New Zealand Jobless Rate Highest Since 2015

2026-08-04 22:54 By Chusnul Chotimah 1 min. read

New Zealand's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 5.6% in Q2, above both the upwardly revised figure in Q1 and expectations of 5.4%.

It was the highest reading since Q3 2015, as businesses continued to face cost pressures from the global energy shock.

The number of unemployed individuals rose by 7K from the prior quarter to 171K.

At the same time, employment increased by 13K to 2.91 million, bringing the employment rate to 66.7%, unchanged from Q1.

The labor force participation rate also rose to 70.7% from 70.4% in Q1 and above expectations of 70.3%, marking the highest level since Q1 2025 and signaling a modest increase in workforce engagement.

The underutilisation rate, a broader measure of spare labor, stood at 13.8%, above the 12.9% level in the previous quarter.

These figures suggested that labor market slack remained elevated, reflecting higher unemployment, underemployment and untapped labor available for work but not included in the headline unemployment rate.



News Stream
New Zealand Jobless Rate Highest Since 2015
New Zealand's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 5.6% in Q2, above both the upwardly revised figure in Q1 and expectations of 5.4%. It was the highest reading since Q3 2015, as businesses continued to face cost pressures from the global energy shock. The number of unemployed individuals rose by 7K from the prior quarter to 171K. At the same time, employment increased by 13K to 2.91 million, bringing the employment rate to 66.7%, unchanged from Q1. The labor force participation rate also rose to 70.7% from 70.4% in Q1 and above expectations of 70.3%, marking the highest level since Q1 2025 and signaling a modest increase in workforce engagement. The underutilisation rate, a broader measure of spare labor, stood at 13.8%, above the 12.9% level in the previous quarter. These figures suggested that labor market slack remained elevated, reflecting higher unemployment, underemployment and untapped labor available for work but not included in the headline unemployment rate.
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