Index
What is an Offer of Service?
Can the Offer of Service change?
How long does the recruitment process take?
Can I apply if I have several years left to serve on my current contract?
Can I transfer my pension/superannuation to the RNZN?
How long does the Immigration process take?
What does a medical clearance involve?
Will an Immigration Medical be acceptable in lieu of a military medical?
How do I gain a security clearance?
What is the normal posting cycle?
Am I entitled to a Married Quarter/Navy Housing?
Am I allowed pets in service housing?
What happens if there are no Navy Houses available for permanent accommodation?
When should I send my house pack/belongings to NZ?
What tax do I pay in NZ?
If I have several months resettlement/terminal leave can I move to NZ and take possession of a Navy House?
Do I need an Inland Revenue Department number before I arrive in NZ?
Is there a Public Health system in NZ?
How do I look for a school for my children?
Does the RNZN recognise a relationship if a couple are not married?
Is the statutory leave entitlement in addition to the 16 or 21 days annual leave that I would qualify for?
What do I do to gain the right to live and work in New Zealand?
Where are the RNZN Bases?
What is an Offer of Service?
An Offer of Service is an employment contract from the RNZN. It is an indication that we wish to employ you and that we would like to employ you as soon as possible. The offer will be subject to you gaining the right to live and work in New Zealand and gaining medical and security clearances.
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Can the Offer of Service change?
The Offer will contain information about your new branch, rank, seniority, unit and paraline/appointment, salary, engagement timeframe, annual leave and required courses. The Offer is subject on you gaining the required medical and security clearances, and on gaining the right to live and work in New Zealand. The RNZN, however, reserves the right to alter your actual posting due to operational or administrative reasons. If you are unable to commence employment within the timeframe stipulated, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can try to make alternative arrangements. Any promotions awarded in your current service, after an Offer of Service has been provided, will not alter your role offered in the RNZN.
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How long does the recruitment process take?
The whole process, from enquiry to commencing employment, can take between 3 and 18 months. This can depend on how long you have left to serve in your current job and how quickly you can gain the right to live and work in New Zealand, once we have sent you an Offer of Service.
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Can I apply if I have several years left to serve on my current contract?
We are only able to forecast jobs up to 12-18 months in advance. Therefore we can only process those wishing to move to New Zealand within that timeframe. We do acknowledge that many individuals may have several years of employment remaining, and are prepared to hand in their notice for premature release from their current service if successful.
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Can I transfer my pension/superannuation to the RNZN?
No. Superannuation schemes and rights towards pensions cannot be transferred. If you already have an entitlement to a pension, an application for enlistment into the RNZN would not affect this entitlement. You may choose to leave your pension overseas and transfer funds when paid, or you may close your pension early and transfer a cash equivalent into a NZDF Superannuation Scheme.
The Scheme is administered by Mercer Investment Consulting, who is well equipped to facilitate this process. For information on the taxation of pensions, funds and money being transferred from overseas please liaise directly with the NZ Inland Revenue Department.
Find out more about the superannuation options available to RNZN personnel, in particular Kiwisaver, the government initated programme.
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How long does the Immigration process take?
Once you have submitted your application the NZ Immigration Service will assign you a Case Officer and the process can take up to 3 months. This is totally dependant on the applicant’s ability to produce all of the documentation required by the Immigration Service in a timely and ordered fashion. This allows the Case Officer to assess all of the information easily. If information is not provided, provided at the wrong time or in an untidy and disorganised fashion then it will prolong the process. Please ensure you fully read and digest the information on the New Zealand Immigration Service website, before you commence the process.
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What does a medical clearance involve?
We will send you an Initial Medical Clearance form (MD 911A) at the start of the recruitment process. You will need to complete the form yourself and send it back to us for assessment by our doctors. If there are any queries they will contact you directly to provide more information. Once you gain an initial clearance you will progress to the selection phase of the recruitment process. If you are successful we will send you an Offer of Service.
Once you have accepted the offer we will send you a variety of medical forms, to be completed and returned by your military doctor, along with a copy of your full medical file. You will also be required to pass a multi-stage fitness test. If you are not able to see a military doctor you will need to have the form completed by a civilian doctor. If this incurs a cost you may claim a refund on successful enlistment into the RNZN. Once our doctors have received the form they will grant a medical clearance if everything is in order.
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Will an immigration medical be acceptable in lieu of a military medical?
No. A military medical is separate to your immigration medical - we need a military doctor’s assessment of your health as they understand the environmental issues of being in the Navy. We do not need to see a copy of your immigration medical and we cannot accept one in lieu of a military medical.
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How do I gain a security clearance?
If you accept an Offer of Service, we will write to the NZ Defence Security Agency to request the transfer of your current security clearance (if you have one). We will request that this covers you for a period of 1 year after enlistment.
If you do not have a current security clearance in your home country, you will need to wait until you are processed for a New Zealand security clearance. We will send you a New Zealand Security Vetting form to be completed and returned to us so that we can commence the process. This can take up to 12 months depending on the level of clearance required. Therefore it is in your best interests to complete the form as accurately and quickly as possible. Please also inform all of your nominated referees that we will contact them so that they can reply in a timely fashion to expedite the process.
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What is the normal posting cycle?
Posting cycles are usually 2-3 years in any one job. Due to operational and administrative issues there are times when postings will be cut short and you may also be posted at any time during the year.
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Am I entitled to a Married Quarter/Navy housing?
The Navy has two accommodation options available; Married Quarters and Barrack Accommodation. Allocation of Married Quarters and Barrack Accommodation is subject to availability and meeting the eligibility criteria.
Eligibility for a Married Quarter is determined by rank and whether you are in a recognised relationship (De facto) or are married.
Married Quarters and Barrack Accommodation rents are set below market prices and depend on the size and age of the property. Personnel who are the tenant of a Married Quarter or Barrack Accommodation are not entitled to an accommodation allowance.
If you indicate you require Navy Housing you will be placed on the Navy Housing List from the date you accept your Offer of Service. Personnel who elect to buy or rent their own private accommodation are entitled to receive an accommodation allowance.
Dependant on your relocation assistance option, when you first arrive in your new posting location, the RNZN may fund your initial accommodation costs (up to 14 days in either a motel or a RNZN transit house). The details of your entitlement will be included in your Offer of Service. After this initial period, the cost of your accommodation will be at your own expense, however, we will do our utmost to place you in a RNZN transit house (currently $30 a night including all power and water charges) until either your furniture arrives and you can move into more permanent accommodation or two months after your arrival – whichever comes first.
Please note this is entirely dependant on the availability of RNZN transit accommodation. Overseas enlistees have no special priority for service houses and there is a waiting list. Use of service houses is limited to four years. You are therefore strongly advised to investigate alternative options such as renting or purchasing a house. The websites listed in the Useful Links section lists those websites that can assist in this matter.
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Am I allowed pets in service housing?
There is a limit of one pet per service house but pets are not allowed in the transit houses, so alternative arrangements will need to be made. The RNZN is not in a position to pay for the relocation of your pets to New Zealand.
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What happens if there are no Navy houses available for permanent accommodation?
You will need to rent privately until a navy house becomes available and is allocated to you. Whilst renting privately you will be entitled to an accommodation allowance.
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When should I send my house pack/belongings to New Zealand?
If the RNZN relocate you at New Zealand public expense our team of administration staff will help you through this whole process. They will normally contact you about three months prior to your move to arrange your relocation. If you are required to relocate yourself please allow at least 12-14 weeks for shipping containers to arrive in New Zealand.
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What tax do I pay in New Zealand?
The Inland Revenue Department is the government agency that collects taxes - it is popularly referred to as the IRD. The New Zealand tax year is from 1 April to 31 March. Most people pay their taxes as they earn their income. Employers deduct tax on salary and wages. Banks and other financial institutions deduct tax on interest as it is derived. People who do not pay tax on all of their income as it is earned are required to file tax returns at the end of the tax year (31 March) to work out their tax liability. In most cases, Inland Revenue will send you all the material you need to file tax returns and make payment.
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If I have several months resettlement / terminal leave can I move to NZ and take possession of a Navy House?
No. You must be a serving member of the RNZN to go on to the housing list and be eligible for a Navy house.
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Do I need an Inland Revenue Department number before I arrive in NZ?
An IRD number is a unique identifying number that you use for all your contacts with the IRD (similar to a bank account number). You will need an IRD number before we can enlist you and you will need one before you open a bank account. You can apply for your own personal number by filling in the appropriate application form (IR 595). This form needs to be completed and returned to Inland Revenue with identification, such as a copy of your birth certificate or passport. IRD numbers can only be obtained when living in New Zealand, visit the IRD website for more details.
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Is there a Public Health system in NZ?
Yes. New Zealand’s public health system is good by world standards. Comprehensive life-long medical care is available to everyone. All essential health care is provided free through the public health system. This means that while some routine services, such as visits to local doctors and dentists, have to be paid for, more costly services, such as hospital treatment are, with minor exceptions, available free to all residents.
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How do I look for a school for my children?
Most New Zealand students attend state-funded schools. Every student has the right to enrol at the state school nearest to their home. If the school is at risk of overcrowding, it can set a 'home zone' that is geographically defined. Students living in this zone have the right to go to that school. Those living outside the zone can be enrolled only under special circumstances. These include situations where students have brothers or sisters attending the school or require access to special programmes such as special education or Maori language. If the school is still at risk of overcrowding, selection is made through a supervised ballot. Education Review Office reports are available at no charge from schools and the ERO website. Two helpful publications - Choosing a School for a Five Year Old and Choosing a Secondary School - are also available free from the Education Review Office. Please visit the websites listed on the General Information page for further information.
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Does the RNZN recognise a relationship if a couple are not married?
Yes. A Service member who is in a relationship with another person, living together as a couple shall be entitled to have that relationship recorded as a recognised relationship. Official recognition of such a relationship by a Commanding Officer renders a Service member eligible for the same entitlements available to married Service members. Relationships will be recognised for NZDF purposes only. There are no set criteria for the recognition of a relationship and each case will considered on its own merits.
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Is the statutory leave entitlement in addition to the 16 or 21 days annual leave that I would qualify for?
The Statutory Leave entitlement is 11 Public Holidays each year, if those holidays fall on a day that you would otherwise have worked. For instance if Waitangi Day and ANZAC Day fall on a weekend you are not entitled to a day off in lieu. You are also granted 2 Armed Forces days which are normally given between Christmas and New Year.
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What do I do to gain the right to live and work in New Zealand?
We strongly recommend you apply for and gain Permanent NZ Residency via the Skilled Migrant category. If you are not eligible then, dependant on your circumstances, you may apply for a “work to residence” permit or a general work permit. We cannot influence the NZ Immigration procedure in any way; however, you can use your Offer of Service to facilitate your application. The Immigration website is http://www.immigration.govt.nz/. Please be aware of a legality with NZ Immigration - once you have your visas in your passport you must move to NZ within a certain timeframe (dependant on the type of visa) and once you arrive in NZ you must commence work within a certain timeframe (again dependant on your visa type). You will need to take this into account when planning your arrival in NZ and your start date at work.
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Where are the RNZN Bases?
There is only one Naval Base. It is located in Devonport on the North Shore of Auckland City. Navy personnel are also employed in Naval Staff which is based in central Wellington, Joint Force HQ, which is based in Upper Hutt about 30 km north of Wellington and there are several Volunteer Reserve ships and recruiting offices around New Zealand. The decision on where you would be located will be determined by your skill set and suitable vacancies.
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