Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in New Zealand
New Zealand: Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) was 79.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in New Zealand, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in New Zealand stood at 79.2%.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in New Zealand peaked at 79.5% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 63.0%, in 1990.
That places New Zealand 15th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 63.0% | — |
| 1991 | 63.5% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 63.3% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 63.3% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 64.6% | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 65.6% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 67.1% | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 66.9% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 66.7% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 67.1% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 67.2% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 68.1% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 68.8% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 69.0% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 69.2% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 70.4% | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 71.0% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 71.5% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 71.7% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 71.8% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 71.6% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 72.1% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 72.4% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 72.5% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 73.7% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 73.7% | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 74.9% | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 76.2% | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 76.6% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 76.7% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 76.1% | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 77.5% | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 78.7% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 79.5% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 79.2% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 79.2% | +0.1% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 79.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 71.9%, 1.1× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 79.2% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 64.4%, 1.2× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 65.1% | 63.0% | 67.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 69.9% | 67.2% | 71.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 74.0% | 71.6% | 76.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 78.4% | 76.1% | 79.5% | 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 labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in New Zealand?
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in New Zealand was 79.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 79.5% in 2023.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 63.0% in 1990.
- How does New Zealand rank for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages)?
- New Zealand ranks 15th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.