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New Zealand Unemployment Rate
Last Release
Jun 30, 2025
Actual
5.2
Units In
%
Previous
5.1
Frequency
Quarterly
Next Release
Nov 04, 2025
Time to Release
2 Months 28 Days 21 Hours
Highest | Lowest | Average | Date Range | Source |
11.2 Sep 1991 | 3.2 Dec 2021 | 5.73 % | 1985-2025 | Statistics New Zealand |
In New Zealand, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.
Latest Updates
New Zealand's unemployment rate edged up to 5.2% in the June quarter of 2025, slightly above the previous quarter's 5.1% and in line with market expectations. The number of unemployed individuals rose to 158,000, up from 156,000 in March and marking an annual increase of 16,000 people, or 11.1%. Meanwhile, the seasonally adjusted labour force participation rate dipped to 70.5% from 70.7% in the previous quarter, indicating a slight contraction in workforce engagement. The underutilisation rate—a broader measure of spare labour capacity—also climbed to 12.8%, up from 12.4% in March and 11.9% a year earlier. These figures suggest growing slack in the labor market, adding pressure on policymakers as economic momentum continues to soften.
New Zealand Unemployment Rate History
Last 12 readings