independent contractor information.

The Inland Revenue website should be your main source of information in order to set up as an independent contractor.

A few important details:

• You have the choice to contract as a sole trader or to set up as a company
• If you choose to be a sole trader you are able to use your existing IRD number
• You will need to register for GST through Inland Revenue
• You need to provide Randstad with an IR 330C form and Randstad are required to withhold the selected tax rate. If you decide to apply for 0% special tax rate please send this through as soon as you receive this, in the meantime we are required to withhold tax so you will need to complete an IR 330C anyway
• You are responsible for all other tax details and GST

You can also visit the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment's contractor page, which has useful information for those looking to be independent contractors. Click here to access the site.

If is all sounds a bit too much for you, we also have access to a full service provider who will support your transition into contracting who will take care of all your tax needs. Contact your Randsad consultant for more information on this service.

Randstad’s e-timesheeting system allows you to submit your time sheet via our website. Once your time sheet is submitted and authorised, you will receive an email notification that your time sheet has been received. Randstad’s e-timesheeting system allows you to submit your timesheet via our website. Once your timesheet is submitted and authorised, you will receive an email notification that your timesheet has been received. When using e-timesheeting, please remember the following points: 

• Enter your hours using a 24 hour clock.
• Ensure that you are inserting the hours in the correct columns.
• Ensure that you submit your timesheet for each week by Sunday 6pm in order to avoid delays with your pay.
• Ensure that your timesheet is deleted in our e-timesheeting system if you have zero hours and zero expenses to claim in that week (holidays, illness, etc.).

As a contractor you will submit a timesheet to Randstad on a weekly basis. If you have submitted it in time - no later than Sunday 6pm. It then needs to be approved by your supervisor on Monday. We recommend that you check-in with your supervisor to ensure it is approved in time. As soon as your timesheet has been authorised, it will get automatically processed by our payroll team and the payment will be in your bank account the next day. There is no need to send us an invoice and you will receive your payslip in our e-timesheet portal as soon as the payment has been made.

If you are using online timesheet you will need to submit your expenses on your on-line timesheet each week. Receipts must be kept for each expense and a copy sent to both the client for approval and Randstad for our record by Monday of each week. If receipts are not sent with the expense claim, payment cannot be made.

Please ensure that the receipts you provide clearly state the date and the amount paid and match up with what you have submitted on your online timesheet. If you are faxing through your receipts, please make use of the online expense claim cover sheet on which you must fill out your name and which time sheet the expenses relate to. If you have not received a copy of this, please contact the Contractor Services Team or your Consultant.

From 1 of July 2017, Randstad, and all recruitment agencies, now have to withhold tax on behalf of all independent contractors on your weekly earnings (schedular payments). For more detailed information about these changes please visit the dedicated information site here.

what we need from you
You need to download and complete an IR 330C form, click here to access the form. Please send the form to your our contractor candidate experience consultant: candidatecare@randstad.co.nz.

what Randstad will do
As at 1 July 2017, Randstad are required to:

• have information from all contractors by way of the IR 330C form
• deduct tax from payments made to contractors at rate selected by you on the IR 330C form. If no rate is selected, Randstad has to deduct the relevant default rate as decided by Inland Revenue
• provide this payment to Inland Revenue with supporting information through the Employer Monthly Schedule (EMS), as per the current process for PAYE employees.

how much will be deducted?
Randstad will deduct the amount indicated in your completed IR 330C form.

Please note, you cannot select a withholding rate less than the minimum rates provided by Inland Revenue:

- NZ resident 10%
- Non-residents and those on temporary visas 15%
You can access a calculator to help you pick your rate here.