Wages in New Zealand increased 2% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, in line with market expectations and matching the pace of the previous quarter, marking the softest increase since the first quarter of 2021. source: Statistics New Zealand

Wages in New Zealand increased 2 percent in March of 2026 over the same month in the previous year. Wage Growth in New Zealand averaged 2.20 percent from 1993 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 4.50 percent in the first quarter of 2023 and a record low of 1.20 percent in the fourth quarter of 1993. This page includes a chart with historical data for New Zealand Wage Growth. New Zealand Wage Growth - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on June of 2026.

Wages in New Zealand increased 2 percent in March of 2026 over the same month in the previous year. Wage Growth in New Zealand is expected to be 1.90 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the New Zealand Wage Growth is projected to trend around 2.60 percent in 2027 and 2.50 percent in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-02-03 09:45 PM
Labour Costs Index YoY
Q4 2% 2.1% 2% 2.0%
2026-05-05 10:45 PM
Labour Costs Index YoY
Q1 2% 2% 2% 1.8%
2026-08-05 10:45 PM
Labour Costs Index YoY
Q2 2% 1.9%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Employed Persons 2889.00 2885.00 Thousand Mar 2026
Employment Change 0.20 0.50 percent Mar 2026
Employment Rate 66.70 66.70 percent Mar 2026
Full Time Employment 2303.00 2300.00 Thousand Mar 2026
Participation Rate 70.40 70.50 percent Mar 2026
Labour Costs Index 1450.00 1443.00 points Mar 2026
Part Time Employment 588.00 585.00 Thousand Mar 2026
Population 5.34 5.31 Million Dec 2025
Productivity 1391.00 1380.00 points Dec 2025
Unemployed Persons 163.00 165.00 Thousand Mar 2026
Unemployment Rate 5.30 5.40 percent Mar 2026
Labour Costs Index YoY 2.00 2.00 percent Mar 2026
Wages 44.20 44.08 NZD/Hour Mar 2026
Wages in Manufacturing 40.66 40.54 NZD/Hour Mar 2026
Youth Unemployment Rate 15.90 13.50 percent Mar 2026


New Zealand Wage Growth
In New Zealand, the labor cost index measures changes in salary and wage rates for a fixed quantity and quality of labor input.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
2.00 2.00 4.50 1.20 1993 - 2026 percent Quarterly
NSA