Labor force — all countries

Labor force — New Zealand

Labor force in New Zealand in 2025 — 3,076,335 people. Ranked 105 in the world out of 182. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 89.6%.

2025 3.08M people +0.66% vs 2024
World rank 105of 182
Period maximum 3.08M people2025
Period minimum 1.62M people1990

Trend over time

1990–2025 · people

Labor force — New Zealand, 1990–20251.5M2M2.5M3M3.5M19901994199820022006201020142018202220251990: 1,622,298 people1991: 1,702,829 people1992: 1,709,913 people1993: 1,727,412 people1994: 1,773,165 people1995: 1,817,532 people1996: 1,871,435 people1997: 1,892,656 people1998: 1,898,064 people1999: 1,912,390 people2000: 1,929,758 people2001: 1,962,689 people2002: 2,024,542 people2003: 2,065,073 people2004: 2,122,508 people2005: 2,179,558 people2006: 2,231,752 people2007: 2,266,131 people2008: 2,286,662 people2009: 2,304,331 people2010: 2,325,453 people2011: 2,358,833 people2012: 2,366,796 people2013: 2,382,609 people2014: 2,463,012 people2015: 2,526,061 people2016: 2,634,836 people2017: 2,732,646 people2018: 2,787,916 people2019: 2,819,371 people2020: 2,869,748 people2021: 2,904,263 people2022: 2,932,530 people2023: 3,034,955 people2024: 3,056,019 people2025: 3,076,335 people
Change over the period: +1.45M (+89.63%) Average annual rate: 1.85 %

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: New Zealand

New Zealand 3.08M people
World 3.74B people
East Asia & Pacific 1.28B people
Australia and New Zealand computed 18.2M people
High-income countries computed 716M people
Labor force — New Zealand, by year New Zealand All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 3.08M +20,316 +0.66%
2024 3.06M +21,064 +0.69%
2023 3.03M +102,425 +3.49%
2022 2.93M +28,267 +0.97%
2021 2.9M +34,515 +1.2%
2020 2.87M +50,377 +1.79%
2019 2.82M +31,455 +1.13%
2018 2.79M +55,270 +2.02%
2017 2.73M +97,810 +3.71%
2016 2.63M +108,775 +4.31%
2015 2.53M +63,049 +2.56%
2014 2.46M +80,403 +3.37%
2013 2.38M +15,813 +0.67%
2012 2.37M +7,963 +0.34%
2011 2.36M +33,380 +1.44%
2010 2.33M +21,122 +0.92%
2009 2.3M +17,669 +0.77%
2008 2.29M +20,531 +0.91%
2007 2.27M +34,379 +1.54%
2006 2.23M +52,194 +2.39%
2005 2.18M +57,050 +2.69%
2004 2.12M +57,435 +2.78%
2003 2.07M +40,531 +2%
2002 2.02M +61,853 +3.15%
2001 1.96M +32,931 +1.71%
2000 1.93M +17,368 +0.91%
1999 1.91M +14,326 +0.75%
1998 1.9M +5,408 +0.29%
1997 1.89M +21,221 +1.13%
1996 1.87M +53,903 +2.97%
1995 1.82M +44,367 +2.5%
1994 1.77M +45,753 +2.65%
1993 1.73M +17,499 +1.02%
1992 1.71M +7,084 +0.42%
1991 1.7M +80,531 +4.96%
1990 1.62M

Australia and New Zealand, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

AU Australia 15.13M NZ New Zealand 3.08M

About the indicator

The economically active population — everyone aged 15 and over who either works or actively looks for work. It covers the employed, the unemployed and first-time job seekers; it leaves out students, homemakers and other people who do not offer their labor on the market. The size of the labor force is the basic constraint on the growth potential of an economy.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.