File photo: Getty ImagesUnemployment rose to its highest level in more than a decade, with more people chasing work than jobs created, while wage growth slowed further. Stats NZ numbers showed the unemployment rate rising to 5.4 percent in the three months ended December, from 5.3 percent in the previous quarter. It was the highest level since March 2015. "Over the quarter, we saw higher levels of engagement in the labour market as both employment and unemployment increased," macroeconomic spokesperson Jason Attewell said. The regions with the highest unemployment were Auckland, Wellington and Waikato with rates close to 6 percent, with all South Island regions below 5 percent.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 03, 2026 23:09 UTC