Do apprentices pay fees in New Zealand?

How much does an apprenticeship cost in NZ?

Less than any other route into a trade, because you are working the whole time. Fees are charged by the provider that delivers the off-job part of your training, they vary by trade and provider, and they are usually paid year by year. Against that you earn at least the training minimum wage, which is $19.16 an hour for most apprentices aged 20 or over.

We do not publish a fee figure, because there is no single one: each provider sets its own and they change. Ask the employer which provider they use and what the yearly fee is, before you sign.

Who pays apprenticeship fees: the apprentice or the employer?

Either, and it is negotiated. Some employers pay the fees in full as part of taking you on, some split them, and some expect the apprentice to pay. Whatever is agreed should be written down in your employment agreement, because a verbal promise is hard to rely on three years in.

• Ask who pays the training fees each year, and whether that changes if you leave early.
• Ask whether there is a bond or repayment clause if you leave before you finish.
• Ask who pays for tools, block course travel and accommodation.

Does Fees Free cover apprenticeships?

Yes, for the end of it. Inland Revenue, which now runs the scheme, says Fees Free “covers fees for the final year of tertiary study or final 2 years of work-based learning”. An apprenticeship is work-based learning, so it is the final 2 years that count.

It works as a refund, not a discount. You pay your fees when you enrol, then apply in myIR after you complete your first eligible qualification or programme. Inland Revenue lists two dates that matter:

• You must start your final year on or after 1 January 2025.
• You must complete your qualification or programme by 31 December 2026.

In most cases you can only get it if you are starting study or work-based learning for the first time. Inland Revenue says you may not qualify if you have already studied or done work-based learning, or have had a Fees Free payment before. Check your own case on the Inland Revenue page before you count on it.

If you pay the fees, keep the receipts

If you or your family pay the fees, keep every invoice and receipt. You will need to know what was paid, and by whom, when you apply for Fees Free, and it matters if you change employers partway through and need to work out who owes what.

Before you sign

Fees are one line in a bigger deal. Pay, pay rises, who pays for block courses and how much supervision you actually get matter as much. Apprentices’ own experiences of particular employers are on the company pages, and if you have done an apprenticeship yourself, rating your employer takes a few minutes and helps the next person decide.

Common questions

Fees Free coverage, dates and eligibility from Inland Revenue — Fees Free, checked 2026-10-09. Training minimum wage from Employment New Zealand — Minimum wage rates and types, checked 2026-09-18.