Employment Rate in New Zealand decreased to 66.60 percent in the third quarter of 2025 from 66.80 percent in the second quarter of 2025. This dataset provides - New Zealand Employment Rate- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

New Zealand NZ: Trend Employment Rate: Age 15-74 data was reported at 74.669 % in 2026. This records an increase from the previous number of 74.442 % for 2025. New Zealand NZ: Trend Employment Rate: Age 15-74 data is updated yearly, averaging 68.112 % from Dec 1989 (Median) to 2026, with 38 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 74.669 % in 2026 and a record low of 59.237 % in 1993. New Zealand NZ: Trend Employment Rate: Age 15-74 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.OECD.EO: Employment and Unemployment: Forecast: OECD Member: Annual.

Unemployment Rate in New Zealand increased to 5.30 percent in the third quarter of 2025 from 5.20 percent in the second quarter of 2025. This dataset provides - New Zealand Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The number of employed people in New Zealand stood at 2.88 million people in 2024. Between 1980 and 2024, the number rose by 1.36 million people, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. From 2024 to 2026, the number will increase by 70,000 people.The indicator describes the number of employed people. This refers to persons who during a pre-defined period, either: a) performed wage or salary work, b) held a formal attachment to their job (even if not currently working), (c) performed for-profit work for personal or family gain , (d) were with an enterprise although temporarily not at work for any specific reason.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Unemployment Rate Male: From 15 to 64 Years for New Zealand (LRUN64MANZQ156S) from Q1 1986 to Q3 2025 about New Zealand, 15 to 64 years, males, unemployment, and rate.

New Zealand Employment Rate: Trend: Male data was reported at 73.100 % in Sep 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 73.000 % for Jun 2018. New Zealand Employment Rate: Trend: Male data is updated quarterly, averaging 70.000 % from Mar 1986 (Median) to Sep 2018, with 131 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 77.200 % in Mar 1986 and a record low of 64.700 % in Dec 1992. New Zealand Employment Rate: Trend: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics New Zealand. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.G023: Household Labour Force Survey: Employment Rate.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Unemployment Rate Male: 15 Years or over for New Zealand (LRUNTTMANZA156N) from 1959 to 2024 about New Zealand, 15 years +, males, unemployment, and rate.

New Zealand NZ: Employment Rate Gap data was reported at -0.686 % in 2026. This records an increase from the previous number of -0.942 % for 2025. New Zealand NZ: Employment Rate Gap data is updated yearly, averaging -0.082 % from Dec 1989 (Median) to 2026, with 38 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.432 % in 2017 and a record low of -2.556 % in 1992. New Zealand NZ: Employment Rate Gap data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.OECD.EO: Employment and Unemployment: Forecast: OECD Member: Annual.

In 2021, the employment rate of residents of Māori descent in New Zealand was **** percent. In 2020, around **** percent of the working age population of Māori descent in New Zealand were employed, indicating a slight increase over the year.

New Zealand Employment Rate: Trend data was reported at 68.200 % in Sep 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 67.900 % for Jun 2018. New Zealand Employment Rate: Trend data is updated quarterly, averaging 63.400 % from Mar 1986 (Median) to Sep 2018, with 131 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 68.200 % in Sep 2018 and a record low of 56.500 % in Dec 1992. New Zealand Employment Rate: Trend data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics New Zealand. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.G023: Household Labour Force Survey: Employment Rate.

Youth Unemployment Rate in New Zealand increased to 13.80 percent in the third quarter of 2025 from 12.90 percent in the second quarter of 2025. This dataset provides - New Zealand Youth Unemployment Rate- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

New Zealand Employment Rate: Trend: Female data was reported at 63.500 % in Sep 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 63.000 % for Jun 2018. New Zealand Employment Rate: Trend: Female data is updated quarterly, averaging 55.700 % from Mar 1986 (Median) to Sep 2018, with 131 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 63.500 % in Sep 2018 and a record low of 48.600 % in Dec 1991. New Zealand Employment Rate: Trend: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics New Zealand. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.G023: Household Labour Force Survey: Employment Rate.

Key information about New Zealand Unemployment Rate

• New Zealand Unemployment Rate increased to 5.30% in Sep 2025, from the previously reported figure of 5.20% in Jun 2025.
• New Zealand Unemployment Rate is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1986 to Sep 2025, with an average rate of 3.70%.
• The data reached an all-time high of 11.20% in Sep 1991 and a record low of 3.20% in Dec 2021.
• The data is reported by reported by Stats NZ.
• In the latest reports, New Zealand Population reached 5.31 million people in Dec 2024.

*** percent of the labor force in New Zealand were unemployed as of the first quarter of 2020. According to world bank estimates, the annual share of the labor force that were unemployed in 2019 was at **** percent. By international standards, however, this value is relatively low.

Employment opportunities

After experiencing an economic downtown following the 2008 global financial crisis, the labor market in New Zealand has been slow to recover to pre-recession levels. This can be observed in the unemployment rate of the country, as well as in other economic indicators. That’s not to say the labor market isn’t improving - by 2020, employment in the country was estimated to continue increasing to **** million people. However this estimate was made before the coronavirus crisis in early 2020. The country’s labor force participation rate, a measure of an economy’s active labor force, has also continued to increase.

The job market

New Zealand’s employment landscape is dominated by the services sector; over ** percent of the workforce are employed in this economic sector. Although the agriculture and goods-producing sectors have been historically strong, the shift towards the services sector is becoming more evident across the nation.

New Zealand NZ: Unemployment Rate: % Change data was reported at -6.250 % in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of -10.204 % for Mar 2018. New Zealand NZ: Unemployment Rate: % Change data is updated quarterly, averaging -3.852 % from Mar 1987 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 126 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 94.180 % in Dec 1989 and a record low of -26.882 % in Mar 1995. New Zealand NZ: Unemployment Rate: % Change data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Monetary Fund. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.IMF.IFS: Labour Force, Employment and Unemployment: Quarterly.

In 2024, the unemployment rate in New Zealand stood at 4.87 percent. Between 1991 and 2024, the figure dropped by 5.74 percentage points, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

New Zealand NZ: Unemployment Rate: % Change over Previous Period data was reported at 2.273 % in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of -2.222 % for Mar 2018. New Zealand NZ: Unemployment Rate: % Change over Previous Period data is updated quarterly, averaging 0.000 % from Jun 1986 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 129 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 50.833 % in Jun 1987 and a record low of -32.653 % in Jun 1990. New Zealand NZ: Unemployment Rate: % Change over Previous Period data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Monetary Fund. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.IMF.IFS: Labour Force, Employment and Unemployment: Quarterly.

New Zealand NZ: Unemployment Rate data was reported at 4.700 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.100 % for 2016. New Zealand NZ: Unemployment Rate data is updated yearly, averaging 6.096 % from Dec 1986 (Median) to 2017, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10.625 % in 1992 and a record low of 3.675 % in 2007. New Zealand NZ: Unemployment Rate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Monetary Fund. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.IMF.IFS: Labour Force, Employment and Unemployment: Annual.

The statistic shows the distribution of employment in New Zealand by economic sector from 2013 to 2023. In 2023, 5.62 percent of the employees in New Zealand were active in the agricultural sector, 20.52 percent in industry and 73.86 percent in the service sector.

In 2024, the youth unemployment rate in New Zealand amounted to 14.28 percent. Between 1991 and 2024, the figure dropped by 5.04 percentage points, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.