Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in New Zealand
New Zealand: Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) was 66.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in New Zealand, 1986–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in New Zealand is 66.8%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.6% on the previous year and up 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in New Zealand peaked at 69.4% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 56.6%, in 1992.
That places New Zealand 33rd out of 178 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 63.9% | — |
| 1987 | 63.6% | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 61.1% | -3.9% |
| 1989 | 59.0% | -3.5% |
| 1990 | 58.8% | -0.3% |
| 1991 | 57.0% | -2.9% |
| 1992 | 56.6% | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 57.1% | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 58.7% | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 60.5% | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 61.5% | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 61.0% | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 60.0% | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 60.5% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 61.2% | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 62.2% | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 63.0% | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 63.2% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 64.2% | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 65.1% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 65.6% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 65.9% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 65.5% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 63.9% | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 63.4% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 63.8% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 63.2% | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 63.8% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 65.0% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 65.1% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 66.4% | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 67.6% | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 67.8% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 67.7% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 67.0% | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 68.1% | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 69.0% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 69.4% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 67.9% | -2.2% |
| 2025 | 66.8% | -1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 61.9% | 59.0% | 63.9% | 4 |
| 1990s | 59.2% | 56.6% | 61.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.0% | 61.2% | 65.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 65.4% | 63.2% | 67.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.0% | 66.8% | 69.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
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 to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in New Zealand?
- Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in New Zealand was 66.8% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 69.4% in 2023.
- What is the lowest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.6% in 1992.
- How does New Zealand rank for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%)?
- New Zealand ranks 33rd out of 178 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.