You earn and are taxed in Australia, but by returning to NZ every 3 months you satisfy IRD's 32-day rule and keep your student loan interest-free. All money shown in NZD and AUD. Visit dates count forward from today.
Range from the Kraken listing was $119k to $150k plus super.
Ticked: interest-free, repay 12% of income. Unticked: overseas-based, 5.6% interest + fixed repayment.
Defaults to today. Visit schedule counts forward from here.
With 4 trips/yr you need 16+ days each to pass. 20 gives a safe buffer.
Each NZ visit = 2 flights (over and back). MEL to WLG one-way: cheap approx $160, typical approx $250, Dec peak approx $410+.
Standard AU full-time is 20 days. NZ work days beyond this are unpaid unless you work remotely.
If ticked, NZ days are not docked from pay (you keep working). If not, days over your leave are unpaid.
1 NZD = 0.815 AUD (approx Sep 2026). Check today's rate and update, since it moves daily.
| Scenario | One-way | Per trip (2 legs) | Per year (all trips) |
|---|
| Item | AUD/yr | NZD/yr | AUD/wk |
|---|
| Approach | Interest (NZD) | Clears in |
|---|
Estimates only, not tax or financial advice. AU tax 2026-27 resident rates + 2% Medicare.
NZ loan rules per IRD (32-day rule, 5.6% overseas interest). Cross-border tax needs a trans-Tasman accountant.