Canterbury leads filled jobs growth
Filled jobs in New Zealand went up slightly for the month of June, with Canterbury reporting the biggest regional increase for the month, according to the latest data from Stats NZ.
Its employment indicators for June 2026 revealed that there were 2.35 million actual filled jobs, up 14,327 jobs (0.6%), compared with June 2025.
By region, the largest increases in filled jobs compared with June 2025 were in Canterbury (up 1.9%, or 5,842 jobs), Auckland (up 0.5%, or 4,217 jobs), and Waikato (up 1.1%, or 2,522 jobs).
The notable decline was in Northland (down 2.2%, or 1,591 jobs), while Manawatū-Whanganui recorded a modest gain of 0.8%, or 863 jobs.
Filled jobs by industry, age group
By industry, the largest increases in filled jobs compared with June 2025 were in public administration and safety (up 4.0%, or 6,407 jobs) and health care and social assistance (up 1.8%, or 4,986 jobs). Other notable changes included:
- Education and training – up 1.5% (3,267 jobs)
- Financial and insurance services – up 3.0% (2,166 jobs)
Professional, scientific, and technical services recorded a decline of 1.8%, or 3,418 jobs.
By age group, the largest increases in filled jobs compared with June 2025 were in the 35 to 39 years bracket (up 3.2%, or 8,885 jobs) and the 40 to 44 years bracket (up 2.7%, or 6,698 jobs). The 30 to 34 years bracket recorded a decline of 1.9%, or 5,462 jobs. Other notable increases included:
- 45 to 49 years – up 2.3% (5,154 jobs)
- 65+ years – up 3.6% (4,831 jobs)
Meanwhile, Stats NZ said total gross earnings went up $368 million (2.4%) on an accrual basis, bringing the total for the June 2026 month to $15.8 billion.
Stats NZ noted that actual gross earnings in this release were calculated on an accrual basis, where earnings are allocated proportionally to the period in which they were earned.
"The accrual method removes the volatility of monthly data," it said. "For example, a fortnightly pay period might occur twice in some months and three times in other months."
