Female labor force participation rate (Labour Force) in New Zealand
New Zealand: Female labor force participation rate (Labour Force) was 66.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate in New Zealand, 1986–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 66.5% for female labor force participation rate in 2025.
The figure is down 0.8% on the previous year and up 4.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate in New Zealand peaked at 67.6% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 53.0%, in 1989.
That places New Zealand 27th out of 194 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.
Female labor force participation rate (Labour Force) in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 54.6% | — |
| 1987 | 54.8% | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 54.2% | -1.2% |
| 1989 | 53.0% | -2.2% |
| 1990 | 54.0% | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 54.3% | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 54.0% | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 53.9% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 55.0% | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 55.8% | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 57.2% | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 57.1% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 57.0% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 57.3% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 57.4% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 58.3% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 59.0% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 59.3% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 59.8% | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 60.8% | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 61.3% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 61.7% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 61.9% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 61.9% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 61.6% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 62.0% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 62.1% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 62.5% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 63.4% | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 63.4% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 64.6% | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 65.5% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 65.7% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 65.8% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 65.2% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 66.1% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 66.9% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 67.6% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 67.1% | -0.8% |
| 2025 | 66.5% | -0.8% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 66.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 57.2%, 1.2× the median. (79 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 66.5% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 54.1%, 1.2× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 54.2% | 53.0% | 54.8% | 4 |
| 1990s | 55.6% | 53.9% | 57.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.1% | 57.4% | 61.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 63.7% | 61.6% | 65.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 66.6% | 65.2% | 67.6% | 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 female labor force participation rate in New Zealand?
- Female labor force participation rate in New Zealand was 66.5% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rate recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 67.6% in 2023.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 53.0% in 1989.
- How does New Zealand rank for female labor force participation rate?
- New Zealand ranks 27th out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rate rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.9%. 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, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are economically active (employed or unemployed). Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.