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 June 2025 quarter, compared to the preceding quarter (March 2025):

• Auckland's unemployment rate was 6.1%, slightly below 6.4% in March 2025, but the highest June rate since 2013 (12 years ago).
• The number of people who were unemployed fell slightly to 63,700 (-4,800, down 7%).
• The number of people employed fell slightly to 984,900 (-9,100, a 1% fall). 
• The number of people not in the labour force (NILF) rose 5% to 421,300 (+20,800).
• The labour force participation rate (LFPR) fell 1.3% to 71.3%: among the lowest in three years, but note that LFPR since 2021 have been at record highs.

In addition, for the June 2025 quarter:

• The rate of people aged 15 to 24 not in employment, education or training (NEET) was 13.7%, slightly above the rest of New Zealand (11.4%) but below March 2025 (15.9%).

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

• The unemployment rate averaged 5.8%, higher than a year earlier (4.4%) by a third.
• The largest proportionate increase in unemployment rate was for those aged 40 to 54, rising from 2.5% to 4.2%; younger people had higher rates: 15 to 19 (27.2%, up from 21.1%), 20 to 24 (11.3%, was 8.7%) 25 to 39 (4.6%, was 3.6%), 55 and over 3.0%.
• The unemployment rate for females averaged 6.1% (1.2% above a year prior (4.9%)). The rate for males averaged 5.5% (1.6% above 3.9% a year prior), so the gap between males and females (0.6%) fell below the 20-year average (0.8%) and peak (2.5%).
• Unemployment rates rose for all main ethnic groups. Maori and Pacific rates remain higher than the others: Maori at 12.4% (up from 9.7%), Pacific peoples at 11.0% (was
  8.2%); Asian rose sharply to 5.5% (from 3.5%), overtaking European 4.1% (was 3.6%).
• The labour force participation rate (LFPR) fell to 72.2%, down from a year earlier (73.8%) but remaining higher than any time before 2023.
• The LFPR for females decreased slightly (67.4%, down from 69.1%), remaining significantly lower than for males (77.2%, was 78.7%). LFPRs fell substantially for those aged 15 to 19 (down 5.2% to 39.8%), but much less so for all other ages: 20 to 24 (down 0.9% to 78.6%), 25-39 (87.6%, down 0.7%), 40-54 (87.3%, down 1.1%), and 55 and over (51.3%, down 0.7%). 
• LFPRs fell for Maori (65.1%, down 4.0%) and European (72.6%, down 2.3%), less for Asian (76.1%, down 1.2%); there was minimal change for Pacific peoples (65.8%). 

In addition, over the year ended June 2025:

• The annual average NEET rate for Auckland was 14.2%, a little above the rest of New Zealand (12.2%), and a little above the year ended June 2024 (12.7%). 
• Auckland NEET rates were highest for Maori (23.1%) and Pacific (20.1%) ethnicities, and for the Southern Initiative area (22.7%); one third (11,400) identified as European.
• Auckland's NEET rate was higher for those aged 20-24 (17.5%) than 15-19 (11.0%).

Overview published August 2025.

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