Colin Ambler/cvnznews.com
According to the Public Service Association (PSA), new survey findings show more than one in four public service workers are considering leaving New Zealand for better pay — and the proportion rises sharply among younger workers. The union says the results point to a growing risk of a long‑term talent drain across essential public services.
The PSA, which represents more than 98,000 workers across the public sector, local government and community organisations, surveyed 7,600 members in March 2026. Of those who responded, 27 percent said they agreed or strongly agreed that they were thinking about leaving the country for higher wages.
According to the PSA, the trend is most pronounced among younger workers. Nearly half (49 percent) of those under 25 reported they were considering moving overseas, along with 44 percent of those aged 25–34. By comparison, only 9 percent of workers over 65 said the same.
PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said the findings reflect deep frustration among frontline workers facing rising living costs, job insecurity and pay rates that lag behind Australia. According to the PSA, a mental health nurse starting on $77,000 in New Zealand could earn the equivalent of $93,000 in Melbourne, while a new prison officer on $70,000–$80,000 here could earn around $97,000 in Victoria.
The PSA says home support workers — who care for some of the country’s most vulnerable people — are also looking across the Tasman. According to the union, around a quarter of these workers are considering leaving, with Australian wages between $6 and $10 an hour higher, alongside better conditions and allowances.
The survey also found regional differences. According to the PSA, workers in Auckland were the most likely to consider leaving, with 33 percent agreeing or strongly agreeing.
The union argues that the combination of pay pressure, job cuts and changes to employment law is pushing skilled workers to look elsewhere. According to the PSA, once these workers leave, their expertise “may never come back”, creating long‑term gaps in health, social services, corrections and other frontline roles.
The PSA says the Government must address pay and conditions if it wants to retain the workforce needed to deliver essential public services.
