Labour market statistics

The labour market statistics information release combines data from three surveys to present a broad picture of the labour market.

From the Household Labour Force Survey (HLFS) we provide a picture of New Zealand's labour force – these statistics relate to employment, unemployment, and people not in the labour force.

The Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) estimates the demand for labour by New Zealand businesses – the levels and changes in employment, total weekly gross earnings, total weekly paid hours, average hourly and average weekly earnings, and average weekly paid hours in the industries we survey.

The Labour Cost Index (LCI) measures changes in salary and wage rates for a fixed quantity and quality of labour input. It is a measure of wage inflation, reflecting changes in the rates that employers pay to have the same job done to the same standard.

Household Labour Force Survey sources and methods: 2016 provides a technical description of the sample design and other aspects of the HLFS.