IT Contracting

[Yogi]

Hi,

Anyone contracting in IT out in NZ? Been wondering if it might be my best bet when we arrive until we settled in?

Would be useful to know how tax etc works there or if it's punitive like UK?

Cheers,

Yogi.

[Jerry]

Yogi,
I also plan to work on a contract base in the IT industry, but up to now, I do not know, how the tax stuff works. But you will certainly need an IRD.

Cheers,
Jerry

[Yogi]

Got my IRD already as will need that whether I contract or not...

Cheers,

Yogi.

[Smiler]

OH had a contract for 6 months when we arrived last October. He'd been in the job 2.5 weeks when they offered it to him permanently (at contract rates).

We were pleased to come with a contract as we knew it would allow us a bit more freedom if we needed it (we have PR) but OH liked the job so much he took their offer after 3 months.

Tax is painful as he is on the top rate but if you have any questions, pm me and I'll try and help.

[pinkpiggy]

Smiler, whereabouts in NZ are you based? We're hoping to move to Christchurch but this is not set in stone. OH does IT and has already thought about contracting when we first arrive for the same reasons.

If you've got any info, tips or contacts please point them our way. You can PM if this makes it easier. Even just any info on the state of the IT job market and related salaries/contract rates would be useful. Cheers.

[diforsyth]

There's a link on this site's homepage: -

http://www.enz.org/IT-jobs-market-new-zealand.html

[Smiler]

Smiler, whereabouts in NZ are you based? We're hoping to move to Christchurch but this is not set in stone. OH does IT and has already thought about contracting when we first arrive for the same reasons.

If you've got any info, tips or contacts please point them our way. You can PM if this makes it easier. Even just any info on the state of the IT job market and related salaries/contract rates would be useful. Cheers.

Have PM'd you.

[Jerry]

OH had a contract for 6 months when we arrived last October. He'd been in the job 2.5 weeks when they offered it to him permanently (at contract rates).

Tax is painful as he is on the top rate but if you have any questions, pm me and I'll try and help.

Would you recommend a tax advisor when working on a contract base?

[Smiler]

We have an accountant as we have our own business too.

In the UK we did our own personal tax returns but here in NZ we let the accountant do them although we do a lot of the prep. Once the IRD know you have one, they deal with them and it takes a lot of the time and effort out of it all.

At the moment that really suits us and we went with one recommended by a business contact here in Welly.

[Avalon]

My OH will look at going contracting at some point. the tax advantages can be quite huge, and as he is also a top rate taxpayer - anything is better than spending so much of our salary on the government!

If we do - we would ceratinly get an accountant.

Just reacently read a good defination of what a good accountant is:

One who, when asked what 2+2 equals, answers "What would you like it to equal?".