New Zealand

New Zealand — Unemployment

Name: Unemployment rate (% of labour force)
Creator: World Bank

NZ desk: New Zealand first; Australia, United States, United Kingdom, euro area, Korea and Taiwan alongside.

5.08%

+0.35 pp

As of 2025 | % of labour force

Mean: 5.75%
Median: 5.42%
Min: 3.30% 2022
Max: 10.67% 1992

Year	Value
2025	5.08%
2024	4.72%
2023	3.73%
2022	3.30%
2021	3.78%
2020	4.59%
2019	4.11%
2018	4.33%
2017	4.74%
2016	5.15%
2015	5.42%
2014	5.43%
2013	5.84%
2012	6.93%
2011	6.49%
2010	6.56%
2009	6.12%
2008	4.17%
2007	3.66%
2006	3.86%
2005	3.81%
2004	4.00%
2003	4.75%
2002	5.28%

#CountryUnemploymentChangeYear

73Euro area6.28%−0.06 pp2025 98New Zealand5.08%+0.35 pp2025 109United Kingdom4.75%+0.39 pp2025 120United States4.20%+0.18 pp2025 121Australia4.09%+0.15 pp2025 137Taiwan3.40%0.00 pp2025 160Singapore2.82%+0.08 pp2025 164Korea, Rep.2.68%−0.10 pp2025

What the unemployment rate is

The unemployment rate is the share of the labour force without work but available for and seeking work. World Bank indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS, ILO modelled estimates — a common definition across economies, not a national labour-force survey. Latest: 5.08% in 2025.

A rise is more people unemployed relative to the labour force, not necessarily more people out of work if participation also moves. From 1991 to 2025 (35 years): mean 5.75%, median 5.42%; low 3.30% (2022), high 10.67% (1992).

Source: World Bank Open Data. Licence: CC BY 4.0 (terms).