Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in New Zealand
New Zealand: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 5.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in New Zealand, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in New Zealand is 5.1%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 7.5% on the previous year and down 6.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in New Zealand peaked at 10.7% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 3.3%, in 2022.
That places New Zealand 97th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 10.6% | — |
| 1992 | 10.7% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 9.8% | -8.1% |
| 1994 | 8.4% | -14.8% |
| 1995 | 6.5% | -22.7% |
| 1996 | 6.3% | -2.6% |
| 1997 | 6.9% | +9.0% |
| 1998 | 7.7% | +12.6% |
| 1999 | 7.0% | -9.0% |
| 2000 | 6.1% | -12.7% |
| 2001 | 5.4% | -11.4% |
| 2002 | 5.3% | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 4.7% | -10.2% |
| 2004 | 4.0% | -15.6% |
| 2005 | 3.8% | -4.9% |
| 2006 | 3.9% | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 3.7% | -5.1% |
| 2008 | 4.2% | +13.8% |
| 2009 | 6.1% | +46.9% |
| 2010 | 6.6% | +7.1% |
| 2011 | 6.5% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 6.9% | +6.8% |
| 2013 | 5.8% | -15.8% |
| 2014 | 5.4% | -7.0% |
| 2015 | 5.4% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 5.1% | -4.9% |
| 2017 | 4.7% | -8.0% |
| 2018 | 4.3% | -8.5% |
| 2019 | 4.1% | -5.2% |
| 2020 | 4.6% | +11.8% |
| 2021 | 3.8% | -17.8% |
| 2022 | 3.3% | -12.6% |
| 2023 | 3.7% | +13.2% |
| 2024 | 4.7% | +26.5% |
| 2025 | 5.1% | +7.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.2% | 6.3% | 10.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 4.7% | 3.7% | 6.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.5% | 4.1% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.2% | 3.3% | 5.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More education data for New Zealand
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 36,426 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 12,020 (1992)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 56,552 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 53,804 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 562,417 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 383,018 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0724 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in New Zealand?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in New Zealand was 5.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 10.7% in 1992.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.3% in 2022.
- How does New Zealand rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- New Zealand ranks 97th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.