New Zealand added 18,000 jobs: which industries and regions are actually hiring?

News · 2026-08-28 · 3 min read

Two colleagues discuss work plans in an Auckland office.

New Zealand's filled-jobs figures show where work was being created and where it was shrinking. Stats NZ reported about 18,000 more filled jobs over the year to July, taking the total to 2.34 million, and employers added 7,746 roles between June and July, a 0.3% lift on a seasonally adjusted basis. For someone choosing an industry and a region, the detail matters more than the total.

Industries that were adding jobs

Industry	Change over the year
Healthcare and social assistance	6,581 jobs, up 2.3%
Public administration and safety	6,418 jobs, up 4%
Education and training	2,630 jobs, up 1.2%
Construction	1,810 jobs, up 0.9%
Professional, scientific and technical services	Down 2,078 jobs, or 1.1%

Healthcare was the largest single source of new employment, which is encouraging for people with nursing, aged-care, allied health or support-worker experience. Construction growth is a useful sign for tradespeople. The fall in professional, scientific and technical services, which covers much consulting and tech-adjacent work, is a reason for people in those fields to plan carefully.

Regions on the way up and down

Canterbury led with 6,824 more jobs, up 2.2%.
Auckland added 4,427, Waikato 3,330 and Otago 1,710.
Northland lost 1,526 jobs, a 2.1% fall and the steepest drop of the regions highlighted.

For a newcomer, the South Island and central North Island were outperforming the north.

Who was being hired

Women gained 7,959 jobs (0.7%) against 3,819 (0.3%) for men. Employment among people aged 65 and over rose 4.1%, or 5,407 jobs, which is relevant to anyone moving later in a career. The 35-to-39 age group had the biggest raw gain at 9,030 jobs (3.2%), while the 30-to-34 group fell by 5,180 jobs (1.8%).

Earnings also rose. Total gross earnings reached $16.5 billion in July, up $607 million (3.8%) on the year, suggesting pay was moving as well as hiring.

Common mistakes when reading jobs data

Following the national total and ignoring industry and region.
Treating provisional figures as final. Stats NZ notes they stay provisional for three months while payday filing data arrives.
Assuming growth in an industry means every role in it is open to newcomers. Occupation, registration and visa rules still apply.
Skipping your own paperwork. A clear CV that shows registration and experience helps in a market where healthcare is hiring, and Build AI CV can help you organise one.

How to use the figures in a plan

Match your occupation to the growing industries.
Compare regions rather than assuming Auckland is the only choice.
Check visa and registration requirements on the official New Zealand immigration pages.
Read related background such as why New Zealand is winning its own people back and what its AI shake-up means for skilled migrants. Browse current jobs for the neighbouring Australian market too.

Questions newcomers ask about the figures

Which industry added the most jobs?

Healthcare and social assistance, with 6,581 jobs over the year.

Which region grew fastest?

Canterbury added the most, with 6,824 jobs.

Are the numbers final?

No. They are provisional for three months.

Should tech workers be concerned?

Professional, scientific and technical services lost jobs, so it is sensible to plan for a softer market.

Do these figures say anything about visas?

No. They describe the labour market only, so check eligibility separately.

What to remember before you apply

Pick your industry and region with the data in hand, treat the figures as an early signal, and check the official rules before you commit.

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