NZ Unemployment Rate
Annual New Zealand unemployment as a percentage of the labour force, using the national-estimate series.
Latest year in this collection
2025: 5.26%. This is the latest annual observation in the 17 September 2026 download, not a live economic release. No 2026 value is estimated.
What this indicator measures
The denominator is the labour force, not the whole population. This annual series is distinct from a current quarterly unemployment release. Missing years are not treated as zero.
Latest available annual historical series, not the information available on election day. Annual reference years follow the source; these are not election-day or quarterly observations. Blank years are not estimated.
Showing economic data beside political history does not establish causation or measure a government's performance.
Unemployment: annual history
| Year | Unemployment (%) |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.26% |
| 2024 | 4.76% |
| 2023 | 3.77% |
| 2022 | 3.32% |
| 2021 | 3.80% |
| 2020 | 4.60% |
| 2019 | 4.11% |
| 2018 | 4.33% |
| 2017 | 4.74% |
| 2016 | 5.15% |
| 2015 | 5.41% |
| 2014 | 5.43% |
| 2013 | 5.84% |
| 2012 | 6.49% |
| 2011 | 6.04% |
| 2010 | 6.21% |
| 2009 | 5.87% |
| 2008 | 4.04% |
| 2007 | 3.61% |
| 2006 | 3.85% |
| 2005 | 3.81% |
| 2004 | 4.01% |
| 2003 | 4.75% |
| 2002 | 5.29% |
| 2001 | 5.45% |
| 2000 | 6.14% |
| 1999 | 7.04% |
| 1998 | 7.72% |
| 1997 | 6.85% |
| 1996 | 6.30% |
| 1995 | 6.46% |
| 1994 | 8.36% |
| 1993 | 9.80% |
| 1992 | 10.67% |
| 1991 | 10.61% |
| 1990 | 7.97% |
| 1989 | 7.24% |
| 1988 | 5.71% |
| 1987 | 4.16% |
| 1986 | 4.14% |
Source, definition and dates
World Bank — World Development Indicators: Unemployment, New Zealand
Read the source definition
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.
Displayed values are rounded to two decimal places. Missing values remain unavailable; the recorded source values are unchanged. The sources do not endorse Voted. Full acknowledgements.
Related New Zealand indicators
Explore NZ election records · Read government history · Report an error with its source