Articles
US President Ronald Reagan is famous for repeatedly using the phrase “trust, but verify”, underscoring the importance of testing assumptions to confirm that claims are true. It’s a phrase that economists also keep in mind when dealing with a vast array of different datasets. Read
New Zealand has experienced an immigration surge since we reopened our border to international migrants in August 2022. Here we look at how this surge has changed the make-up of workforces across New Zealand’s territorial authorities (TAs). Read
Back in 2022, at the height of the post-lockdown boom and associated cost pressures, it was estimated that 50,000 more people would need to find themselves out of work as demand was reined in across the economy to bring inflation under control. Since then, we’ve seen a lift in unemployment of 40,000... Read
Recessionary pressures have led to a surge in youth unemployment nationally. Last week’s StatsNZ labour market statistics showed the unemployment rate rose to 4.3%. The Household Labour Force Survey (HLFS) showed total unemployment up by 33,700 people, 31% higher than a year ago. More than half of t... Read
The opening of New Zealand’s borders in mid-2022 has led to an unprecedented surge in migrant arrivals. Here we look at which regions have benefitted most from this increase in the migrant labour supply. Read
Annual net migration reached a new record high of almost 129,000 people in the year to October, despite net departures of NZ citizens surpassing the previous biggest outflow that occurred in the wake of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. The influx of migrants is creating renewed demand pressures in ... Read
The Monthly Employment Indicators published by Stats NZ are a valuable addition to the suite of employment measures in New Zealand. This article outlines how Infometrics is utilising this valuable data source to enhance our regional products. Read
Record high net migration over the past year has been a lifeboat for New Zealand’s economic growth, dominating recent trends in employment, housing demand, and demography. Quarterly net migration is now beginning to soften from its early 2023 peak as migrant arrivals grow slower, and departures from New Zealand accelerate. Read
Infometrics has recently added a new section to our Regional Economic Profile which explores the Pacific Peoples population and their role in regional labour markets. This article outlines the growing significance of New Zealand’s Pacific Peoples population in the context of broader demographic shifts. Read
The labour force participation rate is a measure of the adult population’s engagement in the labour market. Here we look at how the participation rate of young men has changed since the 1950's. Read