FAQs

The annual leave entitlement is 25 days per year for all service personnel. In addition to annual leave there are over 20 other categories of leave that you can apply for. These include study leave, representational leave, household removal leave, sick leave, and bereavement leave among others. The most common form of additional leave besides statutory holidays, is stand-down leave (for respite after long operations and intensive work periods) and equivalent leave (for working weekends and statutory holidays).

We assess each re-enlistment application on a case-by-case basis. A variety of factors are considered including how long you previously served for, how long you have been out for, what you have done since you left.

The NZDF provides free dental and medical care to all full-time serving uniformed personnel.

If your new skills or qualifications are relevant to your trade then this will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

It can take up to 30 days. If you have lived overseas for longer than six months, you will need to provide a Police check from that country. Your Candidate Engagement Facilitator can give you some guidance on how to do this.

If you are re-enlisting and have lived overseas for longer than six months since leaving the NZDF, you will need to provide a police check from that country.

If you are from overseas, you will need to provide a police check for any country that you have lived in.

We accept re-enlistment applications for all ranks and trades, although the available positions vary. Please contact 0800 1 FORCE (0800 136 723) to discuss.

A Candidate Engagement Facilitator (CEF) is a civilian member of the NZDF who works alongside military recruiting personnel. They will keep you updated on the status of your application and they will ask you to complete certain tasks at different points in the process. If you have any questions about your application, your CEF is the best person to contact.

No, there are different fitness standards for men and woman.  Fitness standards are based on what is scientifically considered to be an equal level of effort for each gender.

Navy fitness requirements can be found here.

Army fitness requirements can be found here.

Air Force fitness requirements can be found here.

Enlistment dates will be agreed once an OOS is made and we have a clearer idea of the time frame (e.g NZ Residence class visa, release etc).

Please be aware you are expected to enlist within 18 months from the time you submit your application to NZDF and that that you are required to give us as much information as possible about when you will be able to join.

This is dependent on a number of factors including the NZDF's need of your trade, and your performance during your time served. Most service personnel receive extensions of service after completing their initial engagement.

If you were an overseas applicant, your extension will also be dependent on gaining NZ citizenship. You should find out if your service will be extended 12 months before completing your initial engagement.

Yes. The career managers will assess these qualifications and decide which ones will be recognised by the NZDF. If you are successfully enlisted into the NZDF, these courses will be added to your NZDF profile. Please note that some NZ courses differ to ones you have taken at home and you must be prepared to complete these. This will be stated to you in your Offer of Service.

There is no ability to transfer your military pension into an NZDF scheme. The NZDF no longer has its own pension scheme, rather NZDF personnel pay into the national Kiwisaver scheme. NZDF employees pay a minimum of 3% of their salary and the NZDF matches that with 4%. The pay listed on NZDF’s offer of service includes employer Kiwisaver contributions. More details can be found at the link www.kiwisaver.govt.nz

You may transfer your pension to your Kiwisaver scheme, however we strongly encourage you to seek professional advice regarding this.

Yes. A service person in a de facto relationship is entitled to the same benefits as a service person who is married.

Yes, you will be required to meet medical standards for general health, eyesight, and hearing.

The NZDF has a high dependence on trust, reliability, and use of technical equipment and weapons. For this reason, all applicants undergo a police check, and any convictions are assessed on the severity of the offence.

Free group physical training sessions in your area become available to you once you apply to join the NZDF. Force Fit sessions are organised once or twice a week by your nearest recruiting office, and are at a convenient time for most working people and students. These sessions are a great way for applicants of every fitness level to prepare for the entry level fitness test and basic training. It also allows you to meet other applicants from your home town that may be on your intake. Contact your Candidate Engagement Facilitator for more information about your local fitness sessions. Additionally, you can download the Force Fit app to get a personal training programme that is designed to prepare you for your entry level fitness test and basic training.

Yes, you need to provide as much relevant information as you can, so that our Military Doctors can make an informed decision about your medical fitness. In some cases, you may be asked to provide a report from your GP or a specialist. This is at your own cost.

There is flexibility around leave for school holidays.

Once you've completed your initial training courses, you could find yourself deployed overseas, either on a foreign exchange or on exercise or operation. This sometimes happens very shortly after training. Travel is an exciting part of being a member of the NZDF. Generally, joining the Navy gives you the highest chance of being deployed overseas and experiencing different cultures out of uniform.

No, the majority of personnel live off base in private accommodation.