New Zealand employment rose 2.0% qoq in Q3, much better than expectation of 0.4% qoq. Growth was largely driven by full-time jobs, which increased 2.3% qoq or 50k, while part-time jobs dropped slightly. Unemployment rate dropped sharply from 4.0% to 3.4%, better than expectation of 3.9%. The total employment matched the lowest level on record, reached last time in 2007. Labor force participation rate rose 0.7% to 71.2%.
“The fall in the unemployment rate is in line with reports of difficulty finding workers and high labour turnover, and continued travel restrictions on international arrivals, which put pressure on domestic labour supply,” work and wellbeing statistics senior manager Becky Collett said.
