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Colombia70.7%up 0.3 points from Q1 2026Q2 2026 · released 5 Aug 2026
+0.1 ptsover 5 years
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Get New Zealand labour force participation rate updates by webhook
GET /v1/economics/NZL/labour-force-participation
// webhook: { "type": "release.updated" }Read historical data and the release calendar by API.
Get an API keyKey data points
- Last release
- 5 Aug 2026
- Observation period
- Q2 2026
- Next release
- 3 Nov 2026, 21:45 UTC
- Previous
- 70.4% Q1 2026
- Highest
- 72.4% Q2 2023
- Lowest
- 63.0% Q1 1993
- A year ago
- 70.5%
- Data since
- 1986
New Zealand labour force participation rate by year
| Year | Average | High | Low | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | 70.6% | 70.7%Q2 2026 | 70.4%Q1 2026 | ▲ +0.3 |
| 2025 | 70.5% | 70.7%Q1 2025 | 70.3%Q3 2025 | ▼ −0.2 |
| 2024 | 71.3% | 71.6%Q2 2024 | 70.8%Q4 2024 | ▼ −0.7 |
| 2023 | 72.1% | 72.4%Q2 2023 | 71.8%Q4 2023 | ▼ −0.3 |
| 2022 | 71.4% | 71.8%Q4 2022 | 70.9%Q2 2022 | ▲ +0.8 |
| 2021 | 70.8% | 71.1%Q3 2021 | 70.4%Q1 2021 | ▲ +0.6 |
| 2020 | 70.3% | 70.7%Q1 2020 | 70.0%Q2 2020 | ▼ −0.5 |
| 2019 | 70.6% | 70.6%Q1 2019 | 70.4%Q4 2019 | ▼ −0.2 |
| 2018 | 71.1% | 71.2%Q2 2018 | 70.9%Q4 2018 | ▼ −0.2 |
| 2017 | 70.9% | 71.2%Q3 2017 | 70.4%Q2 2017 | ▲ +0.3 |
| 2016 | 70.0% | 70.7%Q4 2016 | 69.0%Q1 2016 | ▲ +1.7 |
| 2015 | 68.8% | 69.4%Q1 2015 | 68.3%Q4 2015 | ▼ −1.1 |
| 2014 | 68.7% | 69.3%Q4 2014 | 68.3%Q2 2014 | ▲ +0.7 |
| 2013 | 67.8% | 68.3%Q4 2013 | 67.2%Q1 2013 | ▲ +1.1 |
| 2012 | 67.9% | 68.1%Q1 2012 | 67.5%Q4 2012 | ▼ −0.6 |
| 2011 | 67.9% | 67.9%Q1 2011 | 67.8%Q4 2011 | ▼ −0.1 |
| 2010 | 67.6% | 67.8%Q2 2010 | 67.4%Q1 2010 | ▲ +0.1 |
| 2009 | 67.9% | 68.3%Q2 2009 | 67.7%Q3 2009 | ▼ −0.1 |
| 2008 | 68.5% | 68.9%Q4 2008 | 68.3%Q2 2008 | ▲ +0.5 |
| 2007 | 68.4% | 68.5%Q1 2007 | 68.2%Q3 2007 | ▼ −0.1 |
Show all
| Year | Average | High | Low | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 68.2% | 68.4%Q1 2006 | 67.8%Q4 2006 | ▼ −0.6 |
| 2005 | 67.7% | 68.1%Q3 2005 | 67.4%Q1 2005 | ▲ +0.4 |
| 2004 | 66.9% | 67.7%Q4 2004 | 66.4%Q1 2004 | ▲ +1.3 |
| 2003 | 66.3% | 66.5%Q3 2003 | 66.1%Q1 2003 | ▲ +0.3 |
| 2002 | 66.5% | 66.7%Q1 2002 | 66.2%Q4 2002 | ▼ −0.5 |
| 2001 | 65.8% | 66.3%Q4 2001 | 65.4%Q1 2001 | ▲ +0.9 |
| 2000 | 65.2% | 65.6%Q4 2000 | 64.9%Q2 2000 | ▲ +0.5 |
| 1999 | 65.1% | 65.2%Q4 1999 | 65.0%Q3 1999 | ▲ +0.1 |
| 1998 | 65.1% | 65.3%Q1 1998 | 64.8%Q4 1998 | ▼ −0.5 |
| 1997 | 65.4% | 65.6%Q2 1997 | 65.2%Q4 1997 | ▼ −0.2 |
| 1996 | 65.6% | 66.1%Q3 1996 | 65.3%Q1 1996 | 0.0 |
| 1995 | 64.7% | 65.2%Q4 1995 | 64.4%Q1 1995 | ▲ +0.8 |
| 1994 | 64.1% | 64.5%Q4 1994 | 63.9%Q2 1994 | ▲ +0.5 |
| 1993 | 63.3% | 63.6%Q4 1993 | 63.0%Q1 1993 | ▲ +0.6 |
| 1992 | 63.3% | 63.6%Q1 1992 | 63.1%Q3 1992 | ▼ −0.4 |
| 1991 | 63.8% | 64.0%Q1 1991 | 63.4%Q4 1991 | ▼ −0.6 |
| 1990 | 63.9% | 64.1%Q2 1990 | 63.5%Q1 1990 | ▲ +0.4 |
| 1989 | 63.6% | 64.0%Q1 1989 | 63.4%Q3 1989 | ▼ −0.5 |
| 1988 | 64.9% | 65.4%Q1 1988 | 64.4%Q4 1988 | ▼ −1.0 |
| 1987 | 66.4% | 66.6%Q1 1987 | 66.1%Q4 1987 | ▼ −0.5 |
| 1986 | 66.7% | 67.1%Q1 1986 | 66.3%Q4 1986 | ▼ −0.8 |
Download history
Preview
4 observations · Q1 2025 to Q4 2025
| Date or period | Value · Percent | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 2025 | 70.7% | Stats NZ |
| Q2 2025 | 70.5% | Stats NZ |
| Q3 2025 | 70.3% | Stats NZ |
| Q4 2025 | 70.5% | Stats NZ |
Indicator info
- Category
- Labour
- Source
- Stats NZ
- Frequency
- Quarterly
- Units
- Percent
The share of the working-age population that is working or looking for work.
Related indicators
Reports
Released 5 Aug 202670.7%Q2 2026
In 21 days
Next release, 21:45 UTC3 Nov 2026Q3 2026
History
| Period | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q2 2026 | 70.7% | +0.3 |
| Q1 2026 | 70.4% | −0.1 |
| Q4 2025 | 70.5% | +0.2 |
| Q3 2025 | 70.3% | −0.2 |
| Q2 2025 | 70.5% | −0.2 |
| Q1 2025 | 70.7% | −0.1 |
| Q4 2024 | 70.8% | −0.3 |
| Q3 2024 | 71.1% | −0.5 |
| Q2 2024 | 71.6% | +0.1 |
| Q1 2024 | 71.5% | −0.3 |
| Q4 2023 | 71.8% | −0.2 |
| Q3 2023 | 72.0% | −0.4 |
| Q2 2023 | 72.4% |
Common questions
What is the labour force participation rate in New Zealand now?
The labour force participation rate in New Zealand was 70.7% in Q2 2026, up 0.3 points from Q1 2026. The figure was released on 5 Aug 2026.
When is the next labour force participation rate release for New Zealand?
The next release is scheduled for 3 Nov 2026, 21:45 UTC, covering Q3 2026.
What are the highest and lowest values of the labour force participation rate in New Zealand?
In data since 1986, the highest was 72.4% in Q2 2023 and the lowest was 63.0% in Q1 1993.
Where does this data come from?
Published by Stats NZ, and shown here exactly as published. Publishers revise figures, and the latest published figure replaces the earlier one.