Source: Radio New Zealand
The number of job advertisments continued to grow in March. RNZ
The number of job advertisments continued to grow in March, although at a slower pace than in previous months.
The latest SEEK NZ Employment Report showed job ads rose 0.8 percent in March compared with February, but were still 13 percent higher than a year earlier.
At the same time, competition for jobs continued to ease, with applications per job ad falling 2.8 percent from the previous month – the sixth consecutive monthly decline.
At a regional level, the South Island remained the standout.
SEEK NZ country manager Rob Clark said the region’s positive momentum had been a defining feature of the job market so far in 2026, although the recovery was becoming more broad‑based.
“Southland and Otago continue to grow steadily, with rising demand in the construction and industrial sectors,” he said.
“Growth also broadened in the North Island in March, with Taranaki and Waikato driving monthly gains.”
Job ads in Wellington and Auckland were broadly flat in March, although Wellington was up 11.7 percent on an annual basis.
Auckland remained a relative laggard, with job ads just 5.5 percent higher than a year earlier.
Construction remained the engine of annual growth, with job ads up 36.0 percent year‑on‑year, despite being flat over the month.
Trades and services, manufacturing, and transport and logistics each recorded annual growth of 22.5 percent and posted modest monthly gains.
However, hospitality and tourism, retail, and marketing and communications all lost ground in March.
“These figures reflect an economy where infrastructure, primary industries, and operational roles are driving real hiring demand,” Clark said.
Demand for AI skills continued to grow exponentially, particularly in information technology, consulting, and marketing and communications, he said.
“Overall, the March data reinforces what we’ve been seeing build since late 2025 – a broad‑based, durable recovery anchored in goods‑producing industries, essential services, and infrastructure‑related hiring, with encouraging signs the North Island is starting to catch up to the South Island’s strong run.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
