New Zealand Working Age Population: Maori data was reported at 649.700 Person th in Mar 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 646.600 Person th for Dec 2024. New Zealand Working Age Population: Maori data is updated quarterly, averaging 527.300 Person th from Dec 2007 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 70 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 649.700 Person th in Mar 2025 and a record low of 422.500 Person th in Dec 2007. New Zealand Working Age Population: Maori data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Stats NZ. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.G046: Household Labour Force Survey: Working Age Population.

The number of employed people in New Zealand was approximately 2.92 million people in 2024. Between 1980 and 2024, the number rose by around 1.40 million people, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. From 2024 to 2026, the number will increase by about 80 thousand 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.

The number of employed persons in New Zealand increased to 2913 Thousand in the first quarter of 2025 from 2912 Thousand in the fourth quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - New Zealand Employed Persons - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

New Zealand Working Age Population: European data was reported at 2,888.900 Person th in Mar 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 2,862.700 Person th for Dec 2024. New Zealand Working Age Population: European data is updated quarterly, averaging 2,745.600 Person th from Dec 2007 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 70 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,917.000 Person th in Mar 2023 and a record low of 2,493.300 Person th in Mar 2011. New Zealand Working Age Population: European data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Stats NZ. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.G046: Household Labour Force Survey: Working Age Population.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Working-Age Population Male: From 55 to 64 Years for New Zealand (LFWA55MANZA647N) from 1986 to 2024 about 55 to 64 years, New Zealand, working-age, males, and population.

New Zealand NZ: Employment To Population Ratio: Modeled ILO Estimate: Aged 15+: Female data was reported at 60.501 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 60.406 % for 2016. New Zealand NZ: Employment To Population Ratio: Modeled ILO Estimate: Aged 15+: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 56.399 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 60.501 % in 2017 and a record low of 48.203 % in 1992. New Zealand NZ: Employment To Population Ratio: Modeled ILO Estimate: Aged 15+: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.World Bank: Employment and Unemployment. Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed. Employment is defined as persons of working age who, during a short reference period, were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period (i.e. who worked in a job for at least one hour) or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangements. Ages 15 and older are generally considered the working-age population.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in November 2017.; Weighted average; Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections. National estimates are also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

NZ: Labour Force With Basic Education: Male: % of Male Working-age Population data was reported at 66.760 % in 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of 66.500 % for 2019. NZ: Labour Force With Basic Education: Male: % of Male Working-age Population data is updated yearly, averaging 20.690 % from Dec 2014 (Median) to 2020, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 66.760 % in 2020 and a record low of 19.390 % in 2016. NZ: Labour Force With Basic Education: Male: % of Male Working-age Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.World Bank.WDI: Labour Force. The ratio of the labor force with basic education to the working-age population with basic education. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).;International Labour Organization. “Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI)” ILOSTAT. Accessed January 07, 2025. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/.;Weighted average;

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Employment Rate Total: From 15 to 64 Years for New Zealand (LREM64TTNZQ156S) from Q1 1986 to Q1 2025 about New Zealand, employment-population ratio, 15 to 64 years, employment, population, and rate.

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.

Employment Rate in New Zealand decreased to 67.20 percent in the first quarter of 2025 from 67.30 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - New Zealand Employment Rate- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

New Zealand NZ: Labour Force With Advanced Education: % of Total Working-age Population data was reported at 70.490 % in 2013. New Zealand NZ: Labour Force With Advanced Education: % of Total Working-age Population data is updated yearly, averaging 70.490 % from Dec 2013 (Median) to 2013, with 1 observations. New Zealand NZ: Labour Force With Advanced Education: % of Total Working-age Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.World Bank: Labour Force. The percentage of the working age population with an advanced level of education who are in the labor force. Advanced education comprises short-cycle tertiary education, a bachelor’s degree or equivalent education level, a master’s degree or equivalent education level, or doctoral degree or equivalent education level according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2018.; Weighted average;

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Working-Age Population Total: From 55 to 64 Years for New Zealand (LFWA55TTNZA647S) from 1986 to 2024 about 55 to 64 years, New Zealand, working-age, and population.

Graph and download economic data for Employment to Population Ratio for New Zealand (SLEMPTOTLSPZSNZL) from 1991 to 2024 about New Zealand, employment-population ratio, employment, and population.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Working-Age Population Total: From 15 to 24 Years for New Zealand (LFWA24TTNZQ647S) from Q1 1986 to Q1 2025 about New Zealand, 15 to 24 years, working-age, and population.

In 2020, around *** million people from the Auckland region were part of the working age population in New Zealand. The region with the second largest working age population in the country was the Northland region.

Labour market statistics (disability) provides comparisons between labour market measures for disabled and non-disabled people in New Zealand. Information includes labour market participation and employment rates as well as differences in wages and salaries received.

Dataset shows an individual’s statistical area 2 (SA2) of usual residence and the SA2 of their workplace address, for the employed census usually resident population count aged 15 years and over, by main means of travel to work from the 2018 and 2023 Censuses.

The main means of travel to work categories are:

• Work at home
• Drive a private car, truck, or van
• Drive a company car, truck, or van
• Passenger in a car, truck, van, or company bus
• Public bus
• Train
• Bicycle
• Walk or jog
• Ferry
• Other.

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Main means of travel to work is the usual method which an employed person aged 15 years and over used to travel the longest distance to their place of work.

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Workplace address refers to where someone usually works in their main job, that is the job in which they worked the most hours. For people who work at home, this is the same address as their usual residence address. For people who do not work at home, this could be the address of the business they work for or another address, such as a building site.

Workplace address is coded to the most detailed geography possible from the available information. This dataset only includes travel to work information for individuals whose workplace address is available at SA2 level. The sum of the counts for each region in this dataset may not equal the total employed census usually resident population count aged 15 years and over for that region. Workplace address – 2023 Census: Information by concept has more information.

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This dataset can be used in conjunction with the following spatial files by joining on the SA2 code values:

• Statistical area 2 2023 (generalised)
• Statistical area 2 2023 (Centroid Inside)

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Download data table using the instructions in the Koordinates help guide.

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Footnotes

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Geographical boundaries

Statistical standard for geographic areas 2023 (updated December 2023) has information about geographic boundaries as of 1 January 2023. Address data from 2013 and 2018 Censuses was updated to be consistent with the 2023 areas. Due to the changes in area boundaries and coding methodologies, 2013 and 2018 counts published in 2023 may be slightly different to those published in 2013 or 2018.

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Subnational census usually resident population

The census usually resident population count of an area (subnational count) is a count of all people who usually live in that area and were present in New Zealand on census night. It excludes visitors from overseas, visitors from elsewhere in New Zealand, and residents temporarily overseas on census night. For example, a person who usually lives in Christchurch city and is visiting Wellington city on census night will be included in the census usually resident population count of Christchurch city. 

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Population counts

Stats NZ publishes a number of different population counts, each using a different definition and methodology. Population statistics – user guide has more information about different counts. 

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Caution using time series

Time series data should be interpreted with care due to changes in census methodology and differences in response rates between censuses. The 2023 and 2018 Censuses used a combined census methodology (using census responses and administrative data).

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Workplace address time series

Workplace address time series data should be interpreted with care at lower geographic levels, such as statistical area 2 (SA2). Methodological improvements in 2023 Census resulted in greater data accuracy, including a greater proportion of people being counted at lower geographic areas compared to the 2018 Census. Workplace address – 2023 Census: Information by concept has more information.

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Working at home

In the census, working at home captures both remote work, and people whose business is at their home address (e.g. farmers or small business owners operating from their home). The census asks respondents whether they ‘mostly’ work at home or away from home. It does not capture whether someone does both, or how frequently they do one or the other.

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Rows excluded from the dataset

Rows show SA2 of usual residence by SA2 of workplace address. Rows with a total population count of less than six have been removed to reduce the size of the dataset, given only a small proportion of SA2-SA2 combinations have commuter flows.

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About the 2023 Census dataset

For information on the 2023 dataset see Using a combined census model for the 2023 Census. We combined data from the census forms with administrative data to create the 2023 Census dataset, which meets Stats NZ's quality criteria for population structure information. We added real data about real people to the dataset where we were confident the people who hadn’t completed a census form (which is known as admin enumeration) will be counted. We also used data from the 2018 and 2013 Censuses, administrative data sources, and statistical imputation methods to fill in some missing characteristics of people and dwellings.

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Data quality

The quality of data in the 2023 Census is assessed using the quality rating scale and the quality assurance framework to determine whether data is fit for purpose and suitable for release. Data quality assurance in the 2023 Census has more information.

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Quality rating of a variable

The quality rating of a variable provides an overall evaluation of data quality for that variable, usually at the highest levels of classification. The quality ratings shown are for the 2023 Census unless stated. There is variability in the quality of data at smaller geographies. Data quality may also vary between censuses, for subpopulations, or when cross tabulated with other variables or at lower levels of the classification. Data quality ratings for 2023 Census variables has more information on quality ratings by variable.

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Main means of travel to work quality rating

Main means of travel to work is rated as moderate quality.

Main means of travel to work – 2023 Census: Information by concept has more information, for example, definitions and data quality.

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Workplace address quality rating

Workplace address is rated as moderate quality.

Workplace address – 2023 Census: Information by concept has more information, for example, definitions and data quality.

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Using data for good

Stats NZ expects that, when working with census data, it is done so with a positive purpose, as outlined in the Māori Data Governance Model (Data Iwi Leaders Group, 2023). This model states that "data should support transformative outcomes and should uplift and strengthen our relationships with each other and with our environments. The avoidance of harm is the minimum expectation for data use. Māori data should also contribute to iwi and hapū tino rangatiratanga”.

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Confidentiality

The 2023 Census confidentiality rules have been applied to 2013, 2018, and 2023 data. These rules protect the confidentiality of individuals, families, households, dwellings, and undertakings in 2023 Census data. Counts are calculated using fixed random rounding to base 3 (FRR3) and suppression of ‘sensitive’ counts less than six, where tables report multiple geographic variables and/or small populations. Individual figures may not always sum to stated totals. Applying confidentiality rules to 2023 Census data and summary of changes since 2018 and 2013 Censuses has more information about 2023 Census confidentiality rules.

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Percentages

To calculate percentages, divide the figure for the category of interest by the figure for ‘Total stated’ where this applies.

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Symbol

-999 Confidential

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Inconsistencies in definitions

Please note that there may be differences in definitions between census classifications and those used for other data collections.

The statistic shows the total working age population in New Zealand in 2020, by ethnicity. That year, around **** million people of European ethnicity were part of the working age population in New Zealand.

Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate) in New Zealand was reported at 67.99 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. New Zealand - Employment to population ratio, 15+, total - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Employment to population ratio, 15+, male (%) (modeled ILO estimate) in New Zealand was reported at 72.57 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. New Zealand - Employment to population ratio, 15+, male - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.