An overview of labour force participation in Auckland, as indicated by results of Stats NZ's quarterly Household Labour Force Survey. HLFS

Overview and highlights

For the December 2025 quarter, compared to the preceding quarter (September 2025)

• Auckland’s unemployment rate was 6.4%, a little above September 2025 and the second-highest rate since 2015.
• The number of people who were unemployed was 67,000 (+3,500, a 5.5% rise).
• The number of people employed rose to 984,300 (+8,800, a 0.9% rise).
• The number of people not in the labour force (NILF) fell 1.5% to 419,300 (-6,600).
• The labour force participation rate (LFPR) rose 0.8% to 71.5%: third lowest in four years, similar to 2016-2019, but note that LFPR 2021-2025 had been at record highs.

In addition, for the December 2025 quarter:

• The rate of people aged 15 to 24 not in employment, education or training (NEET) was 15.9%, above the rest of New Zealand (12.2%) and a little above December 2024 (14.8%). 

Over the year ended December 2025, compared to the year ended December 2024:

• The unemployment rate averaged 6.3%, higher than a year earlier (5.0%) by a quarter.
• The largest proportionate increase in unemployment rate was for those aged 25 to 39, rising from 4.0% to 5.3%, and 40 to 54 years, rising from 3.1% to 4.0%, although younger people had higher rates: 15 to 19 years (28.6%, up from 24.8%), 20 to 24 years (12.9%, was 9.8%); lowest was 55 years and over at 3.3% (was 2.9%).
• The unemployment rate for females averaged 6.6% (1.2% above a year prior (5.4%)). The rate for males averaged 5.9% (1.3% above 4.6% a year prior), so the gap between males and females (0.7%) stayed below the 20-year average (0.8%) and peak (2.5%).
• Unemployment rates rose for all main ethnic groups. Māori and Pacific rates remain higher than the others: Māori at 14.2% (up from 10.3%), Pacific peoples at 12.6% (was 9.4%); Asian rose to 5.4% (from 4.5%), European rose by the least to 4.3% (was 4.0%).
• The labour force participation rate (LFPR) fell to 71.6%, down from a year earlier (72.9%) but remaining higher than any time before 2022.
• The LFPR for females decreased (66.6%, down from 68.2%), remaining significantly lower than for males (76.6%, was 77.8%) but narrowing the gap a little to 10.0%.
• LFPRs fell for those aged 15 to 19 (down 3.7% to 38.5%), but much less so for all other ages: 20 to 24 (minimal +0.1% to 78.5%), 25-39 (87.1%, down 1.0%), 40-54 (86.8%, down 1.0%), and 55 and over (50.9%, down 0.4%).
• LFPRs fell most for Māori (64.6%, down 2.9%) and European (71.4%, down 2.6%), less for Asian (75.7%, down 0.7%); the LFPR for Pacific peoples rose (66.1%, up 1.3%).

In addition, over the year ended December 2025:

• The annual average NEET rate for Auckland was 14.9%, higher than the rest of New Zealand (12.3%), and a little above the year ended December 2024 (13.6%).
• Auckland NEET rates were highest for Māori (26.3%) and Pacific (22.3%) ethnicities, and for the Southern Initiative area (24.1%); one third (12,800) identified as European.
• Auckland’s NEET rate was higher for those aged 20-24 (18.0%) than 15-19 (11.8%). ...

Overview published February 2026.

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