In brief
In the third quarter of 2026, New Zealand’s unemployment rate edged up to 5.7%, driven by more casual and fixed‑term jobs. Employment numbers stayed largely flat, but full‑time work fell and part‑time jobs rose. Wage inflation was 2.1%, with hourly earnings up 2.9% to about 44.86 NZD.
New Zealand’s unemployment rate climbed to 5.7% in the September‑2026 quarter, according to Stats NZ, up from 5.6% in the June quarter. The rise was noted in Wellington on November 4 by Xinhua, with 174,000 unemployed people nationwide.
The broader under‑utilization rate, a measure of untapped labour‑market capacity, stayed steady at 13.8 %, representing 438,000 people. The total number of employed people remained broadly stable at 2.891 million, down slightly from 2.896 million in the June quarter, while the employment rate fell to 66.4 % from 66.7 %.
Stats NZ spokesperson Abby Johnston said that casual and fixed‑term roles had increased over the year, while there had been a shift toward part‑time employment over the quarter. Casual employees rose 19.5% to 116,900, and fixed‑term employees increased 18.9% to 50,900.
"Casual and fixed‑term roles had increased over the year, while there had been a shift toward part‑time employment over the quarter," said Abby Johnston.
Part‑time employment grew by 15,000 jobs over the quarter, whereas full‑time jobs fell by 17,000. Annual wage inflation was 2.1 % in the September quarter, with average ordinary‑time hourly earnings up 2.9 % over the year to 44.86 NZ dollars (about 25.07 US dollars).
These shifts suggest a changing labour market where workers are moving away from full‑time stability toward more flexible, but potentially less secure, roles.