New Zealand — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for New Zealand, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for New Zealand was 70.35% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 71.50% in 2023. The lowest was 62.87% in 1993 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.29% per year.
New Zealand ranks 27 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 14%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 64.35%, so New Zealand sits above it. It peaked in 2023 and has fallen 2% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 3%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 5 of 29 economies; Singapore (69.67%) is just below it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 78th of 187 in 1990 → 67th of 187 in 2000 → 44th of 187 in 2010 → 24th of 187 in 2020 → 26th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 70.35% | -0.2 pp |
| 2024 | 70.55% | -1.0 pp |
| 2023 | 71.5% | +0.6 pp |
| 2022 | 70.93% | +0.5 pp |
| 2021 | 70.4% | +0.5 pp |
| 2020 | 69.86% | -0.3 pp |
| 2019 | 70.17% | -0.3 pp |
| 2018 | 70.51% | +0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 70.48% | +0.9 pp |
| 2016 | 69.55% | +1.1 pp |
| 2015 | 68.4% | +0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 68.31% | +0.9 pp |
| 2013 | 67.41% | -0.2 pp |
| 2012 | 67.64% | -0.3 pp |
| 2011 | 67.9% | +0.4 pp |
| 2010 | 67.54% | -0.2 pp |
| 2009 | 67.75% | -0.2 pp |
| 2008 | 67.97% | -0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 68.01% | +0.3 pp |
| 2006 | 67.74% | +0.5 pp |
| 2005 | 67.19% | +0.8 pp |
| 2004 | 66.43% | +0.6 pp |
| 2003 | 65.83% | -0.2 pp |
| 2002 | 66.04% | +0.7 pp |
| 2001 | 65.34% | +0.6 pp |
| 2000 | 64.77% | +0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 64.66% | +0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 64.58% | -0.4 pp |
| 1997 | 65.01% | -0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 65.15% | +0.8 pp |
| 1995 | 64.31% | +0.6 pp |
| 1994 | 63.68% | +0.8 pp |
| 1993 | 62.87% | -0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 62.94% | -0.5 pp |
| 1991 | 63.43% | -0.1 pp |
| 1990 | 63.49% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was New Zealand’s Labor participation in 1991?
63.43% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is New Zealand’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +10.8% in total — about 0.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 70.35%; 2024: 70.55%; 2023: 71.5%; 2022: 70.93%; 2021: 70.4%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.