Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in New Zealand

New Zealand: Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) was 15.5% in 2025. ▬ Flat

Latest (2025)
15.5%
Change on year
up 13.0%
World rank
75th
of 157 countries
All-time high
17.2%
in 1991
All-time low
7.7%
in 1987
Years of data
40
1986–2025

Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in New Zealand, 1986–2025

0510151986200520251986: 8.21987: 7.71988: 101989: 131990: 13.51991: 17.21992: 16.91993: 16.41994: 14.81995: 12.21996: 11.51997: 13.41998: 13.91999: 132000: 12.42001: 11.92002: 11.72003: 10.62004: 10.52005: 10.22006: 10.42007: 9.92008: 10.62009: 16.42010: 16.92011: 15.12012: 16.82013: 15.62014: 14.72015: 13.92016: 13.62017: 13.32018: 112019: 11.52020: 12.62021: 10.22022: 9.12023: 10.72024: 13.82025: 15.5

Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

In 2025, unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in New Zealand stood at 15.5%.

That represents a change of up 13.0% on the previous year and up 12.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in New Zealand peaked at 17.2% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 7.7%, in 1987.

That places New Zealand 75th out of 157 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in New Zealand, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) (national estimate) in New Zealand, 1986 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1986 8.2%
1987 7.7% -5.4%
1988 10.0% +29.9%
1989 13.0% +29.3%
1990 13.5% +4.0%
1991 17.2% +27.3%
1992 16.9% -1.5%
1993 16.4% -3.3%
1994 14.8% -9.7%
1995 12.2% -17.4%
1996 11.5% -5.7%
1997 13.4% +16.0%
1998 13.9% +3.7%
1999 13.0% -6.2%
2000 12.4% -4.8%
2001 11.9% -4.2%
2002 11.7% -1.4%
2003 10.6% -9.0%
2004 10.5% -1.6%
2005 10.2% -2.4%
2006 10.4% +2.2%
2007 9.9% -5.2%
2008 10.6% +7.3%
2009 16.4% +54.5%
2010 16.9% +3.3%
2011 15.1% -10.7%
2012 16.8% +11.4%
2013 15.6% -7.2%
2014 14.7% -5.6%
2015 13.9% -6.0%
2016 13.6% -1.7%
2017 13.3% -2.2%
2018 11.0% -17.7%
2019 11.5% +4.9%
2020 12.6% +10.0%
2021 10.2% -19.2%
2022 9.1% -10.7%
2023 10.7% +16.8%
2024 13.8% +29.0%
2025 15.5% +13.0%

New Zealand compared with similar countries

  • New Zealand's 15.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 13.6%, 1.1× the median. (68 countries reporting)
  • New Zealand's 15.5% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9.4%, 1.7× the median. (23 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in New Zealand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2009 +54.5% 10.6% 16.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 9.7% 7.7% 13.0% 4
1990s 14.3% 11.5% 17.2% 10
2000s 11.5% 9.9% 16.4% 10
2010s 14.2% 11.0% 16.9% 10
2020s 12.0% 9.1% 15.5% 6

Countries ranked near New Zealand

  1. 72 United Arab Emirates 16.6% compare
  2. 73 Brazil 15.8% compare
  3. 74 Belgium 15.7% compare
  4. 76 Azerbaijan 15.3% compare
  5. 77 Burkina Faso 15.2% compare
  6. 78 Mali 14.7% compare

See the full ranking of 178 places →

More work & labour data for New Zealand

All data for New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in New Zealand?
Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in New Zealand was 15.5% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) recorded in New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 17.2% in 1991.
What is the lowest unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) recorded in New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 7.7% in 1987.
How does New Zealand rank for unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24)?
New Zealand ranks 75th out of 157 countries with data for 2025.
Is unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is up 12.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
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 Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-youth-female-percent-of-female-labor-force-ages-15-24-national-estimate/new-zealand/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
178 places, 4,080 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.