THE LABOUR MARKET

Over the year to June 2007:

• The working age population grew 1.3 per cent, from 3,212,000 people in June 2006 to 3,254,600 people in June 2007. Among those working age people, participation in the labour force increased from 68.7 per cent to 68.8 per cent for the same period.
• The number of people employed increased by 1.5 per cent, from 2,126,000 in June 2006 to 2,158,000 in June 2007, while the number of people not in the labour force increased by 0.9 per cent, from 1,006,000 in June 2006 to 1,015,000 in June 2007. The number of people unemployed increased by 1.2 per cent, from 80,000 in June 2006 to 81,000 in June 2007.
• Total hours worked in New Zealand increased 0.7 per cent between June 2006 and June 2007.

Figure 1: Population and labour market flows as at June 2007

Notes:

* PLT = permanent and long-term migrants.

Population: number of people as at 30 June 2007.

Working age population, not in the labour force, labour force, employed, unemployed: number of people, seasonally adjusted average for 3 months to June 2007.

Flows are number of people moving between labour market states in the year to June 2007 (not seasonally adjusted)

Figures may not add to total due to rounding.

The figures for employed, unemployed, and not in the labour force for June 2006 differ to those reported in the Department's Annual Report 2005/06, as Statistics NZ revised these figures in August 2007.