pay:
Canterbury: 46% do not believe their salary matches the cost of living
Auckland: 42%
Wellington: 39%
These differences highlight how lifestyle costs and local economic conditions increasingly shape career decisions and relocation intent.
Certain industries still record strong salary momentum in 2026
Despite overall modest wage movement, several industries outpaced the broader market:
- Accounting & Finance: 14% increase: Driven by strong uplift in senior commercial finance roles, including notable rises for General Manager Finance (+25%), Financial Controller (+13.9%).
- Technology & Data: 12% increase: Fuelled by high demand for AI, data engineering and cyber capability, with standout growth for Senior Data Scientist (+14.7%), Senior Data Engineer (+13.8%), and Cyber Security Architect (+9.9%).
- Legal: 7% increase: Experienced counsel continue to attract premium remuneration.
- These pockets of growth highlight where competition for specialist talent remains most pronounced.
About the Salary Guide
The Robert Walters 2026 Salary Guide provides a comprehensive overview of hiring intentions, salary trends, skills shortages, and workforce mobility across New Zealand. With insights from over 2,300 respondents, the guide highlights how businesses and employees are navigating an evolving labour market shaped by cost-of-living pressures, technological adoption, and mobility opportunities.
About Robert Walters:
With more than 3,100 people in 30 countries, Robert Walters delivers recruitment consultancy, staffing, recruitment process outsourcing and managed services across the globe. From traditional recruitment and staffing to end-to-end talent management, our consultants are experts at matching highly skilled people to permanent, contract and interim roles across all professional disciplines.
