Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals in New Zealand
New Zealand: Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals was 1.81 0-6 scale in 2025. ▲ Rising
Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals in New Zealand, 1990–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in 0-6 scale.
Analysis
In 2025, strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals in New Zealand stood at 1.81 0-6 scale. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 10.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals in New Zealand peaked at 1.81 0-6 scale in 2001 and was at its lowest, 1.49 0-6 scale, in 1990.
That places New Zealand 24th out of 41 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | 0-6 scale | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1.49 0-6 scale | — |
| 1991 | 1.49 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1.49 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1.49 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1.49 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1.49 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1.49 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 1.49 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 1.49 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 1.49 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 1.49 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 1.81 0-6 scale | +21.2% |
| 2002 | 1.81 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 1.81 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 1.81 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1.81 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1.81 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 1.81 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 1.81 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 1.81 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1.81 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1.81 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1.64 0-6 scale | -9.2% |
| 2013 | 1.64 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1.64 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.64 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1.64 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1.64 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1.64 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 1.64 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 1.81 0-6 scale | +10.1% |
| 2021 | 1.81 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1.81 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 1.81 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 1.81 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 1.81 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.49 0-6 scale | 1.49 0-6 scale | 1.49 0-6 scale | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.78 0-6 scale | 1.49 0-6 scale | 1.81 0-6 scale | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.68 0-6 scale | 1.64 0-6 scale | 1.81 0-6 scale | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.81 0-6 scale | 1.81 0-6 scale | 1.81 0-6 scale | 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 strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals in New Zealand?
- Strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals in New Zealand was 1.81 0-6 scale in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 1.81 0-6 scale in 2001.
- What is the lowest strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.49 0-6 scale in 1990.
- How does New Zealand rank for strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals?
- New Zealand ranks 24th out of 41 countries with data for 2025.
- Is strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.1%. 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 Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals (regular contracts). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The OECD indicators of employment protection are synthetic indicators of the strictness of regulation on dismissals and the use of temporary contracts. For each year, indicators refer to regulation in force on the 1st of January. For more information and full methodology, see OECD Indicators of Employment Protection webpage Last data update: May 2022 OECD statistics contact: ELS.Contact@oecd.org