Population outside the labour force — Persons outside the labour force in New Zealand
New Zealand: Population outside the labour force — Persons outside the labour force was 1,270 Persons in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population outside the labour force — Persons outside the labour force in New Zealand, 1986–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 1,270 Persons for population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force in 2025. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.6% on the previous year and up 11.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force in New Zealand peaked at 1,270 Persons in 2025 and was at its lowest, 843.45 Persons, in 1986.
New Zealand ranks 31st of 33 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.
Population outside the labour force — Persons outside the labour force in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Persons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 843.45 Persons | — |
| 1987 | 859.95 Persons | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 904.3 Persons | +5.2% |
| 1989 | 940.77 Persons | +4.0% |
| 1990 | 944.15 Persons | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 957.45 Persons | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 980.5 Persons | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 993.33 Persons | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 984.58 Persons | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 982.2 Persons | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 974.02 Persons | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 991.3 Persons | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 1,013 Persons | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 1,018 Persons | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 1,022 Persons | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 1,015 Persons | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 1,013 Persons | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 1,042 Persons | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 1,043 Persons | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1,034 Persons | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 1,035 Persons | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 1,040 Persons | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 1,053 Persons | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 1,077 Persons | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 1,099 Persons | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 1,100 Persons | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 1,118 Persons | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 1,123 Persons | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 1,113 Persons | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 1,137 Persons | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 1,124 Persons | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 1,114 Persons | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 1,137 Persons | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 1,171 Persons | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 1,207 Persons | +3.1% |
| 2021 | 1,189 Persons | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 1,169 Persons | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 1,167 Persons | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 1,226 Persons | +5.0% |
| 2025 | 1,270 Persons | +3.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 887.12 Persons | 843.45 Persons | 940.77 Persons | 4 |
| 1990s | 983.8 Persons | 944.15 Persons | 1,018 Persons | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,037 Persons | 1,013 Persons | 1,077 Persons | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,123 Persons | 1,099 Persons | 1,171 Persons | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,205 Persons | 1,167 Persons | 1,270 Persons | 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 population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force in New Zealand?
- Population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force in New Zealand was 1,270 Persons in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 1,270 Persons in 2025.
- What is the lowest population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 843.45 Persons in 1986.
- How does New Zealand rank for population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force?
- New Zealand ranks 31st out of 33 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Population outside the labour force — Persons outside the labour force. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The infra-annual dataflow on the outside the labour force population is a subset of the infra-annual labour statistics database, which contains predominantly monthly and quarterly statistics on the outside the labour force population by age groups (15+, 15-24, 25-54, 55-64, 15-64 and 15-74 where available) and sex and associated statistical methodological information and associated statistical methodological information, for the OECD member countries and for selected other economies. The persons outside the labour force comprise all persons of working age who, during the specified reference period, were not in the labour force (that is, were not employed or unemployed). The infra-annual labour statistics compiled for all OECD member countries, are drawn from Labour Force Surveys based on definition provided by the 19th Conference of Labour Statisticians in 2013. The uniform application of these definitions across all OECD member countries results in estimates that are internationally comparable.