Unemployment rate at 3.3 percent

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.3 percent in the June 2022 quarter, and the underutilisation rate was 9.2 percent, Stats NZ said today.

These rates were relatively unchanged from the unemployment rate of 3.2 percent and underutilisation rate of 9.3 percent in the March 2022 quarter.

Kei te 3.3 ōrau te pāpātanga koremahi is also available in te reo.

“Measures of spare labour market capacity have fallen over the year and remained low for several quarters, continuing to show a tight labour market,” work and wellbeing statistics senior manager Becky Collett said.

The unemployment rate for women was 3.5 percent in the June 2022 quarter, compared with 3.4 percent (revised) last quarter. The unemployment rate for men stayed at 3.1 percent and remains equal to the lowest rate on record.

QuarterMenWomenTotal
Jun-073.343.6
Sep-073.23.93.6
Dec-073.33.43.4
Mar-083.643.8
Jun-083.83.83.8
Sep-084.144.1
Dec-084.34.64.4
Mar-095.14.95
Jun-095.665.8
Sep-096.366.2
Dec-096.66.56.6
Mar-105.66.35.9
Jun-106.76.56.6
Sep-105.66.66.1
Dec-1066.56.2
Mar-115.76.46
Jun-1166.16.1
Sep-115.66.36
Dec-116.166.1
Mar-126.16.76.4
Jun-126.26.76.4
Sep-126.66.96.7
Dec-1266.76.3
Mar-135.26.55.8
Jun-135.56.56
Sep-135.56.25.8
Dec-1356.45.7
Mar-145.16.15.6
Jun-144.665.3
Sep-144.66.15.3
Dec-144.86.35.5
Mar-155.15.95.5
Jun-154.86.35.5
Sep-155.36.15.7
Dec-154.75.35
Mar-1655.65.3
Jun-164.75.55.1
Sep-164.75.35
Dec-164.85.85.3
Mar-174.35.64.9
Jun-174.74.94.8
Sep-174.15.44.7
Dec-1745.14.5
Mar-183.94.84.4
Jun-184.34.84.5
Sep-18444
Dec-184.54.24.4
Mar-193.84.54.2
Jun-193.74.34
Sep-193.84.54.2
Dec-193.94.34.1
Mar-2044.44.2
Jun-203.64.54
Sep-204.85.75.3
Dec-204.55.44.9
Mar-214.64.74.6
Jun-213.84.13.9
Sep-213.33.43.3
Dec-213.13.33.2
Mar-223.13.43.2
Jun-223.13.53.3

“Underutilisation and unemployment rates have fallen over the year for Māori, Pacific, and Asian ethnic groups, as well as young people,” Ms Collett said.

The underutilisation rate (unadjusted) for Māori was 13.4 percent, down from 17.5 percent last year. The unemployment rate (unadjusted) for Māori was 5.5 percent, down from 7.8 percent last year.

“The falling unemployment rate for Māori is a part of a broader downward trend over the past decade,” Ms Collett said.

QuarterUnemployment rate
Dec-077.5
Mar-088.9
Jun-087.2
Sep-088.1
Dec-088.6
Mar-0910.9
Jun-0911.7
Sep-0912.7
Dec-0914.5
Mar-1013.5
Jun-1014
Sep-1013.3
Dec-1013.2
Mar-1114
Jun-1112.1
Sep-1112.4
Dec-1113.3
Mar-1213.8
Jun-1212.6
Sep-1214.7
Dec-1214.5
Mar-1313.5
Jun-1312.3
Sep-1312
Dec-1312.5
Mar-1412.8
Jun-1410.7
Sep-1411.9
Dec-1411.8
Mar-1512.3
Jun-1512.2
Sep-1512.2
Dec-1510.3
Mar-1612.3
Jun-1611
Sep-1610.6
Dec-1611.8
Mar-1710.4
Jun-1711.1
Sep-179.9
Dec-179
Mar-189.5
Jun-189.4
Sep-188.5
Dec-188.2
Mar-198.5
Jun-197.7
Sep-198
Dec-198.4
Mar-208.6
Jun-206.6
Sep-208.8
Dec-209.1
Mar-218.8
Jun-217.8
Sep-216.9
Dec-217
Mar-226.3
Jun-225.5
6.38.7
7.310.4
5.88.6
6.99.3
7.49.9
9.412.3
1013.4
11.414.1
12.716.3
11.915.1
12.215.7
11.614.9
11.514.8
12.415.6
10.613.7
1113.9
11.814.8
12.415.2
11.114.1
12.816.6
12.916.2
11.715.2
10.714
10.813.2
1114.1
11.214.3
9.312.1
10.613.3
10.313.3
10.913.6
10.613.8
10.613.8
8.911.7
1113.6
9.312.7
9.112
10.313.3
9.211.6
9.812.4
8.711.1
7.810.2
8.310.7
8.210.5
7.39.6
7.19.4
7.39.7
6.58.9
6.99.1
7.29.6
7.49.8
5.67.7
7.610
7.810.3
7.410.2
6.59
5.97.9
5.88.1
5.17.5
4.46.6

Labour market statistics: June 2022 quarter provides more information about underutilisation and unemployment rates by ethnicity and age.

More hours worked

In the June 2022 quarter, the total seasonally adjusted number of hours usually worked rose 0.5 percent, to reach 107.5 million, despite the number of people employed remaining unchanged over the quarter at 2,820,000.

“The quarterly increase in usual hours worked came from people working more hours rather than changes in employment levels,” Ms Collett said.

The seasonally adjusted number of people working full-time (30 hours or more per week) increased by 22,000 over the quarter, and the number in part-time employment fell by 20,000.

QuarterEmployed peopleUsual hours
Jun-17-0.10.1
Sep-171.92.2
Dec-170.60.4
Mar-180.50.6
Jun-180.70.9
Sep-180.90.6
Dec-180.10.3
Mar-19-0.20.4
Jun-190.70.7
Sep-190.50.2
Dec-190.30.4
Mar-201.11
Jun-20-0.2-0.6
Sep-20-0.7-0.8
Dec-200.50.9
Mar-210.60
Jun-211.11.3
Sep-211.71.8
Dec-21-0.10
Mar-2200.2
Jun-2200.5

The seasonally adjusted number of hours actually worked in the June 2022 quarter was 95.0 million, up 0.8 percent over the quarter.

“Total usual hours and actual hours worked increased over the quarter, as more people worked full-time, even though the number of people off sick was higher than we usually see during winter months,” Ms Collett said.

Annually, the number of people who were away from work for a full week due to sickness, illness, or injury nearly doubled, up to 55,000.

The June 2022 annual rise followed a similar trend reported for the March 2022 quarter in More people away from work due to sickness, published 4 May 2022.

Wage growth strengthens

The labour cost index (LCI) salary and wage rates (including overtime) increased 3.4 percent in the year to June 2022, up from 3.0 percent in the year to March 2022.

Annually, private sector wage inflation was 3.4 percent while public sector (which includes local government) wage inflation was 3.0 percent.

Average ordinary time hourly earnings, as measured by the Quarterly Employment Survey (QES), increased to $36.97 (up 2.2 percent quarterly and 6.4 percent annually).

Annual wage inflation rises to 3.4 percent has more information about wages.

/Stats NZ Public Release. View in full here.