New Zealand sees employment numbers grow

A total of 32,880 people in New Zealand shifted from receiving benefits into employment in the first three months of 2021, according to Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni.

“More people moved into work last quarter than any time since the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) began keeping electronic records in 1996,” said the minister. 

“The investment the Government has made during our response to COVID-19 is working and has led to lower than predicted unemployment,” Sepuloni added. 

“The longer people remain on a benefit the more difficult it becomes for them to re-enter the labour market, so early interventions are vital,” she said, adding that that was “why the government invested in the wage subsidy to keep people in work, and invested an additional $150 million (US$107.36 million) to increase MSD’s employment and financial services as part of our COVID-19 recovery package.”

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The number of people receiving benefits now total 365,937, a fall of 23,563 from the previous quarter, according to official data. 

Sepuloni also noted that the positivity in the employment market is reflected in the recent jobs data, which shows vacancies increasing by 73.7% year-on-year. “Vacancies are up across all industries with most growth being seen in healthcare, manufacturing, construction and hospitality,” she concluded.