Upward trend in filled jobs continues in September
Filled jobs in New Zealand went up by 0.3% for September 2026, according to the latest Stats NZ data, with Auckland seeing the biggest increase during the period.
The latest employment indicators released by Stats NZ showed that seasonally adjusted filled jobs for all industries were up by 7,227 jobs to reach 2.36 million for the month of September.
This is up 0.3% compared with the levels recorded in August 2026, continuing the upward trend that started in July, according to Stats NZ.
Annually, actual filled jobs were up 22,791 (1.0%), compared with September 2025. Women saw a bigger increase of 8,597, compared with men with 8,190.
When it comes to total gross earnings, Stats NZ showed that it reached $16.1 billion in the September 2026 month, rising $524 million (3.4%) compared with September 2025.
Filled jobs growth breakdown
Meanwhile, Auckland saw the largest change in the number of filled jobs by region, increasing by 6,798 (0.9%) from September 2025. Increases were also recorded in:
- Canterbury – up 6,519 jobs (2.1%)
- Waikato – up 3,918 jobs (1.7%)
- Otago – up 2,638 jobs (2.2%)
- Bay of Plenty – up 2,010 jobs (1.4%)
By industry, public administration and safety logged the largest change in the number of filled jobs with 6,041, up 3.7% from September 2025. Other industries saw the following growth:
- Health care and social assistance – up 5,942 jobs (2.1%)
- Construction – up 2,480 jobs (1.3%)
- Education and training – up 2,386 jobs (1.1%)
- Administrative and support services – up 1,642 jobs (1.7%)
By age group, those aged 35 to 39 saw filled jobs go up 9,557, equivalent to a 3.4% increase. Other age groups saw:
- 40 to 44 years – up 7,832 jobs (3.1%)
- 45 to 49 years – up 5,834 jobs (2.6%)
- 65+ years – up 5,800 jobs (4.3%)
- 55 to 59 years – up 4,541 jobs (2.3%)
