The latest StatsNZ figures show falling demand for workers in New Zealand.

  • New Zealand’s unemployment rate rose slightly from 3.4 percent in the December 2007 quarter to 3.6 percent in the March 2008 quarter.
  • The labour force participation rate fell from its record high of 68.8 percent in December, to 67.7 percent.
  • Unemployment numbers increased by 4,000, driven by an increase in female unemployment and unemployment on the North Island.

At 3.6 percent, New Zealand has the sixth lowest unemployment rate of the OECD’s 27 member nations. Countries with lower unemployment rates than NZ are: Norway (2.4%), Netherlands (2.7%), Denmark (3.1%), Korea (3.1%) and Switzerland (3.5%).

In the tables below we have summarised the unemployment figures for different ethnic groups, age groups and regions of New Zealand.

Unemployment by Ethnic Group

Ethnicity Unemployment
Rate
European 3.0%
Maori 8.6%
Pacific People 8.2%
Others 6.0%

Unemployment by Region

Region Unemployment
Rate
Northland 4.4%
Auckland 4.6%
Waikato 4.0%
Bay of Plenty 4.8%
Gisborne / Hawkes 5.4%
Taranaki 3.8%
Manawatu/Wanganui 4.8%
Wellington 5.0%
Tasman / Nelson / Marlborough / West Coast 3.7%
Canterbury 2.6%
Otago 2.7%
Southland 2.0%

Unemployment by Age-Group

Age Group Unemployment
Rate
15 - 19 15.0%
20 - 24 8.3%
25 - 29 5.2%
30 - 34 2.7%
35 - 39 2.6%
40 - 44 2.6%
45 - 49 2.0%
50 - 54 2.1%
55 - 59 2.2%
60 - 64 1.9%