New Zealand — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for New Zealand, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for New Zealand was 5.08% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 10.67% in 1992. The lowest was 3.30% in 2022 (about 1.5× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -2.15% per year.
New Zealand ranks 97 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 52%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 3.05%, so New Zealand sits above it. It peaked in 1992 and has fallen 52% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 6%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 7 of 29 economies; Vanuatu (5.07%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 47% in 2009. That is 14% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 47th of 187 in 1991 → 105th of 187 in 2000 → 100th of 187 in 2010 → 130th of 187 in 2020 → 92nd of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.08% | +0.4 pp |
| 2024 | 4.72% | +1.0 pp |
| 2023 | 3.73% | +0.4 pp |
| 2022 | 3.3% | -0.5 pp |
| 2021 | 3.78% | -0.8 pp |
| 2020 | 4.6% | +0.5 pp |
| 2019 | 4.11% | -0.2 pp |
| 2018 | 4.34% | -0.4 pp |
| 2017 | 4.74% | -0.4 pp |
| 2016 | 5.15% | -0.3 pp |
| 2015 | 5.42% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 5.43% | -0.4 pp |
| 2013 | 5.84% | -1.1 pp |
| 2012 | 6.93% | +0.4 pp |
| 2011 | 6.49% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 6.56% | +0.4 pp |
| 2009 | 6.12% | +2.0 pp |
| 2008 | 4.17% | +0.5 pp |
| 2007 | 3.66% | -0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 3.86% | +0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 3.81% | -0.2 pp |
| 2004 | 4.01% | -0.7 pp |
| 2003 | 4.75% | -0.5 pp |
| 2002 | 5.28% | -0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 5.43% | -0.7 pp |
| 2000 | 6.13% | -0.9 pp |
| 1999 | 7.02% | -0.7 pp |
| 1998 | 7.72% | +0.9 pp |
| 1997 | 6.86% | +0.6 pp |
| 1996 | 6.29% | -0.2 pp |
| 1995 | 6.46% | -1.9 pp |
| 1994 | 8.35% | -1.5 pp |
| 1993 | 9.8% | -0.9 pp |
| 1992 | 10.67% | +0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 10.61% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was New Zealand’s Unemployment in 1992?
10.67% (1992). 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 total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is New Zealand’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -52.2% in total — about 2.1% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.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: 5.08%; 2024: 4.72%; 2023: 3.73%; 2022: 3.3%; 2021: 3.78%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment 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.