Employment in industry (% of total employment) in New Zealand
New Zealand: Employment in industry (% of total employment) was 19.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in industry (% of total employment) in New Zealand, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 19.9% for employment in industry (% of total employment) in 2025.
The figure is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in industry (% of total employment) in New Zealand peaked at 25.3% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 19.5%, in 2019.
New Zealand ranks 81st of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in industry (% of total employment) in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 23.8% | — |
| 1992 | 23.2% | -2.3% |
| 1993 | 23.7% | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 25.3% | +6.7% |
| 1995 | 25.3% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 25.0% | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 24.0% | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 24.2% | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 23.1% | -4.7% |
| 2000 | 23.3% | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 22.9% | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 22.7% | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 22.4% | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 22.8% | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 22.2% | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 22.5% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 22.1% | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 21.7% | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 21.2% | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 21.0% | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 20.4% | -2.8% |
| 2012 | 20.3% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 20.3% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 20.8% | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 22.0% | +5.5% |
| 2016 | 20.3% | -7.8% |
| 2017 | 20.6% | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 20.0% | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 19.5% | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 20.4% | +4.5% |
| 2021 | 20.0% | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 20.8% | +3.8% |
| 2023 | 20.5% | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 20.1% | -2.4% |
| 2025 | 19.9% | -0.6% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 19.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 19.9%, 1.0× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 19.9% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 19.9%, 1.0× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 24.2% | 23.1% | 25.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 22.4% | 21.2% | 23.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.5% | 19.5% | 22.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.3% | 19.9% | 20.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 78 Lebanon 20.1% compare
- 79 Colombia 20.0% compare
- 80 Philippines 20.0% compare
- 82 Kazakhstan 19.9% compare
- 83 Spain 19.9% compare
- 84 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 19.8% compare
More work & labour data for New Zealand
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.0748 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.0721 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0776 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.39 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.4877 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,200 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 511.04 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,819 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,994 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,812 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in industry (% of total employment) in New Zealand?
- Employment in industry (% of total employment) in New Zealand was 19.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in industry (% of total employment) recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 25.3% in 1995.
- What is the lowest employment in industry (% of total employment) recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.5% in 2019.
- How does New Zealand rank for employment in industry (% of total employment)?
- New Zealand ranks 81st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in industry (% of total employment) rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in industry (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The industry sector consists of mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, and public utilities (electricity, gas, and water), in accordance with divisions 2-5 (ISIC 2) or categories C-F (ISIC 3) or categories B-F (ISIC 4).