Kia ora koutou
We know we’ve been sending you a lot of information recently, and this payroll update is also a big one. It has updates about the curriculum change allowance, the Primary Principals’ (NZEI Te Riu Roa) Collective Agreement and two versions of the annualisation changes form. Much of the content in this payroll update concerns primary principals, so please share this edition with your school’s principal if they’re not a regular reader of the newsletter.
Primary principals - first curriculum change allowance payment
The first curriculum change payment will be paid in this pay period (PP04, pay day 26 May). This allowance recognises the additional responsibilities arising from significant curriculum change and will be paid in five instalments across the term of the current employment agreements.
There are two ways to receive the payment:
- Principals covered by the Primary Principals’ Collective Agreement (PPCA) or corresponding Individual Employment Agreement (IEA) will be paid automatically (more details in the PPCA section below).
For more information for principals covered by the PPCA-NZEI, see the Ministry’s Education Circular 2026/04.
- Principals covered by the Primary Principals’ Collective Bargaining Union (PPCBU) need to notify the Ministry if they choose the curriculum change payment rather than the professional development payment.
For more information for principals covered by the PPCBU, see the Ministry’s Education Circular 2026/06.
Primary Principals’ (NZEI Te Riu Roa) Collective Agreement – changes
Effective dates
- The new collective agreement is effective from 24 February 2026.
- Payslips from 26 May 2026 (payday PP04) will show backdated pay from 24 February 2026 that includes the new pay rates and allowances.
- The new IEA was promulgated on 9 March 2026.
Individual employment agreement
If the principal at your school signs the new Primary Principals’ Individual Employment Agreement (IEA), please send us an Individual employment agreement (IEA) change (EP22) form. This IEA will not be available on the IEA change screen in EdPay.
Rates increases
U Grade salary rates
The new agreement includes:
- increases to salary rates from 24 February 2026 and again from 24 February 2027, and
- an extension to the salary scale to add three new U Grades (U17-U19).
For the rates table, see part 5.2.2 of the PPCA.
Leadership in literacy and numeracy
The base rate for leadership in literacy and numeracy payment will increase each year of the award. The rates will increase on 24 February 2026, 28 January 2027 and 28 January 2028. There is also a further amount, based on the school’s U Grade and the number of teachers at the school, which is added to the base rate. This is paid fortnightly with the principal’s salary.
For more information, see part 5.2.5 of the PPCA.
Primary principals’ career structure component
The career structure rate will increase from 24 February 2026 for the three career stages.
For the career structure rates table, see 4.4.1 of the PPCA.
New allowances
Curriculum change allowance
This new allowance recognises the leadership required to deliver current education reforms. It will be made in five instalments from 17 March 2026 to 14 March 2028.
Eligibility
This allowance is paid automatically to:
- principals on the CA or latest IEA who are employed on the instalment dates above, and
- non-union member principals that signed the 2026 IEA between 9 March 2026 and 5 May 2026.
Note: This allowance is paid automatically to eligible principals covered by the PPCA. This is not the same for PPCBU members, who must notify the Ministry to receive their instalments. You can read more about this in the Ministry’s 13 March Education Circular.
Exceptions
This allowance is not available to principals who are on leave without pay:
- for a continuous total period of 6 months or more that falls in the pay period the instalment is due, or
- in the pay period the instalment is due.
What if an eligible principal is on leave without pay (less than six months) in the pay period the instalment is paid?
When the principal returns to work, they will need to submit a payroll request on a General enquiries (EP31) form.
For more information, see clause 6.2.15 of the PPCA.
Principal mentor allowance
The principal mentor allowance was introduced at the start of term two 2026. It is $5,000 per annum, paid fortnightly with the principal’s salary, including during periods of paid leave.
If the principal at your school has been selected as a mentor, please complete an Allowance changes for teachers and principals (EP16t) form, paycode PMA8.
For more information, see clause 6.2.12 of the PPCA.
New eligibility – mentoring provisionally certified teachers
Principals of U1 and U2 schools are now eligible for the allowance to mentor Provisionally Certified Teachers (PCT) when no eligible teacher is available to fill the role.
How is the payment amount calculated?
The payment amount is based on the total combined employed hours of the PCT teacher(s) being mentored. A mentor can only receive one allowance, even if they are mentoring multiple PCTs at the same time.
Application
Please use a Mentor allowance (EP36m) form to request this allowance.
Note: This form used to be called Mentor teacher allowance. It has been updated to include U1 and U2 principals.
For more information, see clause 6.2.14 of the PPCA.
Increases to existing allowances
Māori immersion teaching allowance
This table shows the new MITA allowance rates.
Chatham and Pitt Island provisions
New isolation allowance
The two Chatham Islands isolation allowances (CHTIP and CHTIS) have been replaced by the Chatham and Pitt Islands isolation allowance (ISCHP). Schools don’t need to do anything – we will move employees currently receiving the isolation allowance to the new code.
The isolation allowance for Chatham and Pitt Island principals is $2,500 per annum. All principals on Chatham or Pitt Islands are eligible.
Freight allowance increases
The freight allowance increases to $5,000 for the basic rate, $4,000 for the partner rate and $1,500 for the child/dependent rate.
Return flights – new qualifying period
The qualifying period for return flights for professional development or annual leave has reduced from 12 months to 6 months.
Removal expenses
If a principal is not eligible for removal expenses under Appendix 2 of the PPCA, they will be eligible for removal expenses after five years’ continuous service at Chatham or Pitt Islands’ schools.
For more information, see Appendix 4 of the PPCA.
Two forms for annualisation changes
We currently have two Annualisation agreement change of hours/pay rate for non-teachers (EP24nt) forms on our website forms page. This is because the TIAKI allowance rate is different for employees on the VTE and the IEA/CA. If you need to make any changes for an annualised employee at your school, please download the form for that employee’s award. You can check this on the My Employees page in EdPay.
- EP24nt v4.1 VTE
This form is for employees on the VTE - TIAKI = $3.028 per hour.
- EP24nt v4.2 IEA/CA
This form is for employees on the IEA or CA - TIAKI = $3.034 per hour.
Ngā mihi
Education Payroll