New Zealand Job Market Report: Growing Sectors, Weak Spots and What Job Seekers Should Know
News · 2026-08-28 · 3 min read
If someone is telling you that New Zealand needs every kind of worker and all you have to do is pay them to get you in, stop and look at the facts. The latest official employment figures show a job market that is growing, but not evenly. Some industries and regions are hiring strongly; others are cutting back. Knowing the difference can save you time and money.
The official numbers first
Stats NZ's latest employment indicators record roughly 18,000 extra filled jobs in the year to July, for a national total of 2.34 million. On a seasonally adjusted, month-on-month basis, a further 7,746 roles were added between June and July, growth of 0.3%. The headline is positive, but what you really need to know is where those jobs sit.
Regional winners and losers
Canterbury came out on top, adding 6,824 jobs across the year (2.2%), which suggests the Christchurch economy, rebuild and beyond, still has real momentum. Auckland (+4,427) and Waikato (+3,330) also grew solidly, and Otago picked up 1,710.
Northland is the warning sign. It lost 1,526 jobs, a 2.1% fall and the biggest decline of any region Stats NZ singled out. Right now, the South Island and central North Island are doing better than the north. Factor that in before you settle on a city.
Industries pulling ahead
Healthcare and social assistance created the most new jobs of any sector: 6,581 over the year, up 2.3%. If you have nursing, aged-care, allied health or support-worker experience, this is the strongest signal in the report.
Close behind came public administration and safety, up 6,418 jobs (4%). Education and training grew by 2,630 roles (1.2%), and construction added 1,810 jobs (0.9%). That last one matters for tradespeople, because building work moves closely with housing and infrastructure spending.
The sector going backwards
Professional, scientific and technical services shrank, shedding 2,078 jobs (1.1%). This category covers much of the country's white-collar and tech-related work. If your plan rests on a consulting, IT or scientific-services job, be realistic about this weakness, even while healthcare and public-sector hiring keep rising.
Pay is improving
Gross earnings nationwide hit $16.5 billion in July, an increase of $607 million (3.8%) on the year. In plain terms, employers are paying more as well as hiring more. That is important when you are working out what your take-home pay could look like after relocation costs.
Age and gender breakdown
Women took most of the annual job growth, gaining 7,959 roles (0.7%), against 3,819 (0.3%) for men. Workers aged 65 and over saw employment climb 4.1%, adding 5,407 jobs, which is relevant if you are moving later in your career or plan to keep working beyond normal retirement age. By raw numbers, the 35-to-39 bracket gained most, up 9,030 jobs (3.2%). People aged 30-to-34 went the other way, down 5,180 jobs (1.8%).
How to use this information
The pattern is clear. Healthcare, public administration, education and construction are ahead; Canterbury and Waikato are beating the rest of the country; and older and female workers are gaining the most. Professional and technical services, Northland, and workers in their early thirties face headwinds. Stats NZ says these figures stay provisional for three months while payday filing data arrives, so read them as an early signal, not the last word.
Use the data to target the right industry and region, and check every job offer carefully. A genuine employer will never ask you to pay for a job offer. If a deal sounds too good to be true, or an "agent" wants money upfront to guarantee you a job, walk away.
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