New Zealand Records Highest Joblessness Rate Since 2015
The quarter-on-quarter increase from 5.3 percent represents a continuation of labor market weakening, the statistics department confirmed.
Unemployed individuals grew by 5,000 to reach 165,000 throughout the period, even as both employment figures and workforce participation expanded, Stats NZ reported.
Labor force participation surged to 70.5 percent, driven by 19,000 additional workers entering the job market during the quarter, according to the agency.
"We saw higher levels of engagement in the labor market as both employment and unemployment increased," said Stats NZ macroeconomic spokesperson Jason Attewell.
Women accounted for approximately 20,000 new labor force entrants, with 16,000 securing employment compared to the preceding quarter, data revealed.
Female employment gains concentrated heavily in managerial and professional categories, while clerical and administrative positions contracted, Stats NZ noted.
The December 2025 quarter concluded with an employment rate of 66.7 percent, an underutilization rate of 13 percent, annual wage inflation at 2 percent, and average hourly earnings reaching 43.99 New Zealand dollars (26.59 U.S. dollars), the agency stated.
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