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New Zealand Unemployment Rate

New Zealand's unemployment rate rose to 5.2% in the second quarter of 2025 from 5.1% in the first quarter. This is the highest rate since the third quarter of 2020. Employment fell by 0.1% and the employment rate dropped to 66.8% from 67.1%. The underutilisation rate increased to 12.8% from 12.4%. This occurred as New Zealand's economy contracted by 0.9% in the June 2025 quarter. Declines in manufacturing and construction drove this contraction. Annual wage inflation slowed to 2.4% in the second quarter of 2025 from 4.3% a year earlier. New Zealand's record low unemployment rate was 3.2% in Q4 2021 and record high was 11.2% in Q3 1991.

Quarterly Historical Data (1985-2025)

(in %)
Quarter Unemployment Rate
Q2 2025 5.2%
Q1 2025 5.1%
Q4 2024 5.1%
Q3 2024 4.8%
Q2 2024 4.6%
Q1 2024 4.4%
Q4 2023 4%
Q3 2023 3.9%
Q2 2023 3.6%
Q1 2023 3.4%
Q4 2022 3.4%
Q3 2022 3.3%
Q2 2022 3.3%
Q1 2022 3.2%
Q4 2021 3.2%
Q3 2021 3.3%
Q2 2021 4%
Q1 2021 4.6%
Q4 2020 4.9%
Q3 2020 5.2%
Q2 2020 4.1%
Q1 2020 4.2%
Q4 2019 4.1%
Q3 2019 4.1%
Q2 2019 4%
Q1 2019 4.2%
Q4 2018 4.3%
Q3 2018 4%
Q2 2018 4.6%
Q1 2018 4.4%
Q4 2017 4.5%
Q3 2017 4.7%
Q2 2017 4.9%
Q1 2017 4.9%
Q4 2016 5.3%
Q3 2016 5%
Q2 2016 5.1%
Q1 2016 5.3%
Q4 2015 5%
Q3 2015 5.7%
Q2 2015 5.5%
Q1 2015 5.5%
Q4 2014 5.5%
Q3 2014 5.3%
Q2 2014 5.3%
Q1 2014 5.6%
Q4 2013 5.7%
Q3 2013 5.8%
Q2 2013 6%
Q1 2013 5.8%
Q4 2012 6.3%
Q3 2012 6.7%
Q2 2012 6.4%
Q1 2012 6.4%
Q4 2011 6.1%
Q3 2011 6%
Q2 2011 6.1%
Q1 2011 6%
Q4 2010 6.2%
Q3 2010 6.1%
Q2 2010 6.6%
Q1 2010 5.9%
Q4 2009 6.6%
Q3 2009 6.2%
Q2 2009 5.8%
Q1 2009 5%
Q4 2008 4.4%
Q3 2008 4.1%
Q2 2008 3.8%
Q1 2008 3.8%
Q4 2007 3.4%
Q3 2007 3.6%
Q2 2007 3.6%
Q1 2007 3.9%
Q4 2006 3.8%
Q3 2006 3.9%
Q2 2006 3.7%
Q1 2006 4.1%
Q4 2005 3.7%
Q3 2005 3.8%
Q2 2005 3.8%
Q1 2005 3.9%
Q4 2004 3.7%
Q3 2004 3.9%
Q2 2004 4.2%
Q1 2004 4.3%
Q4 2003 4.7%
Q3 2003 4.5%
Q2 2003 4.8%
Q1 2003 5%
Q4 2002 5.1%
Q3 2002 5.5%
Q2 2002 5.3%
Q1 2002 5.3%
Q4 2001 5.6%
Q3 2001 5.4%
Q2 2001 5.4%
Q1 2001 5.5%
Q4 2000 5.8%
Q3 2000 6%
Q2 2000 6.3%
Q1 2000 6.5%
Q4 1999 6.4%
Q3 1999 7%
Q2 1999 7.3%
Q1 1999 7.5%
Q4 1998 7.9%
Q3 1998 7.7%
Q2 1998 7.9%
Q1 1998 7.4%
Q4 1997 7%
Q3 1997 7%
Q2 1997 6.8%
Q1 1997 6.7%
Q4 1996 6.2%
Q3 1996 6.5%
Q2 1996 6.2%
Q1 1996 6.4%
Q4 1995 6.4%
Q3 1995 6.2%
Q2 1995 6.4%
Q1 1995 6.8%
Q4 1994 7.6%
Q3 1994 8%
Q2 1994 8.5%
Q1 1994 9.3%
Q4 1993 9.4%
Q3 1993 9.5%
Q2 1993 10.2%
Q1 1993 10.1%
Q4 1992 10.6%
Q3 1992 10.6%
Q2 1992 10.5%
Q1 1992 11%
Q4 1991 11%
Q3 1991 11.2%
Q2 1991 10.5%
Q1 1991 9.8%
Q4 1990 8.9%
Q3 1990 8.1%
Q2 1990 7.7%
Q1 1990 7.2%
Q4 1989 7.3%
Q3 1989 7.4%
Q2 1989 7.5%
Q1 1989 7.1%
Q4 1988 6.3%
Q3 1988 6.4%
Q2 1988 5.5%
Q1 1988 5%
Q4 1987 4.4%
Q3 1987 4.2%
Q2 1987 4.2%
Q1 1987 4.1%
Q4 1986 4.3%
Q3 1986 4.2%
Q2 1986 4.1%
Q1 1986 4.2%
Q4 1985 4%
New Zealand Unemployment Rate : Definition
The unemployment rate shows the percentage of the labor force that is jobless, actively seeking work. It is calculated as (unemployed persons / labor force) * 100. The labor force includes those employed plus the unemployed.
Indicator Last Value Prior Value Period
Annual Unemployment Rate 4.87% 3.73% 2024
Female Labor Force Rate 66.94% 66.93% 2024